There are few Christmas movies as iconic as 1983’s “A Christmas Story,” the seminal holiday narrative of one boy and his desire for a Red Ryder Air Rifle, set in the fictional town of Hohman, Indiana. While it was not originally a box office hit, the film later grew in popularity through VHS releases. Today, the film is a staple in many families’ homes around the holidays and an iconic piece of Americana.
Behind the scenes, “A Christmas Story” also accounts for one of Ohio’s most iconic filming locations: The House from A Christmas Story in Cleveland, OH. When director Bob Clark set out to make the film, he wanted to achieve the look of an “anytown” set in the 1940s and he turned to Cleveland to do so. Other Cleveland locations featured in the film are the department store where Ralphie first sees the Red Ryder Air Rifle (the historic Higbee building) and Cleveland Public Square.
Today, The House from A Christmas Story is open year-round for guided and self-guided tours. Across the street, a museum is also open, featuring memorabilia and real props from one of America’s most iconic Christmas films. The house and museum are located on 3159 West 11th St., offering a convenient Christmas experience for John Carroll students. We traveled there to see if the visit is worth the $20 ticket price.
Upon arriving, visitors are greeted with a cheery red and white sign and a ticket-taker dressed in the iconic Pink Nightmare costume from the film. The house itself is small and often cramped with the heavy crowd flow it experiences, but it is still possible to pose for photos with many of the props and set recreations. Notably, while the house has been painstakingly restored to its 1980’s filming appearance, the real film props are saved for the museum across the street. This choice wisely allows visitors to interact with iconic objects like the leg lamp and even the Red Ryder Air Rifle, which is not fireable for reasons anyone who has watched the film will understand.
The props featured are not mere facades, but are highly detailed and textured. For example, you can flip through the magazines in Ralphie’s bedroom and climb below the kitchen sink. Overall, the house is impressively put together, but even with photo-ops, it will scarcely take you 30 minutes to walk through and observe.
The museum is equally detailed, featuring countless props, including real costumes and the real lamp used in the film. One of the most memorable sites was a display titled, “Featuring the Untold Story,” detailing a certain scene that never made it to the big screen. Originally, this “dream scene” was supposed to involve Ralphie helping rescue the great Flash Gordon from his nemesis, Ming the Merciless.
The scene was ultimately cut due to budget constraints and a concern that it was too much of a tonal shift from the rest of the movie. Posters, graphics, letters, props and other movie-related items that helped museum-goers fully understand the tale of “A Christmas Story” were also held in the cozy museum. Finally, the tour concludes outside the museum at the garage, where visitors are able to take pictures of two iconic cars from the film, the Oldsmobile and a replica of the firetruck.
Tucked away in a tiny street in Cleveland lies some of the city’s richest Christmas history. The museum, house and garage tour from “A Christmas Story” proved to be a fun and festive experience for movie buffs and students alike, and a great way to wrap up our Fall 2025 semester. Visitors should know, however, that the experience only takes about an hour. If you’re looking for a full night of Christmas fun, The House from A Christmas Story is a great option, but make sure to plan a second excursion.
