For many, fall and the back-to-school season feel like a time of new beginnings. For those seeking new experiences downtown, the fall season has brought a bevy of new exhibits to keep you and your family engaged until the weather turns and beyond.

Here's a quick rundown of what's new to do.

This week, the new Angela Meleca Gallery opens at 144 East State Street. The gallery will focus on contemporary fine art, including painting, printmaking, sculpture and video. Over time, installation-type work may be worked in as well. Gallery owner Angela Meleca plans to install a new show roughly every eight weeks. 

The gallery's opening exhibit will feature the work of Ed Valentine, a Columbus native whose work has been shown around the world. The gallery's opening reception will be September 19 from 5 - 8 p.m. Meleca hopes that this and other Thursday night opening receptions will become a downtown art hop along with the Riffe Gallery, the Urban Arts Space, CCAD and the Columbus Museum. For more details about the gallery, visit the website at angelamelecagallery.com.

Earlier this month, another gallery opened its doors, sending a ripple through the contemporary art world. The Pizzuti Collection at 632 North Park Street features the extensive and impressive contemporary art collection of Ron and Ann Pizzuti, longtime Columbus art collectors. Three exhibits are available for your perusal. Inaugural Exhibition, Cuban Forever and the Sculpture Garden all present contemporary art from the Pizzuti's collection, along with scheduled lectures, artists talks and more. The gallery is open Friday - Saturday from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and by appointment. For more information, visit their website.

If you want to stray from the art world a bit and maybe send a smile spreading across your favorite kiddo's face, visit COSI to check out one or both of their new exhibits opening September 21. Curious George: Let's Get Curious! will spark your child's curiosity about the world by immersing them in the familiar buildings and locales from the Curious George book series and television show. And Wild Minds: What Animals Really Think will show guests the cognitive skills of our friends in the animal kingdom. Many species demonstrate skills that were thought to be exclusively human such as using tools, solving problems and more. Researchers have documented these sills in different species and this exhibit shares them through videos, games and displays. COSI is open Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday, noon - 6 p.m. www.cosi.org