Warther Museum, Ohio, United States

5Jenny G 5:00 PM Jul 25, 2021

Amazing
What I thought was going to be just a pit stop for the afternoon turned out to be the highlight of my day. I would highly recommend taking the guided tour. The docent was very entertaining and informative, he obviously loves his job. It cost only $15 a person and it was worth every penny. The Gardens were beautiful, the button house was neat, and the house is pretty neat to see as well. The gift shop had a lot of nice things. I only wish we could have gotten in to see the cutlery across the street. The are only open from 9-5 Monday thru Friday.

5ElaineAndGreg 5:00 PM Feb 22, 2022

Unusual, But Surprisingly Interesting and Extremely Well Done
We are giving this a 5 rating, which it deserves, but this may not be for all visitors. Ernest Warther was a Swiss immigrant who developed a genius for carving. He created numerous clever and highly detailed carvings. The most striking of these are models of trains carved from ebony and ivory (noting repeatedly that it was not from elephants that have been killed). The models are astonishing for their accuracy and attention to detail. He also has carvings of other things. One was of the floor of a steel mill where he worked, complete with workers displaying personality and even one smoking a cigar. There are helpful signs about all of the works, pointing out areas of particular interest. The displays are highly well done and extremely professional. There are even messages on the floor about additional details you might want to notice. Warther had a strong family life and the family connection is evident everywhere in the museum, which gives it a very personal touch. As the title notes, this isn't your typical museum. Part of its charm is how unusual it is and the astonishingly high quality of the works it contains. There are additional buildings on the grounds. His original workshop is incorporated into the museum itself. He created his own excellent knives, which can be brought in one structure. Another includes some button exhibits that include one that Mary Todd Lincoln wore at Lincoln's second inauguration. Access is easy off of I-77 and the museum is about a quarter of a mile off the freeway. We continued to talk about our visits days afterward.