by Frances Stanford

Created on: September 07, 2009   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

Every visitor to Cincinnati should include the Cincinnati Art Museum on their list of locations to visit in Cincinnati, Ohio. This is not your ordinary art museum with its collection of over 60,000 pieces spanning over 6000 years of art history. In addition to viewing the exhibitions, visitors to the museum have the opportunity to take part in a wide range of programs offered during the year. Since admission is free, this is one great way to take in one of the many attractions in Cincinnati at no cost.

There are twelve categories in the general collection at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Fifty-seven works of art are on display in the line of American painting and sculpture that span the fields of oil paintings on canvas, works done in plaster, and watercolor on ivory. In the European paintings and sculpture, you will find works that have been cast in bronze and date back to the 16th century as well as oil paintings on canvas.

Far Eastern Art will give you a glimpse of art in different mediums, such as stoneware, gilt silver and hanging scrolls. Works done in soft porcelain, precious metals and earthenware are among the fifty-four pieces of American decorative arts on display. See the various styles of costumes and textiles through the ages in the Costumes and Textiles gallery where you will find dresses and articles of clothing made from horsehair, silk, velvet and cotton among others.

The Art of Africa is especially popular as you can explore masks and statues made from various types of wood and symbolize the religion and tradition of the peoples of this continent through the centuries. Take a walk back in time to the colonial years of the Americas to explore the talented carvers and artisans who used the materials of nature to create fascinating works of art.

The many paintings, drawing and watercolors will certainly attract your attention in the works of such greats as Henry Mosler, Paul Jones and Martin Redding. Photographs of people and places from the past will take you back in time.

Just about all of the works on display in the Cincinnati wing of the museum are by artists from the Cincinnati area or those who underwent training in the city. The displays in this room recount the history of the city and include furniture, pottery, and arts and crafts selections. The Steckelman Collection dates back to the 1880's and features works collected by Carl Steckelman that were collected on his travels through the Congo. These are on display in the Gallery of African Art.

Since opening its doors in 1886 and has grown by leaps and bounds in the last century. It is open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. but is closed when major US holidays fall on these days. It offers a wide range of activities for all ages and for families who would like to take a tour of the museum. There are educational programs as well for teachers and school groups. It is little wonder that Parents magazine named the Cincinnati Art Museum the top art museum in the country for families. The next time you plan to be in Cincinnati take time to explore this museum and discover what it has to offer.

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