The Ridges and Kennedy Museum of Art

The complex opened in the 1870s as the Athens Lunatic Asylum, built in the sprawling, self-contained style favored for such institutions in that era, with a grand administrative center and long residential wings meant to admit light and air. The idea of the time was that beautiful surroundings, fresh air, and useful work could aid recovery, and the hospital ran its own farms and grounds toward that end.

Over more than a century the institution changed names and purposes as approaches to mental health care shifted, at times growing overcrowded and at times reformed. The hospital finally closed in the 1990s, and the property was transferred to neighboring Ohio University. Renamed the Ridges, it took on new life as museum, office, and campus space, while its history remained an important part of how the community understands the place.

The Kennedy Museum of Art occupies the grand central building of the former hospital, part of Ohio University and open to the public. Its galleries host rotating exhibitions drawn from the university's collections and from visiting shows, spanning contemporary work, prints, and historical pieces, set within the restored rooms of the old administration block.

Among the museum's strengths is a significant collection of Southwest Native American art, including Navajo and other weavings and silver and turquoise jewelry, that gives visitors a window into the artistry of Native peoples of the American Southwest. Seeing this work inside the reclaimed halls of the old hospital is part of what makes a visit to the Ridges so distinctive.

The wooded hills around the buildings have been laced with trails that climb through the trees and open onto views over Athens and the valley of the Hocking River below. Old cemeteries associated with the hospital lie on the grounds, quiet reminders of the many people who lived and died within the institution over its long life.

This corner of Appalachian Ohio was the ancestral homeland of the Shawnee and other Native nations, forcibly removed from the region in the 1800s, whose descendant communities continue today, largely in Oklahoma. The rugged, forested country around Athens still carries the character of the Appalachian foothills, and a walk on the Ridges trails gives an easy taste of it.

Spring greens the wooded grounds and softens the great brick facade, and the trails are cool and pleasant for a walk before a visit to the galleries. Summer is lush and shaded on the hill, a welcome respite from the valley heat.

Fall is the standout season, when the hardwood forest of the Appalachian foothills turns brilliant and the views over Athens glow with color. Winter strips the trees and lays bare the full scale of the Victorian complex against the sky, a stark and memorable sight. The museum keeps its own calendar, so check gallery times before you plan around them.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Ridges, in Athens, Ohio, is a striking complex of historic buildings that once housed a nineteenth-century mental health asylum, now part of Ohio University and home to the Kennedy Museum of Art, along with grounds, trails, and a sobering history. The grand Victorian former asylum, with its imposing architecture, has been repurposed, and the Kennedy Museum of Art within it displays a fine collection, including notable Southwest Native American art and textiles, along with other works. The site combines art, striking historic architecture, scenic grounds, and a reflective look at the history of mental health care. A fascinating and thought-provoking destination, it educates visitors. With its museum and history, The Ridges offers a compelling destination in Ohio.

You can visit the Kennedy Museum of Art, with its fine collection including notable Southwest Native American art and textiles and other works, admire the striking Victorian architecture of the former asylum, walk the scenic grounds and trails, and reflect on the history of the site. The art museum, the historic architecture, the grounds and trails, and the sobering history are the draws, offering a rich blend of art, history, and reflection. The art collection and the dramatic building are highlights. With its museum and history, The Ridges offers a rewarding experience in Athens, Ohio.

The Ridges was built in the nineteenth century as a mental health asylum, part of an era's approach to mental health care, and it operated as such for many decades before closing, after which the site was preserved and repurposed by Ohio University. Its history offers a sobering look at how mental illness was understood and treated in the past, a subject that deserves to be approached with sensitivity and compassion for those who lived and were cared for there. The site interprets this history thoughtfully. Understanding this history deepens a visit to The Ridges in Ohio.

The Kennedy Museum of Art keeps its own hours indoors, enjoyable in various seasons, while the mild months of spring through fall are especially pleasant for also exploring the grounds and trails and appreciating the architecture. Because museum hours and grounds access can vary, checking current information before you go is wise. For the museum and the loveliest grounds, aim for the mild months and check current hours at The Ridges in Ohio.

The Ridges and the Kennedy Museum of Art are in Athens, Ohio, on the Ohio University campus, within reach of Athens and the university, Hocking Hills State Park to the northwest, and the routes across southeastern Ohio. That makes The Ridges a compelling stop to combine with Hocking Hills State Park and the other attractions of southeastern Ohio on a visit to the state.