Seth Walsh and Erin Hinson have been asking people, “What’s your favorite thing to do in Cincinnati?” Whatever the answer is, they do. This is one of their adventures.
The Justice League’s Hall of Justice is located right here in Cincinnati: We call it Union Terminal.
Yes, the Hall of Justice is modeled after Union Terminal. However, Union Terminal is home not to superheroes but to the history of Cincinnati and the world. Beyond its gorgeous exterior, the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal houses incredible history and is a great place to #UnlockCincinnati.
Erin: The Justice League called and recommended we visit their home base. In seriousness, the Justice League of Cincinnati means so many people recommended this location that we cannot list them all, but we are glad they did.
Seth: As you approach Union Terminal there is a parking lot to your left. It is $6 to park there but you can park all day. They collect the money as you pull in to park, so be prepared. The good side of that is you can leave your car there until later that night and still will be able to leave without any problems!
Tickets to the Museum Center range in price depending on what you are looking to do. We recommend touring the entire museum, which ranges from $10.50 for kids to $14.50 for adults. If you want to see a show at the OMNIMAX, it’ll cost an extra $3.50.
Several times throughout the year the Museum Center offers Free Friday events. On those days, from 4-8 p.m., the Museum Center is free for all. We took advantage of this when my parents were in town! Unfortunately, all Free Fridays are done for the year, but keep an eye out for more in 2016.
Erin: Have you ever heard of "Where’s Waldo?" When I was little, my brothers and I would work together to find them all. So when the Museum Center made a life-sized version of the game and said that there were 10 notes hidden all over the model of Cincinnati ... game on.
Though my brothers weren’t in town to take on this latest mission, Seth’s dad stepped up to the plate. We knocked it out of the park ... almost. We missed two, but we also received conflicting information as to whether there were eight or 10 notes. The Museum Center staff offered us temporary Cincinnati icon tattoos anyway, but that would be like calling it quits on a puzzle with two pieces left. We went back, discovered the two missing notes and collected our tattoos. Day made. (I won’t spoil the locations for you, but not all of the notes are on the main map. You’re welcome.)
Seth: Union Terminal, home to the Museum Center, was built in 1933 to consolidate the countless train lines running through Cincinnati. Unfortunately, the construction came at the end of the train boom. As trains slowly left Union Terminal in the 1970s, new designs were proposed for the space. Ultimately, it became a shopping mall in the early 1980s.
Thankfully, that didn’t last long. The shopping mall quickly began to fade due to financial difficulties from the recession in the early 1980s. Taxpayers approved a levy to save the building in 1986. The building then became the Museum Center, with the six museums operating out of it that we all know and love today.
Why go: Do you have young kids who need something to entertain them? Try the OMNIMAX or the Duke Energy Children’s Museum. Or take them to join the history buffs learning about the Queen City at the Cincinnati History Museum. If those don’t appeal to you, try the Museum of Natural History and Science, the Cincinnati Railroad Club or the Cincinnati Historical Society Library. Wherever you go, you’ll have a blast. Tweet us through #UnlockCincinnati to share your adventure!
One more challenge: Find the Whispering Spot at the Museum Center. (Thanks to Katy for the recommendation!)
Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal
Address: 1301 Western Ave., Queensgate
Price: $10.50-$18
Parking: $6 on site
Time commitment: 3 hours
Pair it with: Incline Public House
We invite you to follow this journey in real time online at www.unlockcincinnati.org, on Twitter (@UnlockThe513, @SethTWalsh and @erinhinson2), Instagram (@sethtwalsh and @erinhinson2) and Facebook, or by following #UnlockCincinnati. Or you can email us at favorite@unlockcincinnati.org.
