Museums in Cincinnati
Are you looking for something to do with your family before the last weeks of summer fly by? Living in a city like Cincinnati, you have access to wonderful parks, attractions, and museums all year long. Many people forget just how much fun you can have by visiting a great art or history museum. Not only will it give you and your family something to do together, but it will also encourage your children to learn more about the history and culture of their area. Encouraging this kind of learning outside of school will help them to develop an interest in learning and education that will expand far beyond their career as students. You will also have a bit of fun along the way.
Where to See Fine Art
One museum that you absolutely must visit is the Cincinnati Museum of Art. Located in the city on Eden Park Drive, the Cincinnati Museum of Art is home to masterpieces crafted by some of the biggest artistic geniuses in history. The museum features a collection of art from many different eras and regions. They also open their doors to touring exhibitions of great works of art. Currently, Grant Wood’s classic American Gothic is on display within the museums walls. While visiting the Cincinnati Museum of Art, you and your family can also enjoy dining accommodations and purchase goods and souvenirs in the museum’s gift shop.
Another wonderful art museum in the Cincinnati area is the Taft Museum of Art. Unlike the Cincinnati Museum of Art, the Taft Art Museum has a much smaller and more intimate collection. The museum is located in the historic family home Anna and Charles Taft, half-brother to President William Howard Taft. The museum displays the art collection assembled by the Tafts themselves and includes pieces such as Charles Daubigny’s Evening on Oise and Joaquin Sorolla’s Portrait of Mr. Taft, President of the United States. After you have visited the beautiful art collection inside the Taft’s family home, you can also make a trip to the historic birth site of President Taft.
Where to Learn About Your City’s History
The William Howard Taft National Historic Site is a museum dedicated to the preservation and memorialization of the old home of the United States 27th President. The site features the birth place and childhood home of President Taft. By bringing your children to the historic site, you can learn more about the President as well as the time period during which Taft grew up and would later govern. Other historic locations of note are the Harriet Beecher Stowe House and Heritage Village Museum.
For another important look into history, you can take your children to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. This museum is dedicated to educating visitors about one of the most important and influential periods in our nation’s history. The museum tells the stories of the brave slaves who took the journey from the south to the north via the path of the underground railroad, as well stories of the heroes who aided those slaves along the way.
Lastly, for a fun an interesting museum visit, you might want to take a stop at the American Sign Museum. The museum is full of old road signs, business signs, and billboards. The collection of Americana is fun and interesting to see. You can also learn about how large signs were made in the past and also how many are still made today.
Heading over to a museum in the Cincinnati area is not simply a way to pass the time. Supporting museums shows that you are dedicated to supporting the arts and culture of your city. You can also help your family to create excellent memories and encourage them to have a curiosity about art and history that they will pass along through the generations.
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