Join us for for The Athens Asylum Walking Tour. You can buy tickets and give as gifts for any tours during 2018, just call us at 740-592-2280 and choose the gift shop option!

Tickets are $12.00 with a Southeast Ohio History Center membership or $15.00 each for 12 and over. You can call us to prepay your tickets with a credit/debit card or stop in the gift shop to pay cash prior to the tour. If you need to mail in a check to pay for tickets, the address is: Southeast Ohio History Center, Attn: Gift shop, 24 W. State Street, Athens, Ohio 45701. Payment must be received prior to the day of your tour.
REFUND POLICY- Refunds will be given only under the following circumstances:
• Requests that are pre-paid and made at least 48 Hours prior to tour.
• Active lightening storms- you will be given either tickets to attend another tour of your choice, or, ticket price will be refunded. Rain DOES NOT cancel the tours- please bring appropriate rain/weather gear.
• Level 2 or higher snow emergency.
Due to the popularity of our tours we now request preregistration. Call 740-592-2280 and press 1 for the gift shop to reserve your tickets! Tours do sell out regularly, so please reserve your tickets prior to the tour.
For more information or to purchase tickets for the Asylum Tour, call The Southeast Ohio History Center at 740-592-2280 and choose option 1.
This is an outdoor walking tour and will cover the entire loop of the grounds including the cemeteries so if you have small children, bring a stroller!
George Eberts, an expert on the history of the Athens Asylum or “The Ridges,” will lead an outdoor walking tour of the asylum grounds. The tour will last approximately two hours. Due to Ohio University restrictions, access to the inside of the buildings is limited, but you can tour the main entryway seen in the picture as well as the Kennedy Museum.
George will captivate you with his depth of knowledge as well as tell you the real stories of what life was like for the residents, as well as the staff, at the Asylum.
Rain Policy: We conduct the Asylum Tour in rain or shine so please bring appropriate clothing and umbrellas as conditions require. Cancellation will take place only if dangerous weather such as lighting storm or high winds are active. In winter months, if there is a level 2 or 3 snow emergency, the tour will be canceled as well. In the event of cancellation, those with prepaid tickets can call us and choose either another tour or receive a refund.
All regularly scheduled tours are held on Sunday afternoons and start from the main steps of the Kennedy center located at the top of North Ridge Drive. 100 Ridges Circle is the address for Garmin and navigation tools.