Home | Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum

Today's Hours:

Museum Closed Saturday, September 5, 2026

The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum will be closed Saturday, September 5, 2026, due to an Ohio State home football game. Please note that the museum is closed on all home football game Saturdays.

Please see our Location and Hours page for a complete list of upcoming closures.

The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum houses the world’s largest collection of materials related to cartoons and comics.

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Collage of various comic panels.

On view from May 23, 2026 through May 9, 2027.

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Drawing of artist's table

A tireless supporter of community improvements, an avid outdoorsman, and a perceptive critic of political events.

Learn more about our namesake

Black and white candid photo of Billy Ireland inside of the Columbus Dispatch, looking out the window.

Cartoon illustration of Calvin and Hobbes laying on the ground reading a newspaper.

We inspire the study and appreciation of cartoon and comics art.

As a cultural heritage center, we collect, preserve and make accessible materials that represent a diversity of voices for research, teaching, exhibitions, and educational programming. The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum is now the largest and most comprehensive academic research facility documenting printed cartoon art. Administratively it is part of Ohio State University Libraries.

Collections

Explore the Billy Ireland’s vast collections of original art, published materials, archives and manuscripts, digital holdings, and much more

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Archive shelves of colorful spines of graphic novels on either side.

Exhibits

Discover the depth, creativity, and cultural significance of cartoon and comics history in our museum galleries and digital exhibits

Current and Upcoming Exhibits

Interior of Calvin and Hobbes cartoon comic gallery with comics and artwork on display.

Upcoming Programs and Events

See all Programs & Events

Sep 12 Sep 12

Workshop

Tools Day

Time

1 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET

Location

Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum Sullivant Hall

Tools dAY

Sep 15 Sep 15

Workshop

Comics Support Group

Time

6 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET

Location

Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum

Comics Support Group Flyer

Oct 17 Oct 17

Exhibit Program

Chris Ware: Life is Complicated Exhibit Reception and Program

Time

2 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET

Location

Jean and Charles Schulz Lecture Hall

Cover art for Acme Novelty Library no. 21

See all Programs & Events

Our Blog

Take a deeper look at our incredible collection with stories from our archive, guest posts from researchers, new acquisitions and announcements.

Explore Our Blog

Chris Ware artwork in grid

Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum Reopens May 23!

Return features reimagined galleries, a new permanent exhibition and an exclusive U.S. presentation of work by Chris Ware.

A smiling posed image of Will Eisner and Lucy Caswell at an evening event.

2026 Lucy Shelton Caswell Research Award Winners

The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum (BICLM) is pleased to announce the winners of the annual Lucy Shelton Caswell Research Award for 2026: Dr. Standford Carpenter and Sebastian Martinez!

Student holding books featured in blog post

Student blog post by Nay Brooks-Barber

Black women throughout history in comics and cartoons: exploring the Billy Ireland’s collections for Black History Month.