Congratulations, 2025 OMA Award Winners!
The Ohio Museums Association has announced the winners of the 2025 OMA Awards of Achievement and 2025 Visual Communication Awards. These winners were recognized during the Annual OMA Awards Dinner, which took place Sunday, April 19 at the Embassy Suites Dublin in conjunction with the Ohio Museums Association's 2026 Annual Conference.
The OMA Awards program is an annual celebration of the outstanding achievement of Ohio museums in visual communications, individual and institutional achievement, and the tireless work museum professionals undertake to help advance Ohio’s museum community both locally, and on a national level.
The Awards of Achievement are divided into two categories: Institutional Achievement Awards and Individual Achievement Awards.
Nominations for these awards are incredibly detailed. This in-depth process helps to illustrate how these institutions and individuals have gone “above and beyond” the normal call of duty to support their institution, serve their public and advance the cause of the museum community.
OMA would like to thank The Works and The Works hot shop glass artists for providing the beautiful art glass awards that were given to each of our Award of Achievement winners.
The 2025 Award of Achievement winners are:
Best Exhibition (Under $500,000)
Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame Museum—“Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame Museum"
Best Exhibition (Over $500,000)
National Museum of the Great Lakes—“Dark Waters: True Crime & Mystery on the Great Lakes”
Best Exhibition Catalog (Over $500,000)
Kent State University Museum—“A Meeting of Cultures: Fashioning North Africa”
Best Community Partnership (Under $500,000)
Artists Archives of the Western Reserve—“Common Currents”
Best Community Partnership (Over $500,000)
Akron Children's Museum—“Explore Galore with Monsters and More!”
Best Education and Outreach (Under $500,000)
Bay Village Historical Society—“Pioneer Days: Recreating the Past”
Best Education and Outreach (Over $500,000)
The Works—“STEMfest!”
Emerging Professional of the Year
Logan Rex—Armstrong Air & Space Museum
Museum Advocate
Eileen Litchfield—Darke County Historical Society / Garst Museum
Institution of the Year
National Museum of the Great Lakes – Becoming the Gathering Place for Great Lakes Conversations
The OMA Visual Communication awards recognize creative excellence in printed and digital materials produced and distributed by Ohio museums. This year’s awards are based on materials produced or distributed during the 2025 calendar year.
OMA would like to thank Museum Acrylics Company for sponsoring the 2025 OMA Awards, and for providing the beautiful acrylic awards each of our Visual Communication winners received.
The 2025 Visual Communication winners are:
Budget Level 1
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Gold Award: Oviatt House - “Open the Doors to History Capital Campaign”
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Silver Award: Lillian E. Jones Museum - “Hometown History: A monthly column exploring the history and culture of Jackson County Ohio ”
Budget Level 2
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Gold Award: Wood County Museum - “For Service & Support: Creating an Accessible Community”
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Silver Award: Columbus Historical Society - “Columbus History, A Journal of the Columbus Historical Society 2025"
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Honorable Mention: Medina County Historical Society - “Voices of the Revolutionary War - Remembering Our Patriots in Medina County”
Budget Level 3
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Gold Award: The Works - “Summer Party Fundraiser Invite - La Bella Vista”
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Silver Award: The Works - “attheworks.org Website Redesign”
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Honorable Mention: Allen County Museum - “Discovery of Decades: The 1930s Silver Screen Marketing”
Budget Level 4
Budget Level 5
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Gold Award: Dayton History at Carillon Historical Park - “A Living Landmark: The Story of Carillon Historical Park”
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Silver Award: Canton Museum of Art - “Shattered Glass: The Women Who Elevated American Art Exhibition Catalog”
Budget Level 6
BEST IN SHOW:
Wood County Museum - “For Service & Support: Creating an Accessible Community”
Do you have an amazing visual communications pieces at your museum? Is the new program/exhibit/partnership you launched this year a big hit? Have a colleague that goes above and beyond to make Ohio museums better? Don't miss your chance to be recognized!
Learn more about the 2026 OMA Annual Awards Program and get full nomination details on the Awards page.
Congratulations again to all of the 2025 OMA Award winners!
We look forward to recognizing your museum at next year's 2026 Awards Ceremony as part of the 2027 OMA Annual Conference, April 17-19 in Canton!