by Michael Totten

Created on: September 15, 2009   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

The Cincinnati Art Museum in Cincinnati, OH, is home to one of the most comprehensive art collections in the Midwest, with more than 60,000 pieces spanning 6,000 years of human artistic endeavor. It is also one of the oldest art museums in the country, having recently celebrated its 125th anniversary. A quarter of a million people visit the Cincinnati Art Museum each year.

The museum's permanent collection includes ancient and contemporary art from around the world, from ancient Egyptian artworks to European masters to the Cincinnati Wing, 18,000 square feet of space dedicated to Cincinnati artists and gifts to the city. African sculptures share space with Native American costumes and textiles and ancient Nabtaean art from Jordan. The European collection includes works by such masters as Titian, Rubens, Gainsborough, Renoir, Picasso, and Chagall, while the American collection features works by Copely, Hopper, Wyeth, and Rothko.

The Cincinnati Art Museum supplements its permanent collection and traveling exhibits with a wide variety of public programs, from classes to gallery talks to workshops. On the 2nd Sunday of every month between 11-2, the Terrace Cafe coordinates with the museum to offer Brunch Art Music, a free program which combines a special brunch with selected guest music and gallery strolls. To schedule a group tour, please contact the tour coordinator at least 4 weeks in advance of your intended visit at (513) 639-2975.

The Mary R. Schiff Library and Archives add an additional 70,000 books and bound periodicals to the museum's permanent collection, as well as hundreds of thousands of pamphlets, clippings, auction catalogs, mounted reproductions, and videotapes. Access to the archives is available by appointment only. Please contact the museum's Archivist at (519) 639-2977 for further information.

The museum gift shop offers posters, jewelry, and other gift items, as well as a good selection of books and pamphlets relating to Cincinnati Art Museum exhibits. The gift shop also has an online storefront which can be found here.

The Terrace Cafe is licensed and offers light meals up to one hour before museum closing times. The Alice Rimel Courtyard is available for outdoor dining in good weather. Museum members receive a 10% discount at both the gift shop and the Terrace Cafe.

Thanks to the generosity of the Lois and Richard Rosenthal Foundation and other endowments, the Cincinnati Art Museum has abolished all general admission and special exhibit fees as of February 10, 2009. However, a $4 parking fee is charged for vehicles parked in the museum's lot. Parking is free for museum members and volunteers. For high-demand special exhibits, museum shuttles to off-site parking are available.

The Cincinnati Art Museum can be found at 953 Eden Park Drive, Cincinnati, in close proximity to I-71, I-74, I-75, I-471, and the Columbia Parkway. Exact directions can be found here. Hours of operation are from 11-5, Tuesday through Sunday, closed Mondays and holidays. Guided tours begin at 1 pm in the front lobby. All parts of the museum are accessible to the handicapped.

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