The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is in the center of Downtown Cincinnati on the banks of the Ohio River. When you learn more about the stories of freedom and how integral that river was in a slave’s escape from the South, it makes the location even more poignant.
We’ve had the opportunity to visit the Freedom Center a few times in our previous visits to Cincinnati. But we wanted to make sure to visit it again during our 50 state road trip. Not only for the blog, not just to bring its awesomeness to you good people, but also because we always see something new there and are happy to support their mission financially.
There were a few new exhibits that we weren’t able to visit (due to time and finances) but they looked amazing. There was the Open Your Mind Exhibit about Implicit Bias, an exhibit about Rosa Parks (we decided not to view this due to time constraints since we’d already visited the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery, Alabama) and an exhibit called Confederate Currency: The Color Of Money which was about slavery and its depiction on Southern and Confederate Money.
There are a few reminders of those who have gone before in the fight for freedom. Some are historical figures, while others are modern contemporaries.
The Eternal Flame of Freedom reminds us of those who have gone before in the ongoing fight for freedom historically and continues today.
It’s recommended that you start at the top of the museum on the third floor and work your way down. The best place to start is the From Slavery to Freedom exhibit. This is by far my favorite exhibit in the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center as it’s the most moving and the most educational.
One of the most powerful areas for me is the commemoration area that names sites of slave markets and slave ships.
There are interactive exhibits to help you understand more about slavery.
There’s also an exhibit on the third floor about modern slavery that’s still experienced around the world.
Once you move down to the second floor, there’s more to see and learn. First you’re greeted by the 85 story quilt.
There’s also the entry to the theater area. There are two films that follow the story of slaves that crossed the Ohio river, as well as those that helped them including abolitionists like John Parker and the Reverend John Rankin.
While the museum suggests starting at the top, I’d almost recommend starting here to get some background for the museum’s significant location.
The Slave Pen is the final area that you see on the second floor. This has always been a powerful exhibit, but I found a sign that I’d somehow missed on previous visits about the man who helped reconstruct this historical artifact. David Scott Gaker passed away before the museum was opened, but his work and passion for reconstruction lives on through the Slave Pen exhibit.
I highly recommend spending a day at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. It’s a beautiful tribute to those that went before to ensure freedom for African Americans and the continuing effort to free slaves around the world today.
Ticket prices were usually $15 per adult, but we got our tickets for $13 each by using our AAA membership. To include the other special exhibits, the ticket prices would’ve increased closer to $25 each.
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