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National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Cincinnati, OH

Photo: MamaGeek, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

MuseumsHistory BuffRainy-Day Pick

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

50 E Freedom Way · Cincinnati, OH

Why you should go…

The Freedom Center opened in 2004 on the downtown Cincinnati riverfront to tell the story of the Underground Railroad and the fight to end slavery. The Slave Pen exhibit is a 21 by 30 foot log structure built in 1830 in Mason County, Kentucky, where enslaved people were held before being shipped to auction. Other permanent exhibits include ESCAPE! Freedom Seekers and the Underground Railroad, From Slavery to Freedom, and Invisible: Slavery Today. The museum suggests planning three to four hours.

  • #history museum
  • #underground railroad
  • #african american history
  • #civil rights
  • #riverfront

Good to know

General museums guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Check the special exhibition separately

    Touring shows usually carry their own ticket and their own opening hours, listed apart from general admission.

  • Look for the free window

    Many museums run community days, member evenings, or discounted late openings. It is worth a look before you pay full price.

  • Travel light through the door

    Large bags and backpacks often have to go to a coat check, and lines for it move slowly at opening.

  • Weekday mornings beat weekend afternoons

    School groups clear out by early afternoon midweek, while weekends stay busy from late morning on.

What's around here?

The closest stops to National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

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