Special Programs & Events

Cincinnati Museum Center Heritage Programs has been presenting historical, cultural and architectural tours for over 20 years. As an outreach association of the Cincinnati Historical Society, the docents of the all-volunteer Cincinnati Heritage Programs has unlocked doors to privately owned places generally not open to the public. All topics are thoroughly researched for accuracy.

Each month, Heritage Programs offers scheduled tours of unique sites of local or regional interest. All tours include lunch unless specified. All bus tours depart from the front of Cincinnati Museum Center. There are no refunds after the registration deadline. To register for a tour, call (513) 287-7031. Please note that payment must be received at the time of booking. For more information about the Heritage Program Tours, send an e-mail to: heritageprograms@cincymuseum.org.

Heritage Programs is committed to providing access for all individuals attending our programs, activities and events. Those needing information about alternative formats or other assistance should make that request at the time the reservation is made.

Executive Charter is the official carrier for Cincinnati Heritage Programs public tours.

Union Terminal Tours (Free and open to the public.)

Ongoing, every Saturday at 12, 1, 2 and 3 p.m. and Sunday at 1, 2 and 3 p.m.

Discover one of Cincinnati's National Historic Landmarks, Cincinnati Museum Center's home, Union Terminal. Learn details about the would-famous mosaic murals and why Union Terminal is one of the finest examples of Art Deco style. Docents provide complimentary tours every Saturday at 12, 1, 2 and 3 p.m. and Sunday at 1, 2, and 3 p.m. Tours also can be scheduled for groups any time during the week at a small fee with an advance reservation.

SOLD OUT

Union Terminal Photo Shoot      

Sunday, August 22, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Attention photography enthusiasts! This is your opportunity to take
pictures of Union Terminal after visiting hours. Capture photographs of areas not routinely open to the public such as the restored President’s Office, The Cincinnati and Losantiville Dining Rooms and the original Men’s Lounge, now the Amtrak Waiting Room. Visit Tower A, once the main control tower for Cincinnati Union Terminal where the Train Director managed all incoming and outgoing trains. Also, the balcony will be available for shooting the Grand Rotunda. Attending a free weekend Union Terminal Rotunda Tour will enhance the experience of this event. 

Fee: $25 members, $30 non-members

Registration Deadline: August 17

Starry, Starry Night

Wednesday, August 25, 7 to 9:30 p.m.

View the summer sky through the world’s oldest operational telescope at the Cincinnati Observatory, the birthplace of American astronomy. Enjoy the evening with wine and cheese and learn why President Adams laid the Observatory’s original cornerstone in Mt. Adams in 1843, and why the Observatory was moved to its present site in 1873. On a tour of this National Historic Landmark, discover how 19th-century astronomers determined time for Cincinnati and how the first U.S. weather prediction was achieved.

Fee: $30 members, $35 non-members

Registration Deadline: August 18

SOLD OUT

The Oxbow of the Great Miami River      

Saturday, September 11, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Explore the confluence of the Great Miami and Ohio Rivers, renowned for sightings of more than 284 avian species. Learn from a geologist about the ever-changing floodplain. In Shawnee Lookout Park, hear an archaeologist’s insight on the Native American hilltop earthwork and recent excavations of nearby sites. A member of Oxbow will describe the flora and fauna while guiding us through areas of the 2500-acre wetlands. Bring a camera and binoculars for possible sightings of double-crested cormorants and Bald Eagles. Tour involves walking on gravel roads and climbing on maintained trails.

Fee: $70 members, $75 non-members

Registration Deadline: September 6

Small Museums Preserving Cincinnati History

Thursday, September 23, 9 am to 4:30 p.m.

Visit the Betts House, built in 1804, recognized as the oldest brick home still standing on its original site in the State of Ohio. Travel to the Harriett Beecher Stowe House completed in 1833 for her father, Rev. Lyman Beecher and his large family of prominent religious and civic leaders. Next stop will be the Price Hill Historical Society Museum brimming with memorabilia and artifacts of one of Cincinnati’s earliest suburbs. After lunch, explore the German Heritage Museum dedicated to the history and achievements of German-Americans in the Cincinnati area and located in the original log home built by the Philip Feist family in 1840.

Fee: $70 members, $75 non-members

Registration Deadline: September 16

SOLD OUT

The Crosleys and the American Dream

Tuesday, October 12, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The inventive genius of Powell Crosley and his engineer brother, Lewis, afforded the masses, the radio, the Shelvador refrigerator and the Crosley Car among their numerous inventions.  Take a tour of WLW-TV, Cincinnati’s first television station and newsroom. Visit Pinecroft, the Crosley mansion located in Mt. Airy. At the Voice of America Museum in Mason, containing the Gray Wireless Museum, hear the history of what led to WLW becoming the Nation’s Station with the most powerful output in the world. Learn how the 50,000-watt radio and Crosley’s cooperation with the U.S. government assisted the World War II effort in bringing news to Europeans. This tour has a lot of walking, steps, and standing throughout the day and is not handicapped accessible.

Fee: $75 members, $80 non-members

Registration Deadline: October 6

SOLD OUT

Inclines and Overlooks    

Saturday, October 16, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

During the late 1800s, Cincinnati boasted five inclines that carried
people and freight away from the smoke, noise and crowds of the city basin up to fresh air. Visit the sites of the inclined planes, and hilltop resorts built as beer gardens and entertainment venues. Hear the story of Cincinnati’s “seven hills” and the wonders of 19th-century transportation engineering. Lunch is not included.

Fee: $40 members, $45 non-members

Registration Deadline: October 11

SOLD OUT

Politics and Prayers

Thursday, October 21, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

This walking tour visits three of city’s most distinguished houses of worship and Cincinnati City Hall. Tour 1845 Greek Revival St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, once the tallest building in the city. At the Plum Street Temple, view the Byzantine-Moorish Revival architecture seldom seen in the United States. At the Covenant First Presbyterian Church, learn how its influential parishioners had an impact on the Queen City’s history. Explore Cincinnati City Hall, an example of Richardson Romanesque architecture with its interior stained glass windows. Lunch will be at an historic restaurant.

Fee: $35 members, $40 non-members

Registration Deadline: October 14

SOLD OUT

The High Steel of Union Terminal

Saturday, November 6, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Explore the arched steel structure of the city’s most recognized landmarks. After an audiovisual
presentation on its construction, climb to the High Steel trusses supporting one of the largest half-dome rotundas in the world. Tour lasts about 2 hours, ascends 300 steps and has ladders in dimly lit areas. No cameras or personal carried items are permitted on this tour. No photos are permitted. Sturdy shoes required. No open toed shoes permitted. Must be at least 12 years of age; under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Not handicapped accessible.

Fee: $20 members, $25 non-members

Registration Deadline: November 1

Preserving Family Treasures–Three Dimensional Objects

Saturday, November 13, 9 a.m. to noon

Learn the “do’s and don’ts” of proper care and preservation of your historical treasures with David Conzett, Museum Center curator of history objects. This presentation takes place at the Geier Center, Museum Center’s repository of all things Cincinnati. The curator will give advice on handling, cleaning and storing textiles, furniture, glassware and
metals. Lunch is not included.

Fee: $30 members, $35 non-members

Registration Deadline: November 8