The Southern Ohio Museum opened in 1979 in the historic Beaux Arts building at 825 Gallia Street in downtown Portsmouth. It houses two permanent installations—the world’s largest collection of works by Clarence Holbrook Carter (1904–2000) and the Art of the Ancients gallery with 10,000 prehistoric Native American objects from the Wertz Collection.

Additional galleries showcase contemporary Ohio and regional artists, while the museum also offers a 100-seat theatre, conference and education room, student art studio, interactive kids space, guided tours, a library and archives by appointment to researches and scholars.  We also offer an off-site circus arts program, and year-round exhibitions and events.