National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Reviews

The museum is very interesting and well thought out. A friend and I spent about 90 minutes there which was not long enough for me. There is so much information in the exhibits and videos.

This museum has great promise. There is so much information as to be overwhelming. The section telling the history of slavery in the Americas is amazing, but it's hard to identify the 'big story' from going down one of the individual 'rabbit trails'. One section presents modern-day slavery - it's a bit like being hit over the head and there's not a clear call to action. Glad we visited...so much opportunity for this museum.

It was an interesting place and very informative ....although, it didn't really get down to the nitty gritty of all that really happened during that era. It was sort of "white-washed" and presented in a way that it would not disturb anyone too much.

You are doing yourself a huge favor to be enlightened by the history of this museum. I cannot wait to return once my children are a little older. It is worth the fee and I am so glad I got the opportunity to visit. Everyone there is approachable, knowledgeable and patient.

This Expo is important because it chronicles the history of slavery in not only the U.S. but the whole of the American continents. New generations as well as ours need to understand how slave society operated, the way it progressed through time, the Civil War, and even the Civil Rights movement in the 1960's.

You will need time to absorb the content of this large building located conveniently between the football and baseball stadiums. Plan to make a day of it. There are interactive displays, videos, and docents who can guide you through the experience that the Underground Railroad led slaves to freedom in Canada in the Antebellum South.

What is especially important is the section where "word-wide slavery" is still going on today.

Museum has a prime riverfront location for a subject we all thought we knew very well.

But history has a lot of stories to reveal. And it might be the real purpose for this building.

The information load was pretty heavy, but the most compelling items had to be the real witnessed accounts. Very moving, always.

Walking through the displays made you think of this hard fact.

When the society you lived in enforced one set of laws, how can you find it in yourself to go against it, because you find it unjust or immoral?

It required a lot of courage.

This was an exceptional place to see and take the boys. Besides the tournment its self visiting the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center was the highlight of our trip. It is a must see attraction for any onyone visiting Cincinnati.

Interesting and educational outing. Everyone would would benefit from going there . Such much history.

This was our 2nd time visiting the National Underground Railroad Freedom Museum. We enjoyed using the self guided tour Application... very easy to use and offers additional information that just reading the plaques do not offer. There is always a new exhibit to see which keeps this museum worth revisiting many times.

This is a must see exhibit. It should be at the top of anyone's list of must see things to do in Cincinnati. The Freedom Center is situated appropriately near one of the most popular bridges. It was the bridges like this one that slaves used to cross the Ohio River to freedom. Their are many artifacts, films, and stories throughout the 3 levels. You start at the top level and work your way down. It was interesting to see how each state fit into all of this. I was particularly interested in Florida. I didn't realize that there was so much Civil War history in Cincinnati until walking through the exhibits. There's also an outdoor area on the top floor that has the freedom torch burning for eternity. There's a wonderful view of the Roebling Suspension Bridge, and the Ohio River.

Do try to view some of the historical documentaries while you are there. It's all very powerful. Allow yourself at least 2 to 3 hours if you want to see everything. There's also a section at the end that educates people about enslavement that still exists in other countries around the world.

Also, don't miss the exhibit of the Berlin Wall that is near the entrance to the Freedom Center. It was given to the people of Cincinnati because of their relationship with Germany. It's also part of the center, but it can easily be overlooked.

There is also a discount given to veterans and their families. I'm not sure if it was posted or not. Either way, it's all worth the admission price (with or without the discount) and shouldn't be missed when visiting Cincinnati.

This museum is a highlight for Cincinnati. The exhibits are well designed, well laid out, and full of a tremendous amount of information. The role Cincinnati played in dealing with slavery, the Underground Railroad, especially as it related to its position in the Northwest Territories was fascinating. Depending on your interest level and the make up of the folks visiting with you, a visit will take at least 1 1/2 hours and a real history junkie could easily make a half-day visit.

I think this is the type of museum you can visit again and again and learn something new each time.

The staff was very helpful. The exhibits were powerful! The signage was a bit too wordy. I noticed most people just walking passed longer worded signage. Due to Covid the museum has set up alternative options (foot pedals)
on some interactive element.

The gift shop was a bit uninspired.

All in all, you should visit.

Oddly it had comparatively little about the Underground Railroad, and especially little about how it worked. Mainly concentrated on the evils of slavery and other atrocities here in the US and overseas. There was one map of large vague arrows showing 5 regional flows north (and others not part of the underground railroad, going to Florida and to the west). A tiny but about Oberlin students and faculty role in organizing (in some places?) in a caption under a picture of an Oberlin hall.

A very overdramatized short movie about excaping slaves, overdramatized to concentrate on conflict between older female telling a younger male he was a fool for trying to escape (while escaping with him), set against the young man's younger sister encouraging him to escape. But not much on how the way stations worked, how slaves found them, whether most slaves escaped with "conductors" like Harriet Tubman or fled from way station to way station on their own, why and how the houses, churches and farms decided to participate, etc.

Especially little about how they maintained the networks despite the danger to all participants, way station owners and slaves, especially in slave states. It seems in maybe ar desire to reduce white shock, or to broaden the anti-atrocity experience (there is even a slab of the Berlin Wall), the curators decided to reduce and underplay the underground railroad itself.

Because it's called the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, we expected a significant portion of this beautiful building to be devoted to the underground railroad. Instead, it gives a broad view of slavery and politics in the 19th century, as well as global abuses which have continued into the 21st century. No guided tours or staff/volunteers hanging around to answer questions. For my money, The Harriet Beecher Stowe House in suburban Cincinnati is better. It offers off-street free parking and guided tours for less money. Lots of ways to get questions answered. Maybe try to visit both sites.

A history of slavery in North America, as well as some exhibits on continued slavery around the globe. Interesting, if hard to look at and take in- a very sobering experience. (Less about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad’s actual operation than might be expected. ) Might be nit- picking but if anyone from the Museum reads this, some of the lettering on the Exhibit plaques is so small it’s really hard to read.

I found the museum interesting but didn’t learn more than I already knew about the Underground Railroad. The layout was good.

I was looking to fill some empty hours near to the hotel. The recommendation was for this museum. I came here. My mood entering was feeling defeated by the political mood and the future of our country. I wandered and read. What I learned was powerful. This beautiful museum not only told the story of an abysmal history of enslavement of black people throughout our history and systemic destruction of indigenous peoples and suppression of women but it told a story of people who stood up against these happenings. But I knew these things but somehow in this museum I absorbed all of this in a different way. I felt overwhelmed with emotion and anger at the continued existence of suppression of minorities and the blind eye of our people in power. But I also read of those people who fought to end enslavement and suppression. They stood up and could not be defeated by people with power. I became re-invigorated and ready to resume my fight.
I only walked the third floor and saw a brief movie. On the way down I stopped in the section of today’s slavery and resolved that I, as a white woman, should not stop fighting for people who need to be freed from the tyranny of enslavement caused by hatred and indifference and want of education and opportunity.
Please visit and support this place. It is powerful. We all need to face our past in order to face our future.

Admission into the museum is $15, but you receive a $2 discount if you present a valid student ID. The museum has four floors of exhibits that provide a lot of information, not just about the history of slavery in the U.S., but around the world and in modern times. However, it was clear that some displays/pieces were taken out, but no signs were present to mention what they were or if they were going to be replaced. Also, a few of the interactive units in the human trafficking exhibit were unusable (i.e. levers that you had to pull to reveal hidden info placards didn't work). Finally, there was a strange smell on the floor that had the huge quilt and the wooden slavehouse structure. Despite these minor kinks, the museum is a place any visitor to Cincinnati should not miss, as it reminds us of the atrocities of slavery and why it should be abolished in all its forms.

"One thing we learn anout history is that we learn nothing from history". This quote kept coming to mind as I walked through the center. Walking through the museum is very sobering Starting on the 3rd floor you see that human slavery is still occuring today. It is not as blatant in America with black people but still occuring through economic injustice all over the world. Human traffcking is egregious and a reality for many yong women and boys in every contenient. I was humbled at the ton of information and maltreatment of our fore parents. many facts that I did not know. I appreciated the interactive video of choices on how a slave had to navigate freedom from the south and gave my 8yo son some insight on the decisions they would have to consider escaping from the drudges of slavery to the north. More interactive displays would be good dor younger visitors because it is a lot of reading. The slave jail would be good to have some displays for younger visitors to really get a sense of what was actually happening there as ot was an open room with a trunk of chains in there. Very sobering for adults who have african ancestors. A lot of reading for younger kids who may not take the time to read all the onfo available but a good exerience overall.

I want to give some advice to others for this excellent museum while it is fresh in my mind. (I visited yesterday.) If you like to just walk through museums, then you will need around 2-3 hours. However, if you want see all the brief videos, visit every floor, including the "Open Your Mind: Understanding Implicit Bias Learning Lab," then you should plan to spend the entire day from 10 am - 5 pm. We did leave the museum to pay for our parking and get lunch. However, we had tickets to another museum for 1 pm that we called and cancelled. The "From Slavery to Freedom" exhibit alone would take a person the entire day if that individual read everything. So, give this museum your entire day! Also, if you get too cold in over air-conditioned spaces, take a light sweater. The "Slavery Today" exhibit was especially cold.

Everyone should go to this museum. It's a great look back at our history, though it is a piece of history we are not proud of, but can learn from. The museum is packed full of displays and facts and my wife and I made two trips to see it all. I highly recommend.

A good presentation on slavery past and present. Was disappointed there wasn’t actually much on the under ground railroad. Several of the interactive displays were broken. There are two levels. The third floor concentrated on slavery as a social concern today and in history. The second floor is their presentation on the railroad. There is a Rosa Parks presentation available for an extra fee. It lasts about 3 minutes. I would recommend starting on the floor covering what you are most interested in. There is a central parking lot that that puts you right at the museum.

This is a very comprehensive experience. Be prepared to read a lot of material but know in advance that there is plenty to read and plenty to learn.

There was an awful lot to read which I could have read on the internet, however seeing the slave pen, and reading about the owner and his slaves really made me understand a little of what they went through. I do feel that it was all shown in a way that would not to disturb a person very much.
The slavery today descriptions were shocking to us, had not realized how many in today's world are enslaved. Great book store/gift shop.

Had an amazing time. Enjoyed learn more about history. My husband and I enjoyed doing the Rosa Park virtual tour. And there movies.

A must see for the history of the Underground Railroad. Very well done. Each floor was better than the previous one.

Approaching this grand building on the banks of the river, I was prepared to be wowed. I wasn't. I should have had my expectations informed by the fact that this is called a Center and not a museum. The center tells an important story-- no an essential story -- of slavery, escape, liberation, and continuing struggles. It does so with creative galleries that involve LOTS of reading. While it appears laid out like a museum, it holds relatively few objects for its space. There is a large slave holding shed that is quite evocative. The galleries try to show objects but they aren't many and their presentation appears almost an afterthought. You need to be prepared to spend a lot of time and be good with reading lots of card-like displays.

If you've been to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington or the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool, you will note the difference in quality of presentation and array of artifacts to tell this vital story.

Stories, images and testimonials were repeated in a way that felt like they were just filling space. Some of the exhibits were well done, but it seemed to overcommercialize a very important part of our history. Probably not worth the money imho.

This is a very comprehensive museum about slavery. It explains the economics of slavery, the history of slavery, the abolitionist movement and much, much more. Worth several hours. Skip the 'Rosa Parks' experience, its lame.

We got here when they opened at 10 and spent 2 hours. Admission was $15, there was a large gift shop, educational center as well as bathrooms on every level.

The museum presented fabulous settings. & music that moved us from each exhibit. The museum utilized first person narratives that took us through their lives & experiences.

We started at a slave ship & moved to plantations. Besides art, photographs, films & settings there were artifacts. We went inside slave cells. We understood the decisions made before taking the Underground Railroad. We saw & heard Pres. Lincoln’s 2 inaugural addresses, emancipation proclamation & 3 freedom amendments.

There was an exhibit about modern day slavery that touched on tough subjects in sensitive first person accounts. On the terrace we admired the Eternal Flame @ view. We ended with a program about biases. The posters got the point across, but I didn’t see value in the computer survey.

I did not expect much from this museum and was delightfully surprised. I wanted to learn more about the Underground Railroad but had seen exhibits in other places and there did not seem to be much that could be learned. This museum proved me wrong. Through stories, movies and exhibits (slave pen) we were enthralled. It was especially interesting that the Ohio river served as a key crossing point for many searching for freedom and the museum is right on the river so the history felt alive. Some additional exhibits talked more broadly about slavery today and other aspects of freedom. We spent 2 hours here but could easily have spent more. Highly recommended for families.

This is the most incredible museum that teaches history while remaining contemporary on issues of slavery of all kinds and refugees and social justice. It is heartening to see groups of kids and adults visiting this gem. The architecture is amazing, too, and the eternal flame facing the Ohio River is profound. I recommend this above all else when in Cincinnati. And if you happen to be a Reds fan, it is just around the corner! Also see the Black Brigade memorial at the Riverfront. It will blow your socks off in its example of transcendence and forgiveness. Go!

Very interesting, informative, and somewhat disturbing. We've been a couple of times in the last few years. Displays have been added, or updated and improved since our first visit 5+ years ago. Be sure to see the movie and video introduced by Oprah Winfrey. Particularly enjoyed seeing an historical copy of the Emancipation Proclamation on our visit 2-3 years ago. This was a traveling display, however, so not available at our visit in January 2018.

It’s a nice museum with lots of good information. I expected more on the Underground Railroad, but it was still good. There was a lot of information about trafficking. There were a few places that needed some maintenance.

So informative and loved all the theaters in each area of the freedom center. The gift shop was great! We enjoyed our visit. Thank You!

Great staff, ethically-sourced gift shop, lots of exhibits. More here than I anticipated. While a lot are “objects behind glass”, there are some really interesting interactive exhibits that “get you in the experience”, so to speak. Good for kids and families. NOTE: Really a shame that the exhibit on the 14th Amendment is now out of date (it mentions its protections for women) now that half this country’s population has been deprived of their human right to reproductive freedom.

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is a must see. We were in town on a weekend getaway and wanting to check out something new that we had not seen before in Cincy. It is a beautiful building and our visit was Five (5) stars all the way. It was such an invaluable, educational, and moving experience.

Staff was great, and the cost was $16.50 each (adult). I recommend parking at the Central Riverfront Parking Garage due to the app/meter parking limit is 3 hours and we were rushed towards the end of our visit.

A beautiful museum with indepth exhibits. A must see stop in the city. We planned 2 hours to go through the museum and did not get through it all. Would recommend if you read all of the informational plackards, you should allow more time.

Be prepared for an emotional and informative experience. Very good at educating, explaining, and celebrating a lineage and cultural dilemma that isn’t fully expounded up in common culture. Absolutely worth the visit. Plan for 2+ hours minimum.

I had a great educational experience at this museum. I really like that one of the first exhibits is one that provides information on a variety of ways people become victims of slavery and the different types of slavery (labor and human trafficking). The museum then goes into slavery in Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, and mostly America. I really enjoyed reading the detailed information on the various individuals that took action and advocated for the end of slavery. Overall, the experience was educational and enjoyable!

I went to the National Underground Railroad and Freedom Museum in Cincy while there for a family reunion. Very grateful that I did. What an incredible museum, well laid out, very information and well work the the admission price,

This is a museum everyone must take the time to visit while in Cincy.

Great museum however I do wish their were more artifacts-the museum seemed light in that aspect but is definitely worth a stop

I only wish for one thing- I wish the museum offered headphone to walk along with or more interactive exhibits. There was a lot of reading and it was too much for my teens, who do not enjoy reading. For the history buff, the reading may have been fine, but I wanted the teens to really understand it more and there was too much reading to keep their interest. I loved the ancestry lab. That was cool. I hope they expand on today's trafficking issues. There is so much information to add to that.

There is absolutely nothing more important to me then diverse city, and people learning about the plight of the story of others. I love this museum because it allows individuals to learn about something Ziri horrifying but also very important about our countries history. One of the things that I’ve noticed is that unfortunately some groups of people are hesitant to speak on the horrors of slavery and segregation, and since many people don’t speak on it they do not teach their children about it so their children grow up to be ignorant about this part of history. Take your wife, husband, kids, family, anybody to this museum, the only way we can combat racism is to speak about it openly. Stop saying that you don’t see color, color exist it’s OK to see it, but you will not cure racism by ignoring race it has to be spoken about.

The only reason why this did not get 5 stars is due to the lack of recorded material. There is a lot of great information being presented however the amount of reading you will do is enormous....if you have kids that like to read this maybe ok...if not, have a plan as to how you will translate the information for understanding...

From a Covid perspective the building is spacious and allows for social distancing. The film showings also have a limited participant number as well. Take your time and enjoy!

Couple hours is enough, Parking is a real pain in the butt, not much of it dedicated to the Underground Railroad

A wonderful place to visit and very informative. It is an all inclusive facility depicting United States historical information that is sometimes excluded from some school curriculum today. Do not skip any part of the exhibits, you'll learn more than you thought you knew.

We spent over 3 hours here and this a wonderful resource for learning more about the people who helped slaves escape.

We felt the main part of the museum was a little disorganized but was very interesting as we didn’t know much about the Underground Railroad before we came here. The best part of the museum was the section on Modern Day Slavery. It was difficult to walk through and read given that one example was of farm workers in Florida. We like to think we have put slavery in our past, but we still have to far to come. The shop had a great selection of items many of which are from organizations that work to end slavery in many countries.

Enjoyed touring this museum with my husband. There are various exhibits on each floor. When visiting be sure to allow yourself time to walk around and read the exhibit displays.

This story needs to be told, so we were curious. Loved the artifacts, however we found the print on the placards was too small to read on the other side of the glass and also the lighting gave a glare and made the story boards hard to read. Still, we enjoyed the learning experience and recommend making this a place to visit. The house was sobering to visit.

Thank you Underground Railroad Museum.
I completely enjoyed my time at your museum and I will be back as soon as I can.
I leaned about American history in a meaningful way.
Your exhibit on modern day slavery and human trafficking brought me to tears. How is this horror so prevalent ?
Thank you again

There's nothing worse than a museum where 90% of the experience is reading signs on the wall. The videos were great, though. I expected more, considering the importance of the subject matter.

Excellent experience to visit the Cincinnati Freedom Center. The history of Slavery past and present are displayed here. The Underground Railroad was a real sad part of history. Must see and learn about the slave trade that affected our country. The historical evidence helps us to learn about the path that led us to today. The African Americans who have overcome this long history of slavery are true survivors. It is inspirational. The present day stories are shockingly common. Interesting Rosa Parks exhibit. Wonderful theater has a short documentary. Wonderful paintings are displayed.

It had several videos about slavery to watch but as big as the museum was it did not have a lot of information. It also was about all types of slavery- sex, child workers etc

A museum like this is a must for the story of America. The highlight for me was the actual slave pen. It gives you an opportunity to imagine the horrors of enslaving people like animals. The museum is facility is beautiful. I especially enjoyed the end of the exhibit that featured a short flm narrated by Oprah Winfrey. While I'm not an Oprah fan, this was very well done. There is also an exhibit on modern day slavery/human trafficking. I suggest taking time to go through this.

This was a really interesting place to visit, and a reminder of the horrible past in our country involving slavery and sex trade. Plenty of reminders that much of this history is still with us today.

This museum is intensely packed with information. I made an effort to visit all of the exhibits and read most of the information presented. Didn't have time to watch any of the films in the two different theatres.
I really enjoyed the modern perspective and application of slavery as it still exists today in various forms.
You could easily spend 3 hours on just the 3rd floor, the other floors move quicker and depending on interest, can be done in a hour to 1.5hours.
There was an interactive exhibit on bias. However, I personally believe the activity itself created bias. But it was interesting either way.

I tried to park on the street in front of the entrance, but the time limit (not posted) was 2 hours, so then had to find a parking garage in order to finish the museum, which was frustrating. Cincy needs to get their street parking policy clear.

Don’t waste your money! Interaction screens down! Multiple Theaters closed, totally over rated and over priced, went through in 45min cause there wasn’t not much to see. Very disappointed

I wanted to see the Underground Railroad Museum as I'd been interested in it since a teen, reading stories about it. As a group, we had a tour guide who hurried us along during our 2-hour tour. He was fairly knowledgeable, but a little shaky on the topic of Lincoln my husband is an American historian who critiqued the guide's information as we progressed. There were many items we would have liked to read & learn about, but the guide keep hustling us through each part in about 5-7 min. I think the touer would have been more effective w/ just an introductory explanation for about 30 min., then let us wander through the exhibits on our own, asking questions of him when we had any. There was an exhibit of slavery around the world including child, sex, labor, etc. which was depressing & since it has been in the news so much lately, not really necessary There was another exhibit for a fee which we didn't see, but it sounded interesting. It's a worthwhile attraction, but can be improved.

Not as much on the underground railroad as I expected, but very informative about the beginning and the history of all types of slavery. We only had 2 hours to spend, but we could have taken much longer. Lots of visual interpretations of slavery done through sculpture. I liked the washboard exhibit. Right now there is a Rosa Parks special exhibit going on. There is also a film room and a couple of small documentary rooms throughout the exhibit. Very good place to bring the family to open up discussion about right and wrong, courage and determination.

It was phenomenal. The lady giving the tour was a little long winded. She was awesome but talked way too much! Our kids even as 18 year olds have short attention spans lol and they got lost after 30 minutes. She needs to stick to 2 or 3 minutes minimum at each section and then let group go out on their own at end. We paid for guided your so don't get me wrong it was nice, but really long at ewch section. We only got through 3rd floor. Great trip for family and kids. Exhibits are top notch, bookstore is awesome,

Moving exhibits on slavery in U.S. history and human exploitation continuing throughout the world today. Every American should be exposed to this information and made to think long and hard about the ramifications of the evil of slavery now and into the future. According to Mark Twain, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” We need to know and understand our history. This center assists in that effort. Highly recommended.

This is a beautifully designed museum that give context, history, and respect to those that helped free the enslaved. While it is heavy with the ills of our past, it also pays credence to the uplifting stories of those that stood on the right side of history. Also, be sure check out the human trafficking section to learn about the ways that slavery still exists and how you can help.

The place would seem to be a must-do for any tourist in Cinci. It is in an ideal location, right downtown situated in front of everything. The best thing is that you leave it feeling like you have a better sense that Cincinnati played in the Underground Railroad. I love places like that- that give me a sense of place and history of a place that I am visiting.

I didn't quite get all of the exhibits (there were hits and misses) and some of it was much too text-heavy rather than based on artifacts, which made it feel like a book attached to the wall.

The space was much too big for the amount of exhibits. That, coupled with the sparse attendance, made it feel empty. The available exhibits could easily fit into a building half the size.

It's geared perfectly for kids. It gets at the horrors of slavery but not in as gruesome a way as it could have. I think it was eye-opening for my 8-year-old but not overwhelming.

It's a must-see if you are visiting Cincinnati from the outside.

I visited the museum while in Cincinnati for a conference. We only had a few hours for the tour arranged for us so I can’t wait to go back for another visit to the museum. The few hours we were there was definitely not enough time to really learn about, enjoy and see all the museum has to offer.

We had a VERY GOOD docent! I enjoyed all she told about the few exhibits we were able to see. The many galleries are inviting and informative. While there was a lot to read surrounding many of the exhibits, having a docent to actually explain things was very much worth it.

The museum has ample space to move around, and through the galleries. There are nice seating areas in front of some exhibits and both stairs and elevators. There is a wonderful outside area that looks out over the Ohio River that is really part of the museum’s Underground Railroad history.

I can’t wait to go back to visit more of the museum. I hope both visitors to Cincinnati and those who live in Cincinnati will visit. I KNOW they will learn something they don’t know.

Straight to the point, awesome museum, very endowed in the history of the plight of Africans in America dating all the way back to slavery times. There is an actual slave cabin from Kentucky and all sorts of artifacts to see and experience. We took the guided tour and if we had more time we wouldve taken another one with a different tour escort because each tour leader has there own way of telling the story (as we heard some other ones in our travels throughout the museum). Easily could spend a few hours here if you like to soak in history.

Beautiful place,rich in history,You need to see this place,the displays are authentic,everyone I mean everyone need see the transatlantic slave trade

I took 3 teenagers to this museum. They were very moved by what they learned & re-learned. There is a full-size Slavs pen that was moved from Monroe County & reconstructed at the museum. Beautiful building situated on the waterfront. I wish this museum had a guided or audio tour. There are so many wonderful exhibits, but would have liked a guide or audio guide. The section on Slavery today got the teenagers into a wonderful discussion. I will definitely come back & spend more time here.

So glad I added this to my bucket list! I love history and am always striving to understand our rich history. This museum was full of information! My husband and two teens came with me to visit and we all enjoyed and learned even more! We drive 3.5 hours with this as our main reason for the trip. Very worth it! You can save a few bucks if you order tickets online. The best part is they have started opening on Sunday which made it was worthwhile for us to be able to get there easier. Worth the money. We took 2.5 hours to go through and could’ve stayed a bit longer to read everything. The movies/clips were awesome! I suggest taking time to sit through them. Our favorite was the one hosted by Oprah! Make sure to see it! A few pics to help you “see” but not spoil it!

Great museum. Very informative. Make sure you bring a sweater/ sweatshirt. It was very cold in there. This museum made quite an impact on me.

If you are interested in American History .. add this to your list. I could have spent a little more time there (we got there around 2pm and it closes at 5pm on the day we went). I love reading and hearing the stories (couldn't do that in that time span in order to get to see everything). The displays were very interesting (civil war displays). The "current slavery" exhibit (mostly about slave labor; trafficking of individuals)..heartbreaking. I was a little bit surprised.. the building seems very large so I think I was expecting a lot more exhibits. But was pleased with what I saw. There were several small auditoriums where there were films showing..but not enough information to entice you to view (the brochure that was available for the layout of the museum was just a black and white paper copy.. I hope that they just ran out of the nicer ones (I'm just a stickler for those kinds of small details). Not sure, but there doesn't seem to be much assistance available throughout the museum. Otherwise, this was a nice museum. And a plus that is coming - a bookstore! I was so hoping to buy some books from there but it was still in the works..not open yet.

One could come to this museum over and over and still find more to see and learn about. It is filled with meaningful exhibits and is of great value to all. Plan to spend at least 2 hours for first time and plan to return.

In town for a conference, and this was at the top of my list of things to see when I had a couple of hours to spare. More than just a museum about the Underground Railroad, you will see a history of slavery and a call to action against slavery that still exists in our world today. A powerful experience is the Rosa Parks virtual reality exhibit. I have studied her in school and sat in her seat on the bus at the Henry Ford museum, but this takes understanding to a whole new level!

Beautiful view of Ohio River. Beautiful building. Informative but average. I guess I was hoping for it to have a stronger connection to the area. Maybe more information on the impact on the area.

Very informative. Wish I had had more time. A lot of information to take in. Employees very nice and knowledgeable.
Take the time and go walk down by the river front. Parking in the parking garage nearby is very effortless.

Extraordinary museum showcasing the history of man’s inhumanity to man. One of the best educational tools for a modest admission price. Three floors of exhibits that will move you to tears and make you shake your head. This is a must see.

2 stories of moving exhibits (especially the exhibit about modern day slavery!), however unfortunately most of the recorded videos that are scattered throughout and used to supplement the exhibits are still closed/modified due to the COVID. They're upfront about this when you purchase your tickets, but it still would be nice to have that additional medium. The exhibits that are present have lots of reading required - so get ready! Paid parking available on the street meters or in the garage below the building. Little gift shop at the end. No food or drink available for purchase on site, however many restaurants within walking distance.

We spent about an hour and a half in this Center and could have spent more. It's a great place to help people understand the history of slavery and the role that Cincinnati played in helping slaves to escape that awful world.

It is hard to believe that this is how the world was less than 150 years ago. Very educational experience.

If in Cincinnati, I would strongly recommend spending $15 to visit this very eye opening place.

This museum is beautiful. It’s very informative & empowering. You’ve got to learn about the past or be doomed to preheat it in the present.
The gift shop has many types of souvenirs to buy & it’s reasonably priced.

A great experience, but there is so much to absorb (and read) that one should return, or allow at least 3-4 hours. Only negative: City parking meter system is not friendly for out-of-state visitors.

This was a great place to visit. I came here on a field trip with our 3rd grade students. The kids really enjoyed it as well. I loved learning about even more things that I didn't know about.

This was one of the reasons we visited this area, and the museum did not disappoint. I wonder, though, if more attention could have been paid to the actual Underground Railroad, rather than trying to make sense of the whole experience. . .

This museum is in an impressive, modern building in the downtown area overlooking the Ohio River and the Roebling Bridge. I'm a museum geek who was in Cinci on a one-day solo trip because I had never been before and found cheap r/t tickets Let me preface this by saying that the concept of visting a museum to the Underground Railroad didn't particularly appeal to me. Nor did the admission--from memory I think it was about $15. I'm from the Washington, DC area where most museums are part of the Smithsonian and therefore have free admission. WOW!! This was the best $15 I spent in a LONG TIME! The exhibits--some are interactive--others are static--are FANTASTIC!!! Yes, all of the exhibits are educational and informative. I thought I knew all there was to know about slavery, the underground railroad, the civil war and Jim Crow but boy did I learn a lot! There were many poignant exhibits and stories; predictably many were sad because of the subject matter; but just as many heralded small triumphs and were therefore uplifting. Whatever your racial identity, you and your family need to visit this museum. If for nothing else, it might lead you to explore any "us versus them" thoughts you might harbor.

We brought a church group down from Gahanna, Ohio to continue educating ourselves on racial issues past and present. Our entire group found this experience to powerful and very educational. While a large part of the museum deals with America’s horrific past of slavery, it also has a large focus on the current issue of human trafficking. Very eye opening.

And I mean that, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Museum is so good that it’s difficult to verbalize it.

So I’m not going to try.

I’m just going to tell you that you and your family need to go and experience the National Underground Railroad Freedom Museum as soon as possible.

Seriously.

.

The staff is very friendly. It was great to see elementary and high school students enjoying the plethora of history.

The museum is very informative! The Freedom Center does an excellent job at presenting the information! A lot of the history that is presented in the museum, I definitely did not learn in High School. Expect to read a bit, the employees stationed on the floor was very helpful and engaging! Stop and ask questions, they are a more than willing to help and answer questions! Definitely brilliant minds at work!
Extremely kid-friendly!
Lots to do!

Start @ 10 when the open. Head to the 4th floor library. Volunteers perform & print geneology charts from US census records!!! What a gift. Best to speak with family elders & know other states family resided & family names pre & post slavery. Some X slaves chucked master's name. There is virtually no record of that change. Do ask for copies of EVERYthing. What great gifts these pages are & make!!!!
The museum is layed out well & is handicapp accessible. Elevators are made for large groups. Lighting is dramatic. Each exhibit is self explanatory. Print is easy to read. Staff is diverse, friendly & helpful.
The Rosa Park exhibit has a nominal charge. It is well worth it. You will have a memorable virtual reality experience.
Don't think landowner & overseer rape of slave families, both pedophilia & homosexual was underexposed.
So very much worth it!

Museum is a beautifully designed and informative tribute honoring those who were brave enough to have traveled on the Underground Railroad. A somber experience but wonderfully presented.

Wonderful exhibits and information about history in the USA. The truth hurts but it is so important to be educated on the history of slavery and all people of color in this nation. Plan to be there at least a half day to see and read everything. There were some nice exhibits planned for younger children so it's appropriate for all ages.

We went here because one of my kids is studying about the civil war. There is a lot of reading in this place. There is one spot where it is hands on (we enjoyed this spot do to the interaction required and wish they had more like this for the younger kids to enjoy).

We went near the end of the day, but had time to make all the exhibits including a cool 4 minute virtual Rosa Parks, a Nelson Mandela exhibit and several short films. Would of liked to linger longer on some exhibits—it’s incredibly informative and well done highlighting Cincinnati’s unique role in the UG. Easy access on shuttle and great view of the river

This is a unique and powerful museum. It doesn't just educate you about American history but also about the continuing issues of slavery worldwide. The slave pen alone is a valuable and moving exhibit/piece of history. It's a great location, because you will be moved and disturbed and can lighten the mood with the many riverfront attractions nearby. This is is not to discourage visits, it is that powerful that some leavening post visit is helpful

This is a very comprehensive and well done museum. Plan to take some time here. It’s a pretty powerful experience.

This is a very large museum dedicated to one topic and, as such, is pretty repetitious. Many of the exhibits are not arranged chronologically, are poorly lit and have script that is nearly unreadable for lack of size. Still, the overall experience is quite moving and the artifacts are amazing. I was surprised to see a small area dealing with the real life runaway female slave upon which the book "Beloved" is based. That touched me.

This museum is a great place to bring students for a field trip. I personally think that middle school and high school students are more likely to understand the history of this museum than elementary students would. They have a place for students to eat their lunch but you cannot buy food at the museum so make sure to pack a lunch.

Take your time, lots to read and take in. Spend the extra money to do the virtual tour of Rosa Parks. Will be back again

I was able to visit this museum on a quiet afternoon and I was very pleased. The exhibits are tastefully done. They are varied and educational, not sensational.if your time is limited, I highly recommend putting this at the top of your list.

I bought a membership for my family and I. It was very educational, clean and everyone was nice and professional.

This was an incredible experience, but I was both surprised and disappointed that Robert Smalls was not mentioned even once in the displays. This man stole an entire ship to free slaves. South Carolina honors him in all ways. He was huge in the freeing of slaves, to the point there is a major motion picture underway about him

Very educational yet heartbreaking. Enjoyed seeing the various types of slavery and the explanations.

Only one complaint: the door leading outside on to the deck near the fire pit needs to be more handicapped accessible. An older woman had trouble lifting another woman's wheelchair to come back inside.

This is a must see. An informative museum with so much to offer. One two hour visit just doesn't do it justice. We encourage everyone to visit this museum. It is more than just the Underground Railroad. So much to learn.

We really enjoyed the museum and learned so much about what the slaves went through. It was so sad to know that Ohio was the North and Kentucky the South and that the ships came up the Ohio River which was the border between the North and the South. Everyone should visit and learn about the past.

This museum has a ton of information-- not just on the underground railroad. It covers slavery all over the world. There are videos to watch, exhibits to explore, and actual pieces of history all in this building. Definitely watch the video with Oprah on two men from the Underground Railroad.
I will say: I wish there was more information on the actual Underground Railroad. Also, many of the exhibits had issues- panels falling off, signs gone, most of the electronic things were broken or missing. I know there's been a lot of wear and tear, but some of it was easy maintenance fixes that should have been taken care of.
In spite of that, it's still a great museum and should be visited.

This museum focuses on slavery in the past and in current situations. Since there is so much information to absorb, the variety of displays helped keep my interest. If one were to read all the placards, one would need more than three hours. The use of music, lighting, color and artifacts all contribute to the powerful message of people seeking freedom. The reason I rated the museum four stars instead of five stars is because the name of the museum is a bit misleading. There is some information about the Underground Railroad in the building, but it does not appear to be the main focus.

Center has wonderful displays/graphics of Underground Railroad during the times of slavery, to include building. Also discusses slavery of today and different forms of it. Very educational and informative -- free style tour.

Set along the banks of the river, this is one of the must-sees in Cincinatti. Artifacts, documents, and produced videos bring history into the present day. An entire building was moved from a tobacco plantation into which visitors may walk... Every American needs to visit. We did not have time for Rosa Parks experience add-on, but hope to return for the Mandela exhibit this fall. You will not regret going and sharing this experience with your children.

I really enjoyed myself at this place. Saw lots of thing about slaves which was pretty cool. Great historical stuff.

As a tour guide in South Carolina I was looking forward to learning more about the journey is slaves traveling the Underground Railroad. But I was confused by the exhibits. They lacked a sense of cohesiveness. Seemed like different artists created each exhibit. Some were well done and some were not. As mentioned by others lighting on some was very poor. We didn’t know where to start or what see next. There seemed to be two employees it weren’t interested in talking to visitors. If they had or if they had walked around they would have discovered that one video only had sound no picture. I was glad they included what slavery looks like today around the world and in the USA. Again one of the exhibits was broken. The gift store just opened but didn’t have much. They should put in a penny machine.

Of all the sights in Cincinnati, I was looking forward to seeing this museum the most. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. Most of the interactive displays did not work. This is very much a "reading" museum, with few artifacts. I certainly don't mind all the reading to learn about this horrible time in our country's history, but you have to be selective in order to make it through the whole museum. By the time we made it to the 2nd floor Underground Railroad display, the museum was closing. The atmosphere was quiet, serious, and reflective, until the arrival of a group of obnoxious, unsupervised children, that did not care about or understand the subject matter. The museum needs more signage to direct people to displays. All we were told when we arrived was to start on the top (3rd) floor and work down. The present day human trafficking display was unexpected and eye opening. There is an underground parking garage with elevator that opens right outside of the museum.

Our family went to the museum before going to the Reds game (just down the block). We gave ourselves two hours, which really wasn’t enough to do it justice. They had a good mix of historical and modern displays (slavery in early America and around the world today). The eternal flame on the roof overlooking the Ohio River was nice. I especially enjoyed the videos and interactive displays about the Underground Railroad. The bottom floor was the least impressive and it got better as we went up.

The price was fair. For our family of 5 it was less expensive to buy an annual family pass than a one-day ticket.

I wasn't even aware that this attraction was here in Cincinnati! It is a very large structure with 4 floors of displays and information. They have a Rosa Parks exhibit, Civil War displays, Confederate money exhibit, movies, gift shop, and more!

They have an actual slave pen where slaves were held before being sold off! It was donated to the museum from the land owner in Kentucky where it was located since the 1800s. There are plenty of interesting and informative exhibits detailing numerous aspects of the horrible history of slavery here in America!

There is so much information, that we were only able to see half of the exhibits. We will have to come back to finish our tour!

Great attraction for kids, churches, schools, and organizations!

Date of Visit: Sunday, February 16, 2020

We arrived here late in the day, about 30 minutes before they closed. They allowed us to go in for free as we were from out of town.

The exhibits here are fantastic. This is a really terrible time in american history, that no poerson should ever forget, and every child needs to learn about.
We need to learn from the past so that we do not repeat it.
I would never profess to be an expert on America's slavery past, and its treatment of black and brown people, but this museum and others like it, fill me with woe and sadness.
It hurts my heart (and head) that people can be so cruel to other people.

While we only had 30 minutes to visit this museum, and we made the most of it. Unfortunately we did not have as much time as I would like to read all of the stories, and fully appreciate all of the exhibits.
However, nobody was rushing us out, so we did manage to get more out of the museum than I thought we would. We ended up staying over an hour.

This is a museum every single person needs to visit. It tells of the horrors, the struggles, the triumphs, and the heroes who made a difference.

Roguetrippers would love to come back to Cincinnati and next time we will spend MUCH MORE time at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
I really wish all of the people of America would learn from this, and that Racism is wrong.

Worth the time and effort. Learned a lot. Spent about 2 hours. Over looks the river. Can go on the balcony, and envision escaping across the river. Some interactive things, which makes you think.

The building itself is super nice! There was quite a bit of history, which is interesting, but not as much as I expected. There was more information about the timeline of slavery, then there was about the Underground Railroad. Obviously, you don’t have one without the other, but there could be more effort put into the exhibits for the Underground Railroad, since that’s the name of the building. A piece of the Berlin Wall can be found outside of the building.

Very emotional, one lady found one ancestor ..
There were different sections at museum from early slavery to nowadays.

This museum of course has heavy content. The Freedom Center not only focuses on African American slavery/the African slave trade, but other types of slavery, such as sex trafficking, child enslavement, and unfair labor practices. The exhibits are well done and the center is beautiful, full of light, and clean. The brass figures are beautiful and poignant.

The museum covers A LOT of material, from the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade through emancipation. While there are many colorful graphics and interactive exhibits, it is a LOT of reading. I spent two hours here (I had another appointment) and feel I barely scraped the surface.

This is probably not a museum you can truly appreciate with just one visit. It would be best digested over several visits. They do have annual memberships for 40 dollars, which I purchased.

This museum deserves support. But don’t expect to really get it in just a couple hours or single afternoon.

Visited with a group and benefited from volunteer Jim’s helpful interpretation of the museum’s depiction of the story of the Underground Railroad and the history of slavery in our nation. Two plus hours only skimmed the surface of its exhibits. Great bookstore. Highly recommend!

This museum is located on the banks of the Ohio River because the river was the dividing line between slave states represented by Kentucky on the south, and free states represented by Ohio to the north. But crossing the river didn’t mean slaves were free because the Fugitive Slave Act made it illegal to assist escaped slaves even in free states, and there were plenty of slave hunters lurking around to drag slaves back south for a bounty. Escapees could try to hide or blend in with other communities, but the only real freedom was to be found in Canada, where slavery was outlawed in the early 1800s.

A common complaint of other reviewers is that the museum seems to focus more on slavery in general than on the Underground Railroad. It might be worth noting that while chattel slavery was an institution in North America for more than 150 years, the Underground Railroad only operated between 1830 and 1865.

I think part of the perception of how much the Underground Railroad is emphasized here relates to the fact that they direct you first to the third floor exhibit called From Slavery to Freedom, which is rather large and reading heavy, and delves deep into the history and business of slavery. Most folks probably visit the other third-floor exhibits, including one on Invisible Slavery Today, and some temporary optional exhibits (which cost another $5 each to see), before heading to the second floor, where they’ll find the exhibit called Escape!, which really focuses on the Underground Railroad.

Also on the second floor was a relocated log cabin which was used as a slave pen in the 1800s in Mason County, Kentucky, and two theaters: The Harriet Tubman Theater, which features a trio of animated short films about freedom and slavery; and another theater which shows a 25-minute film called Brothers of the Borderlands, which is partially narrated by Oprah Winfrey.

The museum is located in the heart of Cincinnati’s downtown riverfront area with great views of the river, other downtown buildings, and the iconic blue John A Roebling Suspension Bridge. Parking was located in a lot under the museum, and cost us $10 for about four hours.

We thought the Underground Railroad Museum was well-presented and interesting. It reminded me of and was a nice complement to several other museums we’ve visited, including the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, and the Abraham Lincoln Museum and Library in Springfield, Ill.

One peeve we had was that throughout the museum, too many electronic interactive displays weren’t operating, and often they didn’t even have an “out of order” sign; they just didn’t work. It was also frustrating that there seemed to be no restrooms or drinking fountains on the second floor.

I agree with many points that were mentioned in other reviews. You need at least 2 hours and there is a lot of important history here to inhale. It was good to see attention put toward the current day problems of Native Americans, human-trafficking, etc., but I would have liked more information about the Underground RR, as there wasn't much.

A couple small negatives. There is apparently a mobile app that will guide you through the museum and give some additional information, but we were never told about it. Right near the end of our visit, we saw other guests using it and asked. We should have been told about it when we paid our admission price. We talked to the desk clerk when we were leaving and she just shrugged her shoulders.

Also, several of the interactive displays were not working and it was hard to hear many of the individual stories being narrated because of continuous music playing in the whole room.

I am sure these little glitches will be fixed, so it is a very worthwhile museum to visit. Fee is $15 regular and $13 seniors.

I was so thrilled to find a decent sized museum that spoke to how nearby states, OH, and KY and the role they played in freeing slaves via the network that became known as the "Underground Railroad". Had no prior knowledge of this museum so it was a great find on our trip!

This was an excellent field trip for not only our 3rd and 4th graders but for the adults as well. We toured the slave pen where slaves were kept. The slave pen was originally located in Germantown, Kentucky (Mason County). The Slave pen was bought to The Freedom Center in Cincinnati in 1999. The exhibit is powerful and shows the inhumane treatment that was put on human beings.

Offers many inter-active exhibits as well as the “step, stand, read” type. The movies, though, are very useful to convey the ideas of this museum. I do wish the museum had mentioned the role of Arab traders in the slave trade. But the O. Winfrey film hits home: conveying the horror of the slave trade and attempts to capture runways.

This is an AMAZING museum. Exhibits work at all age levels, some information is appropriate for young people, other information appropriate for older people. The docents are well-informed and extremely inviting. The museum conveys very powerful messages. Since I visited the museum, I've recommended it to anyone I knew who'd be in the Cincinatti area and all have agreed it is a life-changing experience. I wish it could be replicated around the country so that all parts of our nation could experience its truths.

You could spend hours here learning so much history. We all found it informative and moving. We walked through on our own. Did the Rosa Parks virtual reality experience which was good but not great. We thought they offered lots of different ways to learn and the staff were friendly. We definitely recommend it.

The next time I visit Cincinnati, I'm dedicating at least half a day here. Too much for a couple of hours. You really want to take your to absorb it.

This museum not only covers the Underground Railroad which 19th century slaves took on their way to freedom, but it has a whole floor dedicated to modern-day slavery, such as sex trafficking. They said to allow 2 hours to go through the museum, but you need more than that to experience everything. It was very interesting, but very heartbreaking, especially the modern-day section. Slavery is real and very, very prevalent in America. This museum is worth a visit.

If you are a resident of Cincinnati or of any of Cincinnati's surrounding communities, this is one of the places everyone older than 8 years old should visit.

If you think you know a lot about slave history and the Underground Railroad, there's more to learn.

You'll leave knowing that there were courageous, even heroic figures both black and white who contributed to the successful escapes of a number of slaves from their inhumane bondage.

As others have noted, the exhibits are text heavy - probably too much for the young and the old alike (the print is just too small for mature eyes). And unfortunately, many of the exhibits did not work.

To cover the subject matter, there are exhibits, art work, and multimedia.

One of the most prominent exhibits is the Slave Pen. This structure had been hidden away under a barn; the Pen held slaves that had been sold to plantations in the deep south and were being transported down the Ohio River. Just imagining human beings shackled, packed like sardines, unable to move, in extremely unsanitary conditions was gut wrenching.

The museum is located in front of the Roebling Bridge, close to Smale Park and the stadiums. If you're attending a game, you could easily arrive early and tour the museum before the game.

We found street parking right out front on a weekday when the museum opened at 10:00 AM. We spent two hours in the museum (2-hour limit for street parking @$2.75/hour) and could have spent several more hours reading everything, but we were short on time and were departing Cincinnati in the early afternoon. If you want to spend a half to whole day there, I read in other reviews that there is parking available underground.

If you are a resident of Cincinnati, you can be proud of your city's historical heritage to fight against slavery.

Plan a visit!

Went here with my family and enjoyed the interactive history-storytelling aspect of the museum. Especially liked the rebuilt house and the exhibit on the top floor. Make sure you also go out on the top floor deck. My sons enjoyed the view and rest out there.

This museum covered the slavery of African Americans in the United States and modern day slavery throughout the world. It is very well done, with various exhibits on slavery in America, the underground railroad, the civil war, post civil war era, and stories of people enslaved in the modern era. Be prepared to spend at least a couple of hours at this museum.

There was a slave pen that was moved piece by piece inside the museum. The stories and exhibits posted near the slave pen were very moving.

I saw docents/guides making presentations on various topics during my visit, although I did not stay for one of these presentations because I preferred to read the detailed descriptions posted near each exhibit.

The second and third floors featured balconies that looked out onto the river and North Kentucky that provided a beautiful backdrop for a sad look at what people are capable of doing to each other.

Parking was plentiful. We parked in the garage under the museum.

This is a must see exhibit and very moving. The whole museum is great and personalizes all types of slavery by telling individual’s stories.

If you're in Cincinnati, you must go to this museum. It details the fascinating and important history of Cincy in the Civil War - very well done!

The center starts on the third floor and and works its way down just as the NAAHM does. And just like the NAAHM you need to plan for about 3 hours to see it all. Great detail taken in telling the stories of all types of slavery, the happenings around the civil way, and the major players in the abolitionist movement.
Also, the fact that the center is located on the Ohio river should not be lost on you.

Congratulations to those who conceived and executed this well designed telling of the story of the Underground Railroad. We spent three hours absorbing parts of the story we had never known although both of us had lived in Cincinnati for more than 25 yers. The museum is new; it's in a great accessible downtown location and it deserved far more time than we were able to spend (our feet gave out!).

This was an emotionally sad but wonderful learning experience. From looking at sex trafficking to forced labour, to slavery in the Americas from hundreds of years in the past. You will learn something here and even if you think you already knew a lot, you will learn even more. Block out 2-3 hours if you want to see everything depending on the speed in which you read. Adult admission was about $15 and there is a paid parking garage underneath.

Powerful museum that covers the history of slavery in America and Africa. References to how slavery impacts us today as well as the struggles with human trafficking are made.
This is a museum you take at your own speed with lots of reading along the way. Each major area has an accompanying video presentation that helps summarize and highlight that area. I recommend seeing all of the videos.

Absolutely outstanding presentation of the Underground Railway. Visited 3 times and still didn't have enough time to see and watch all the movies and videos. We loved it.

More than a review of slavery in the United States. Very thought provoking and harrowing look at slavery--both past and present. Not to be missed.

Simply superb. Excellent service and information to start, and then the exhibits are well laid out, informative, and very interesting. An emotional experience going through this wonderful place.

When we visited Cincinnati a few weekends ago, I knew I wanted to visit the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. While the museum wasn't as focused on the Underground Railroad as I had expected, it was an interesting museum to visit. We paid a few extra dollars to explore an exhibit on Nelson Mandela that was small but interesting. We also spent quite a long time in the exhibit on modern-day slavery around the world. Then we visited the exhibits dedicated to African American history, with a focus on the Underground Railroad. As a person that has been lucky enough to visit several of the nation's museums dedicated to African American history (including the new Smithsonian in DC and the new EJI museum in Montgomery), I appreciated the Ohio-specific information in the museum the most. As a free state that bordered a slave-holding state, Ohio has an interesting history as relates to slavery and abolition and the Civil War. I only wish the museum had even more information relating to the Underground Railroad and Ohio's role in it specifically!

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Museum is absolutely a "must" see when in Cincinnati. The charts, interactive maps and explanations of the start of enslavement in the Americas--specifically North America is very well documented and traced historically--each area is very accessible to understand while maintaining the absolute horrors of what it meant and still means to enslave any group of people.

We had a great time. Very well put together. Lots of history lots of artifacts very cool place.
Worth the money In our opinion. Give it a shot you won’t be disappointed.

This is a must-go-to place. Very educational. Very well laid out. Full of history that needs to told and not forgotten.

We visited this museum and exhibition on a stop in Cincinnati. The visit is a must-see to understand the whole history of slavery and liberation, on the very ground where the North and South were battling.

This exhibition will take you 2 to 3 hours to visit all pavillons and appreciate all works and efforts put into it.

We visited with our 2 pre-teen of 12 and 14 years old and they loved it! There is a cafe inside and a boutique and the building is a state-of-the-art architecture.

The freedom center was walking distance. The cost was 15.00 to enter. You can tour at your own leisure and well worth the time. All the exhibits were extraordinary and very informative. If you love history this is a must see.

I have been looking forward to visiting but was very disappointed. Not thought out at all. A lot of reading very small print with terrible lighting. I guess I wanted more on the Underground Railroad. I wanted to hear more stories about the people that escaped and the ones that helped. The movie Brothers of the Borderland was fantastic. There were a few interactive exhibits but not enough. Would have benefited to have tour guides. A lot of empty space and lots of opportunities.

This museum is very educationl a lot of information.It is a must see if you are ever close to Cincinnati It puts the past in a new light great look into the past and the suffrage of people and what they had to endure

A fascinating and detailed museum with loads of information on a horrific subject, with good applications to modern day slavery. Staff were cheerful and informative. Wonderful view over the river from the flame gallery - but watch out for the automatic revolving door!

Knowing history current and past is critical and this museum did a good job. The interactive computer quizzes kept my tween engaged in the history too.

LOVED and HIGHLY RECOMMEND the Freedom Center Museum. The exhibit is PHENOMENAL. Weather was cold and snowy and being in this beautifully curated museum was informative if painful and perfect for the day.

It’s embarrassing, but the Freedom Center has been open for 15 years and we had never visited. (And I now know several people who have never been.) Experiencing it gives you a sense of amazement of what people endured, and the cruelty people can inflict on others. There is A LOT of reading and i didn’t read it all. At the end of the visit, one of us asked “what did you learn?” and it was interesting to hear (and learn) that each of us had learned something different.

We spent close to 3 hours there, saw most of the museum, but there is more to see than we saw.

A good, educational visit, but I do not think most kids will find it “fun”.

A very well done museum exploring the boundaries between enslavement and freedom in American history. The state-of-the-art exhibits teach about enslavement and how people sought to flee north.

Received celebrity welcome from reception area through entire tour. Staff were royal. Exhibits were awesome! Thoroughly enjoyed the experience, although the subject matter (slavery) was horrific. Highly educational, immaculate facility.

In lieu of the cancelled Santana concert, my son and I hit the riverfront area and came upon this museum. Stopped in, paid our fees, and spent a couple hours there. Great displays, very open space, tons of interesting historical and "human" info. I had been to the Harriet Tubman National Park near Cambridge, MD, which has similar info, but this NURF Museum certainly has more and a wider variety of displays. Well worth the time and money.

From the name of the Center, we expected that it would be dedicated to the history of the Underground Railroad. But this is really the story of freedom in the United States, and partly in the wider world: it comprehends not only enslavement, emancipation, reconstruction, and Jim Crow in the USA, but also the displacement of Indians, the rights of women, and world slavery today. But there's a particular area of the Center, on the second floor, that does focus on the Underground Railroad.

This building is certainly well located symbolically. It overlooks the Ohio River, which separated what before 1865 was the slave state Kentucky from the free state Ohio, and which therefore in theory was the last step in a slave's escape to freedom. (In practice, and even in law after the Dred Scott decision, it was best for the slave to continue on to Canada.)

The exhibits include lots of words, pictures, maps, some videos, some interactive displays, and some material objects. As other reviewers have said, the Center gives a LOT of information, far too much to absorb in a short visit, or even a single long visit. So our approach was to stop here and there at the exhibits that grabbed us, over a period of a couple of hours.

We found the presentations really well done. We wanted an overview, and we got that, but we also wanted some individual stories and examples, and we got that, too. In real life, of course, things are complicated, and whenever you generalize about something as broad and long as the history of slavery, there will be exceptions and nuances and particularities to consider. So, by combining overviews and specific examples, the Center gives a presentation that's as balanced as it is engaging. The presentations generally didn't assume prior knowledge, and explained terms very carefully.

So much knowledge for and race or any age...a must see!
Take your class..take your kids...take a friend.
Too much to be taken in one visit..I will visit again.

The Freedom Center has a number of interesting exhibits on the history of slavery and emancipation in America and around the world. I appreciated the depth it gave to the Reconstruction era, a complex time in American history.

Many of the exhibits, especially the slave pen, are really poignant, and there is an appropriately solemn atmosphere throughout the center. Be sure to allow for at least a couple hours to get the most out of it.

This museum is very well laid out and shares the inspiring stories of the hero’s who made it possible for enslaved people to escape their bonds in the 1800’s. There are many thought provoking exhibits which deal with the issues of enslavement, racism and the denial of freedom. We could only stay for a couple of hours, but it wouldn’t be out of the question to spend lots more time. This is a museum everyone should see.

This was ok-- interesting but does not take all day to go through. We liked the exhibits. Sounds a little petty but the air in the building has a bad smell, was puzzled because the place looks squeaky clean and shiny.?!! I probably will not visit again unless there is an expansion, but recommend to others. Not as expensive as some of the other attractions- 13 for seniors, 15 for adults.

We had a fantastic, knowledgeable guide. He gave us an hour and a half tour. There are benches in the museum to ease the walk. A gift shop is under construction. I found it immensely interesting. It is not very interactive but contains a lot of things to read.

The museum has a lot of potential, but it is tired and rundown. Someone needs to spend some money to spiff it up and make the exhibits work - many don't. While the title implies that the Underground Railroad is the focus, most of the museum focuses on slavery itself with very little about the Underground Railroad. This is surprising as Cincinnati was a crossing point for slaves seeking freedom in the North or Canada. Overall, we were disappointed in the museum and exhibits.

This is a powerful museum and one that everyone should experience to understand the complicated history of our country. Well organized exhibits and the movie Brothers of the Borderland is compelling. The Slave Pen on display recovered from a nearby farm in Kentucky is a somber sight. The exhibit on modern day slavery and human trafficking is also thought provoking.

Inspiring stories of people helping people during unimaginable adversity. Expect to spend at 2-4 hours exploring and learning. Enjoy the view of the river midway. The staff are very friendly and helpful. And the gift is loaded with great finds.

Arrived at 3pm. Spent 2 hours there,until closing. Lots to see. Lots to read. Some reading exhibits were not well lighted which made it difficult to read. Presents an in-depth look at a dark time in our country’s history. Should be seen by everyone.

This place tells an interesting and important story. But, it's also a little intense. Lots and lots of reading in the museum - kind of wears you out. But, I highly recommend a visit.

We had been intending to visit the Freedom Center since it first opened, and a trip to Cincinnati for other activities--plus their offer of free admission during February 2019--was the opportunity and incentive we wanted.

The Center is located in Cincinnati's upscale riverfront srea, across from the Great American Ball Park, with lots of good restaurants and other attractions nearby. Park in the garage off Main beneath the Center and you'll have great access for little cost (considering what big-city garages normally charge).

The free admission and very nice weather might have swelled the crowds on this Saturday--the line stretched just out the entrance, but it moved reasonably quickly. Once in there was no issue with crowd size.

I've got just one negative comment so I'll get it out of the way first, and it's an issue I'm having with many of the museums I've taken in recently--can we turn on lights and make sure everything can be seen or read? Too often I could not see the items exhibited--there was one room in particular with a bejeweled column in the center (could not figure out why) with blue floodlights on it and small glass cubes on the walls with artifacts inside them, lit by only a few little LED pin lights--they may as well have not displayed them at all. Time and again I had a hard time reading the meticulous explanations, especially when they were printed on a non-white background and not well lit. In other cases, the text was on boards that overlapped on the walls, the lower boards often had one or two lines obscured by the boards above them. Could the curators look at their exhibits through those eyes, please? Also, much of the information was repetitive--I saw the same text sometimes on 2 plackards, and the room deealing with contemporary human trafficking had "sex trafficking" repeated so often I started to get numb--it's an awfully serious issue that deserves its place here, but perhaps could be delivered more succintly.

The facility is a glorious work of architecture, with lots and lots of interesting textures in the materials, good open spaces, lots of seating where a senior citizen can rest the legs between rooms.

Having had a day to reflect on the exhibits, I conclude that of course there's a lot of depressing detail here--you can't do the history of slavery and racism without it. Comparing it with other similar places I'd visited recently (National Civil Rights Museum, National Memorial for Peace and Justice--this one was not overall so depressing, as much of the space celebrated the profound bravery of the many people who managed to end slavery as a legal practice in the USA.

The most positive impression on this Saturday was that the place fairly jumped with celebrations of African-American culture. Live entertainment was in both the main lobby and the second-floor lobby, so we were delighted by a smooth-jazz saxophonist, a gospel singer, and a pretty good rap artist. Also, many of the patrons indulged in dancing to the music, and some of them were really, really good!

The center's bookstore and souvenir shop is announcing its closing--I guess it's operated by a vendor who wasn't making enough profit. Maybe they can open and operate their own shop and put in a coffee bar so that they can generate more revenues for themselves?

It's a superb place to visit, and I'd have rated it higher here if my old, weak eyes hadn't been frustrated by low light levels.

The museum is a wonderful place to learn about the history of slavery and the fight to gain freedom. The exhibits and photographs give meaning to all the facts of how slaves were freed and how many lost their lives along the way.

History well laid out and a lot of diversity in the exhibits that they offer. So glad they are around for us to see multiple views in history.

This museum is a great place to spend a few hours while visiting Cincinnati. There is much information about the development and spread of slavery in North America. This is an excellent history lesson for all.

Came as a stop on a riverboat cruise - so had a limited time. I'm glad I came, I was impressed with what I saw. I don't know that the name is a good one as there was as much about slavery (including modern day slavery) as there was about the Underground Railroad. I'd go again.

My friend and I arrived later than planned as we were at another exhibit on the other side of town and had to find somewhere to park. It was a little tricky to find parking, and since a baseball game was starting in 3 hours, we had to pay $25 to park.

We arrived with 45 minutes (4:15) before closure. I knew that wouldn’t be enough time, but I figured it was better than not going at all. They showed us what would be the most important to see- but at 4:35, they started saying they were closing in 15 minutes?! Then, I tried to go see the eternal flame, but at 4:40, they had already locked up and the security guard was gone. Then, at 4:50, they announced they were closed. We were really disappointed as we had not even seen an 1/8 of it. Previously, I had read online that the last admission was at 4:30, so I figured we would get something out of it. Now, I get people want to be out on time, but at least let people look until 4:58/5:00.

However, the positives- it was only $16.50 for an adult, and you could spend hours there. It is very informative, but I was disappointed in the limited hours they had (closed Monday and a Tuesday) and being only open 11-5. We specifically stayed in Cincinnati an extra day to see it.

Make sure to budget in parking costs, and reminder that they don’t accept cash.

I ended up spending more time than I expected. Started on the 4th floor researching my ancestors! The wandered down to see the exhibits. Lots there, some reading, some movies, some interactive. I just did the main exhibitions. Lots to see and highly recommend.

I love museums, history and reading but this place has very few artifacts and a TON of information you have to read that didn’t feel that engaging or organized. I ended up skipping over a lot because I got overwhelmed trying to read everything in just a couple of hours. I respect their important mission here, but exhibits/info/layout felt kind of thrown together. All of their info you can read in books or online at your own pace … so why pay admission for this? I’d recommend the Harriet Beecher Stowe house instead. They have a very informative/intimate $6 tour that covers a lot of American slavery history and Cincy history.

Great to see an investment in a world class museum. The focus may be the Underground Railway which is brilliantly depicted in a must-see video - the Ohio River is clearly the dividing line. But really the museum is a broader characterization of slavery, its evolution in America, and the impact of the enslaved well beyond emancipation. The requires at least 4 hours to soak in, see the films, do the exhibits, etc. I would say the Cincinnati Art Museum and the UR Museum are the two must see places for a two day itinerary.

This is a beautiful and thought-provoking museum that honors its history and furthers the education of curious visitors.

I will not say this was in any way enjoyable. It was extremely informative. The entire center is set up with much grace but realism. Every family should visit this center!

A LOT of reading - we spent maybe 1 1/2 hours and didn't get through everything. There are not a lot of displays, but there is a wealth of information to read and learn. Well done.

A well done museum about the history of the Underground Railroad. Excellent displays and artifacts that describe this part of American history. The videos are also very informative. Excellent museum to visit in the Cincinnati area.

Visited on a rainy day in January at a great location in downtown Cincinnati. Was excited to take our two teenage boys there to learn more about the Underground Railroad. Unfortunately, it was not the experience we were hoping for. The space in the building was very poorly utilized and was much larger than it needed to be. The actual displays took up only a small portion of the building. The displays themselves were not well designed and very hard to read! The were wordy and even had grammatical errors. For many of them, the lighting was insufficient due to burnt out bulbs and weird shadows. Many of the computer displays were non-functional and other exhibits were broken or didn't work as expected. Also, the balcony leading to freedom's eternal flame was locked. The only highlight of the visit was the Brothers of the Borderland movie. Definitely not worth the time or money.

This museum explains the powerful impact of slavery on American history, right up to the present day. I didn't appreciate its location until I came to the side that faces the river -- it looks south across the Ohio River, a major barrier for slaves attempting to escape to freedom. The Underground Railroad is really only a small part of the museum. Exhibits explore the slave trade, abolition and many related historical topics. There is also an extensive look at human trafficking (sadly, not history but current events). A small section (extra charge) features the 2017 rally in Charlottesville, VA and controversies around Confederate monuments. There's an opportunity to better explore this topic by showing some of the monuments and the events surrounding them, but perhaps that's for another day. My favorite was a virtual reality experience (extra charge) that lets you become Rosa Parks as she refuses to give up her bus seat. The bus driver and a cop get in your face as other passengers stare or pretend not to notice. Would you have the courage to stand up for your rights? While it may not be interesting for young children, this museum is something teenagers need to experience.

My wife and I took three of our grandkids (seven year olds) there and the had a great time. The displays prompted many questions from the kids. Some were easy to answer, and some made us dig deep for explanations. We spent about two hours there and we could have spent more - it's a don't miss place.

Very interesting with good exhibits & explanation signage.

Good film hosted by Oprah Winfrey

Unfortunately the second floor was closed for floor relaying but we were offered an admission discount.

My school's AP English classes visited the Underground Railroad Museum in early March. The museum is well done and provides great information. I especially enjoyed the videos shown in the museum's theater. I highly recommend visiting!

The building is beautiful, and there are many exhibits about the history of slavery in the US, and several exhibits about modern day slavery. There are heart wrenching stories of children from all over the world and how they became enslaved. For many of these kids, their stories include how they got out of slavery too.

There was a little bit about the circumstances of the African slaves before they came to the US, but not enough. A lot of the exhibits talked about the economics of slavery, including the states that had slavery, what percentage of the population was enslaved, etc.

I was disappointed that there was NO discussion of the life and exploits of Harriet Tubman, who lead the slaves to freedom in the north. Her life is extremely interesting and varied, and for a museum to be called the "National Underground Railroad Freedom Center" and not discuss her is a big oversight.

Street parking is nearby. The staff was friendly, and this would be a fantastic place to take people unfamiliar with slavery or to educate children or students about slavery.

As someone who lives in the DMV and has visited the NMAAHC four times, I still learned new things when I visited this jewel in Cincinnati.

The exhibits and displays were done in unique ways. Upon arrival, I spent time talking with Ryan about unconscious bias and his work to highlight, bring awareness to, and overcome this issue. It was time well spent.

Exhibits were nice and some hands-on. Musuem was big and had a lot of empty space. Would like to see more. No gift shop yet. Definitely visit if in the area.

This is quite an interesting museum. You start at the top and work your way down. It does a fair and balanced presentation of a terrible part of our history plus it exposes the plight of modern slaves and the sex trafficking trade. Very young children will either be bored or disturbed by the images so I’d keep them home. We parked by the baseball stadium and it was a pleasant walk to the museum. The museum is clean and well kept. There is an outside deck to take in views of the Ohio river and the waterfront area. I held back a star because I love a gift shop at museum but this has none!

Does a great job of sharing history and present day forms of slavery. However many of the interactive displays/exhibits need repair/replacement. It's a shame to have such a wonderful educational resource in such poor condition. I understand having a few items out of order but would expect the foundation/city/staff might be embarrassed at the large number of non-working/missing items at the Center.

I was expecting a museum dedicated to the Underground Railroad, but discovered that the Freedom Center dealt with all forms of Slavery and Freedom across the world, including all forms of modern day slavery. Definitely plan on spending some time here.

The history of slavery in the US is presented primarily on story boards with some interactive and video to complement. It takes about 2 plus hours to walk through the exhibit areas and read all the information. Especially eye opening is the area on present day slavery that occurs around the world.

Descriptions:
The center isn't as large as I thought it would be. It's detailed and interesting. A volunteer offered to be our guide and he was great!
I would ilke to go back when I can spend more time.

The museum is located in a beautiful area. The staff was welcoming. There are many things to read and you will need to do a lot of reading. However, there is a need for more interactive displays. Maybe replicas that you could touch. Some real-life looking was figures. It is okay overall but not exceptional.

Just a fine place with plenty of space, easy parking, wonderful docent-led tour and enough heartbreak to
Make anyone feel so sad for the history of this institution of slavery in our past.
Exhibits and movies are all quite goo. Exhibits are very well explained even with no docent to help.
A+ from us!

This was the #1 place that I wanted to visit during our trip to Cincinnati and to be honest we felt disappointed. It just didn't offer anything that you couldn't read much more comfortably at home. You can see the one "holding place" for slaves seen depicted online but there was nothing else in particular which made the trip to this museum worth it. Even this little cabin seemed artificial and unreal. I expected to get more of a "feel" for what it was like to be enslaved and also an understanding of how or why Cincinnati was of particular importance to the underground railroad. The museum offered plenty of things to read on the walls and video vignettes to stand and watch, if you are in to that sort of thing. There was some emphasis given to slavery around the world today. I wondered how we can possibly still be blind to the form of "slavery" many still experience here at home in the US: folks who who work terribly hard for many hours each week in minimum wage rather than livable wage jobs. The irony also struck me that many of us are "enslaved" by addiction to sugar (alcohol) and tobacco--the very crops that slaves were brought to the Americas to cultivate.

Very educational. Tells the grim history of the American system of slavery. Ties in very nicely with the local history of Ohio. A good place to introduce grammar school children to the concepts of slavery and bigotry/rascism. Not an easy subject, but handled well by this institution.

The top floor, devoted to modern day slavery and the efforts to free slaves, was extremely powerful. The other areas were devoted to American enslavement and the abolitionist movement. It was respectful, somber, and very educational.

In my opinion, I found this museum a bit boring. I love museums that are interactive, have lots of historical artifacts/stories. This museum has a lot of recreated objects, and lots of reading. In order to get the full experience here, you have to be willing to stand and read the walls for hours. I found the “modern slavery” exhibit very interesting. This section of the museum was fantastic. VERY eye opening - probably not suitable for younger crowd. $15 entrance fee. Unfortunately, will not be back.

We enjoyed this museum, particularly the virtual reality experience of Rosa Parks on the bus. Several interactive exhibits did not work and there were places needing repairs. That was the downside otherwise it was quite good.

Very well laid out museum. Easy to get around.
3 floors of information, displays and artifacts and interactive areas.
The front desk staff helpful with telling you suggested starting points and paths.
Good reminders about wearing your masks were helpful and appreciated.
I felt safe.
Suggestion is the gift shop should have a better collection of magnets. I collect them was was sorry to not have a couple of interesting magnets to select from to purchase as a remembrance from my visit.

I enjoy the relaxed, quiet atmosphere of a museum but sometimes I like to be "told" what the exhibits are all about rather than reading about them.

I found the history of Cincinnati, the river, OTR and the other boroughs fascinating but a bit more interactive displays would be a nice addition.

I learned a lot from this visit. The exhibits are interesting and different - relevant for today not just about history. The VR experience was a very cool way to learn about Rosa Parks and experience history from a new perspective.

Glad we purchased tickets at a significant discount through a local deals website. The museum should utilize the vast emptiness of space to have more interaction. Also, could they at least cover the vast history instead of the many displays covering what is found in text books? The facility itself is gorgeous, but lacks major substance. You are much better off spending extra time and going to the Levi Coffin house in Indiana for real interactive history.

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is one of the finest exhibitions of the struggles of African Americans in the country, in one of the pivotal places of the Antebellum North. The fact that Cincinnati itself has an ambivalent history on civil rights adds to its importance.

There are many unique aspect of the Center, even to the life of the chattel slave and how difficult it was. This is a Cultural Arts Center for Americans of all ethnicities.

As the Executive Director of AXYS (genetic.org) I visited the museum with the families from The XXYY Project. The museum made it easy for us to attend as a group.

The exhibits are powerful, emotional and you will leave a changed person. The information on modern slavery is important for everyone to see.

A great museum that has a lot of educational information. Prepare to read a lot. Not sure it would be beneficial for younger children unless the parent explained along the way through.

A lot of information I wasn’t aware of. Displays were great. It was very overwhelming with all the reading. The trials and tribulations the black people endured was aweful

This museum recognizes the nature of slavery in the North America area - and does show a modern - current day - view of exploitation around the world still. This is not an exhibition from which you will leave uplifted, but rather challenged. Views from the outside deck of the riverfront are wonderful.

This museum was so great to visit. The information you could read and all the videos throughout the exhibits were so realistic. I will go again when I have more time to really go through it. You could easily spend most of the day looking at the exhibits. I wish I could have done the Rosa Parks Experience but we didn't have enough time and they only had 4 headsets to use at a time and we had 9 people.

Interesting history of those freed through the underground railroad. More reading than actual things to look at. I would not take small children here. There is a good view of the sky star and river on the 2nd floor.

We drove from Columbus to Cincinnati to visit the National Underground Railroad Museum Freedom Center. There is ample parking garages and street parking close to the museum, it's right next to the baseball and football stadiums on the riverfront. Please allow three to four hours to fully immerse yourself as there is a lot of information and a theater presentation that's well worth your time. The staff was very friendly and it's a well laid out Museum. Definitely worth your time as tickets for adults were $15 and it's an integral part of Ohio and our national history that needs to be presented in this type of format. We will definitely come back.

We spent three hours at this museum. There was a really interesting exhibit on the Green Book, the guide to safe travel for African Americans before the 1960’s. It was very informative. We also enjoyed the exhibit entitled from Slavery to Freedom. It was so well researched and offered so much information about African and American History. We spent so much time on these two exhibits that we never saw the exhibit on the second floor. I highly recommend this museum.

This is an interesting place to visit. Most exhibits are a lot of reading about slavery in the United States. There are a few films for viewing. You will learn things you didn't know about the history of slavery and how it affected the founding of the United States. On the 4th floor you can use computers to check out genealogy websites and they have docents there to assist you. This was most helpful to my family who has been looking for information on where the family emigrated from, etc. The museum gives you a AAA discount.

We took our sons here (ages 7-17). The videos were memorable. (Narrated by Oprah). The music, the lighting, the scenes—all made for a powerful experience. This place is classy, but keeps the topic raw and real. One cannot leave but be moved. Well done.

These exhibits are almost too much to bear. Two full floors require at least two hours to see, but even then I left feeling as though I only scratched the surface of the suffering of millions of people. When I learned that American slaves were worth more economically than American railroad, coal and steel industries combined, the horrifying truth that Americans would engage in virtually anything for money became clear. The justifications of 200 years ago for these practices have an ominously contemporary flavor.

$13 to park under the museum hard to find. Husband called the museum and they were able to help.
I’m not sure if it was because of the time of the year the theater and the terrace to the eternal flame were closed. We would have loved to do both. So that was disappointing.
Friendly customer service. Clean.
Walking distance for good restaurants.
Near baseball and football stadium.
Overall thought it was just ok. I didn’t see much there that little children would enjoy.

This is a great historical museum that really shows the impact and influence of slavery on the US and all parts of word. Focuses primarily on slavery in the US, but also showcases exhibits on slavery around the world--from political to sex trafficking. Powerful. The piece of the Berlin Wall outside is also quite worth a see!

I cannot say enough about this museum. My only disappointment was we did not have enough time to view it all before it closing time. Definitely a place I would visit again and again.

Loved the interactive activities. Though the subject is sad, it is interesting to learn and see how things were experienced in the past and how it influences the current day.

Worth the time, well structured, thought-filled design and compelling exhibits. The quilts were beautiful and thought provoking.

Prepare to be transformed and uplifted by the exhibits at this beautiful museum on the riverfront. We especially liked the Mandela exhibit. The Rosa Parks multimedia experience was okay.

I visited the Freedom Center for the first time in April 2018. I visited while finishing a course in African American Studies. Everything I’ve learned over the semester regarding slavery (and then some) was presented in the exhibit on the Middle Passage and the Atlantic slave trade. I remember exhaling deeply, just to hold back the tears. There was also a very interesting exhibit on confederate money, and how images of the enslaved were depicted on the bills smiling, as if they were happy to be enslaved. The money was used as propaganda to promote and justify slavery. You will walk around and learn much from your visit; my husband and I arrived around noon and ended up staying nearly 3 hours. Powerful!! We plan on taking our children soon.

I visited the museum while touring Cincinnati. The museum have exhibits on slavery, freedom and discrimination, focusing on the African Americans. You will need over 2 hours to see it properly. I didn't have enough time, and I mainly saw the third floor.

Awesome and inspiring! Not enough time to go through in just one visit. Board chairman, Rev. Damon Lynch, Jr. and his amazing wife, Barbara, took the time to show us this must-see attraction. Very sobering and eye-opening artifacts, artwork and film about the impact of institutional racism, slavery and human oppression of all kinds. My husband and I will definitely return to continue this educational journey.

When we arrived just before noon, there were school groups there which was fine. After going through the museum, I wondered how children connected with the content. The museum could be better if there was live in-character storytelling and more interactive settings/displays. It was hard to engage with a lot of reading and a few historical films interspersed. Not sure how children would really take in the history without some type of interaction.

Be prepared to read in order to absorb everything around you. Exhibits are not going to jump out at you unless you invest in reading and watching the videos. Little kids will struggle to appreciate everything in the museum, but spot on for my 14 and 18 yr old. Walking through the original “slave pen” combined with looking out the massive windows across the river was emotional knowing that back in the day of the Underground Railroad...one side was slave state and the other meant freedom.

Spent 4 hours here with our college aged daughter and still didn't see everything. We will go back, kinda felt burned out after 2 hours. Rosa Parks exhibit was just okay. For $5, I'm glad we did it though. Please MAKE SURE you take your cell phone and ear buds. There is an app the provides a guided tour, for FREE. No one told us about this! I figured it out after we had been there for over an hour. You can only have a tour guide if you're with a group of 15 or more.

The slave pen is heart wrenching. The shackles- just horrific. The building is amazing space. I feel like they could still do so much more but it was a great visit

The centre is beautiful, clean and quiet, and everyone is lovely. I found the galleries very interesting, but very text-heavy, and many of the interactive exhibits and videos were broken. I did expect a little more for the admission of $15. However, a worthwhile place to visit.

Opens at 10am and has many videos, movies, displays, and interactive stations. There are many artifacts here but the greatest experience is to take a guided tour. Each person can hear from the expert guides even more history. It is a must see museum. Discounts for seniors, kids, military, etc so be sure and ask.

This was an emotionally overwhelming experience. Well worth the time. Not to be mossed. Glad we stopped here.

Detailed historical info and photos. Easy reading. Spacious and clean. Directional signs within exhibits on each floor would be helpful.

The experience was very enlightening but due to our own time constraints the visit was a bit rushed. The exhibits have a lot of written information and was a lot to process which I felt took away from the experience. There were some videos providing history and information but this is something that possibly could be utilized more. Overall, it is very well done to provide information on a very important part of our history and how Cincinnati was shaped because of it.

We only planned about 90 minutes for this adventure and that wasn't enough! The 'modern slavery' exhibit was a little too intense for our 8-year old but everything else was just fine. The history of slavery exhibit that takes up most of the 3rd floor was really good. The Rosa Parks virtual reality experience was short, but powerful. I thought it was worth the extra money. We ended up skipping most of the 2nd floor to make our next stop.

As an added benefit, the eternal flame is outside on a nice balcony with a nice view of the Ohio River. A good place to take a break if things are getting a little intense.

Incredibly moving and informative exhibit and tastefully displayed, too, which is no small feat given the gruesome nature of the subject matter. I had no idea that slave trade was so prevalent in the US for so many decades and actually built this country's economy in the early centuries. Over a thousand slave pens existed where negroes were kept until they could be sold at market. And one of them stands inside the Freedom Center! Families among African-American communities were destroyed and split and men were sold off leaving children and mothers behind. Since history books don't seem to address this topic sufficiently, it seems crucial to complement our knowledge of US history with what this museum has to offer. There is a lot of reading, but obviously that's what needs to happen, more information transmitted, along with increased awareness of what happened here in the US for well over a hundred years and continues in covert ways as underground enslavement of people who are vulnerable, illiterate, or economically disadvantaged.
Thank you for this museum, which has the potential of changing minds and behaviors of those who visit.
Powerful!

Interesting place to have visited.
Better understanding of the history of the color people in the country.
Their hardships and challenges were share here.
Good place to bring the young and teens to remind them of the long journey the country and the people have come about and not to take advantage of today.

I loved this museum and the stories it told. I found the exhibits a bit overwhelming and disjointed. Bur seeing the slave quarters was worth the trip as it will always stay with me.

Good place to see the history of the underground railroad. Startbon 3rd floor which has the most info and details so don't feel rushed to go to floor 2. Definitely enjoyed the experience

You feel history all around you as you tour this magnificent building and view all the wonders held within. Joy, sadness, sorrow, love, and peace are all a part of the experience of life and life is what you will experience within these walls.

Stopped in to see what they had and were impressed. Started the third floor and spend several hour going through the exhibit. Really made you think about what was happening during the Civil War and up to today. the slave pen really hit home and was impressive to hear about.

This museum is, in my opinion, as impressive as the relatively-new African-American history museum in Washington, DC. The authentic, wood building (brought here from Kentucky and reassembled) where enslaved Africans were sold is alone worth a visit. The location overlooking the Ohio River is beautiful, but just looking at the river is a reminder of the horrifying challenges that enslaved Africans faced trying to flee north.

Exceeded my expectations by a wide margin. An absolutely wonderful venue filled with a blend of interactive and static displays. Provides the basis for a wound understanding of slavery in our country.

One tip. There is underground parking located directly underneath the museum. The parking garage is enormous but there is a dedicated museum area. Pricing is very affordable and surface parking really isn't a good option.

This place has really great exhibits and much to read. We spent about 2.5 hours but you could spend almost a whole day there.

I did the Rosa Parks VR experience and it was quite moving. The rest of the building is set up so well and has some very powerful displays.

There is much information to digest in every gallery. If you don’t leave here wanting change for a better world then I think you have missed the point completely.

This is a wonderful thought provoking museum. The modern day enslavement section was eye opening. It could be improved by providing the dates of the events that each person described. There was lots to read (almost too much).

It was very informative on how and why the Underground Railroad was started and all the people that took risk and helped make it work. I was very much intrigued. Anyone who steps foot in here will leave with a different perspective.

The building and locations are exquisite. But unused parts, space under utilized, and just not enough being taught in an intriguing manner. I’ve been to much smaller museums which were much more impactful and informational in areas that are in similar concentration to this one. Even smaller holocaust museums that resonate their fundamental purpose of awareness. Even smaller museums dedicated to the Underground railroad that accomplished so much more in a portion of area. Yes, some of the interactive exhibits were very good, and the stretch into modern and current issues is relevant. But exhibits should be much more griping, and enticing to have lasting impact. I implore the management to to go other museums and learn which methods are effective to have the needed impact and informational fortitude. Other reviews blabbering on about “guilt” or waste of tax dollars are merely haters. The museum price is inline with museums of the same size and quality. Overall a good experience, but could be so much more.

Informative, well illustrated exhibits of slavery in America, but then slavery in America now was astounding. In the world 213 million are enslaved, but so many "invisible" ones in America!!! Human trafficking - the various types and ways women, children, men are ensnared, tricked, fooled. I ordered 4 books based on the exhibits about true stories of slavery now. We must become involved. Evil persists when good people know nothing or do nothing.

There were few visitors on the Friday afternoon we were there. We started on third floor where Jim greeted us and provided us with a personal tour through the entire 3rd floor starting on the deck outside to explain the significance of the architecture of building. He was so knowledgeable and such a pleasant personality! Such a difficult topic to learn about, but so necessary for everyone. When we went to second floor we were approached by John who told us about the slave pen and how it arrived in the center and how it had been used. We learned of how so many brave people helped the slaves escape. So significant that the center was built where it is at the Ohio river which was the dividing line for freedom. I will never forget seeing the slave shackles. I encourage everyone to visit. The center was very aware of social distancing, cleanliness, and following covid guidelines. Several of the exhibits were modified to touch with your foot to activate so people can still learn from them and be safe.

The only thing I would suggest on weekdays is to limit the number of school groups in the building at the same time. The supervised groups blocked me from seeing some things and the unsupervised students were all over the place and uninterested in the exhibits which was distracting. Otherwise, it was a very good experience, being from another country I learned quite a bit. Also, for some reason admission was free when I went, maybe due to the school groups.

Amazing experience. A must see for sure. I really couldn’t say enough about this center. Well curated and informative. Information is presented in an easy to access manner that is easy for anyone to ‘enjoy.’
This is a freedom center that provides so much more information than just the history of slavery in the United States.
Of note: Information is presented in a way that helps visitors understand abhorrent, inhumane practices without overt brutality that might make it difficult for young or sensitive visitors.
The website lists visit time roughly 2 hours. Not a chance. Plan for all day. I wish we would have started at the beginning of the day left for lunch and come back, or planned on doing two 1/2 days.

This is one of the hidden Gems in the midwest. Make appropriate time to visit and go through the museum it is incredible.

This place had so much good reading to learn about slavery, how the blacks struggled for their freedom, this was a realistic walking tour. I would recommend the Rosa Parks vitral experience.
Plan on spending the day you will not be sorry to have spent the time there learning about slavery to the present day.
We went on a Sunday there was limited staff so we did our own tour. Can't imagine what it would be with a guide. We will be going back, such a wonderful experience.

Went with friends from out of town and their pre-teen children. Friends of the children had been and had mentioned it, so the kids wanted to go. What a surprise!

The story, from leaving the plantation to making the journey, was well told and kept everyone’s interest all the way. The kids enjoyed hiding and waiting for us to find them.

Explains a lot, entertained and educated everyone. If you are in Cincinnati, take the time to experience this venue.

This museum has a wealth of information. For the most part, you simply walk along and read and read and read...does get a bit tedious. And at times i found myself reading information I had already read in another section. For the most part we enjoyed it but we ran out of "reading patience" after about 1.5 hours. The trolley stops about a block or 2 nearby. My wife is a super fan of the Underground RR which she teaches at school, but as others have noted, this section is a very small part of the museum.

A very interesting and challenging museum with many presentations on the history of racism, it’s many tentacles and especially those who courageously fought against it.

We were there with a tour. Our tour guide was wonderful but we only got to see the second floor and one thing on the first floor in the two hours we were there. I really want to go back to go through the whole museum myself. I found the gift shop a bit of a disappointment for a major museum like this.

This is a MUST see in Cincinnati. Very spacious facility. There is a vast amount of information provided The sheer amount of information may make this challenging to partake fully with young children. I would definitely recommend taking children though because it is important content.

This was not our favorite museum. We were both actually hoping to learn more about the Underground Railroad, but I guess that's difficult to present with the understandably scarce records about it (for the safety of those participating in it, both aiders and enslaved). It was almost too information packed, and after 2 hours of reading nearly every placard, I reached saturation point, so we left. We didn't even watch the 2 films - maybe next time we're in town.

As a history buff I was looking forward to my visit to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. I was not disappointed! This building is attractive, well-designed, and filled with displays, films and information. Each floor is well laid out and allows for a good traffic flow. Slavery from very early days up to current time is covered in displays that include text, photos, films, and artifacts. Allow at least 2 hours.

This museum exceeded our expectations- there are layers and layers of historical facts, information and personal stories of triumph and tragedy.

The films offered in different theatres really added context and helped bring stories and key learning themes to life.

There were three floors and we started on the third floor as directed. We left for lunch and were able to return with no issues to continue our visit. It was about $16 each to enter and we parked in a parking garage a couple of blocks away for a fee.

It was a deeply moving experience and we spent roughly 4 hours there- just wow. So much to learn and reflect on- very impressive museum!

Good museum. Lots of important and interesting information. A lot of thought has clearly been put into exhibits. Saw the Nelson Mandela film in the theatre on the 2nd floor which was very good.
In general there was just a huge amount of reading and this was too much after 1.5 floors. So I left early and didn't make it around all exhibits. It could be more interactive. So if visiting with kids just bear in mind that there was a huge amount of reading.

This "museum" is more a chronology of slavery than underground railroad museum. There is one small section devoted to the UR, and the video that plays as one is leaving the UR section depicts the immediate post-slavery era in the South (when blacks were technically not slaves and instead were allowed to share crop) as much better than it was for blacks, according to my information. Because it is a video, children are likely to stop and watch and get a very incorrect impression of post-war conditions for blacks in the South. Our child stopped and watched it, and we explained that it was not so accurate. Additionally, there are a LOT of placards/displays with historical chronologies and facts (and few actual artifacts) which means a LOT of reading, which means most children will not be engaged very long, in my experience. Probably need to be fifteen years old or very interested in reading about slavery in order to remain engaged through the entire building.

This is a moving experience. I learned a lot in the different exhibits and movies. There were many brave people who risked their life to help people. You also learned about the evil people.
See all the movies when you go.

His museum equals in quality and scope the new National Museum of African-American Museum of History and Culture in Washington, DC. Could easily spend a day here reading and experiencing all it has to offer. Helpful staff at check-in started our visit off right. Visitors were quiet and respectful reading and viewing the exhibits detailing the shocking history of slavery in the US. The section on slavery still existing around the world was enlightening because it’s too easy to think slavery is in the past. Location beside the Ohio River is scenic.

With a wide view of the bridge, even wider perspective on this country’s truth, the museum transports the eager visitor to the shores of Chesapeake and constitutional injustices.

The impact of this museum can be overwhelming. There’s a lovely rock of granite solace I found outside to take a moment. So much we never learned in school. Please visit. The experience will inspire a change.

This museum has so much information! The exhibits are well done. do much to learn, but be prepared to spend dome time reading about each exhibit. So much to learn, even for those who already know much about the history of the underground railroad. We appreciated the short virtual Rosa Parks experience too. There is aldo a section of the museum dedicated to modern day slavery which is an eye opener, again-even for those who are already aware.

We came to this museum because we wanted to learn more about the underground railroad, and it does an outstanding job presenting that, but my favorite part on the third floor was about slavery today. It was incredibly eye opening -- I had no idea that slavery still exists, even in this country, today and it was enlightening to learn how this happens even today. Well worth a visit. Allow 4+ hours.

We took our 10 and 12 year old grandchildren and all enjoyed out time there. There is a lot to learn from the museum. The Rosa Parks virtual experienc was awesome. The employees were all very nice and helpful. A tour guide invited us to hear his talk in the slave quarters even though we weren’t part of his tour. I highly recommend a visit to the museum.

We took close to 3 hours going through the museum and its exhibits. This is not a quick run through sort of attraction because, in order to really understand the exhibits, you will need to read a LOT. That may be a deterrent for younger children or adults who just don't enjoy reading. I have seen a lot of tourist attractions that have no strong reason to, but offer handheld audio devices explaining exhibits anyway, in order to attract more people. This for one would be an excellent candidate for such a set-up. The extensive exhibits have a tendency to overwhelm the reader, especially due to the sobering nature of the story being told. Even if you know a lot about the history of humans exploiting other humans, this museum will add more insight. The modern quilting exhibit is excellent. Make sure you have time to catch the short films in addition to the other exhibits. It would appear that child labor and other forms of modern-day slavery are confined to the India/Nepal subcontinent if you didn't know any better. I wondered what prompted them to only focus on this single region when it is equally prevalent in South America, Middle East, Sub Saharan Africa etc. My hope is that the museum will be able to gather funding to set-up an audio tour very soon which will hugely improve the visitors' experience.

This is an underappreciated gem in the crown of Cincinnati's many celebrated museums. Cincinnati was a major hub in the Underground Railroad and was a haven't for abolitionists before and during the Civil War. The children were engaged (not always so easy in museums) and I learned more about the experience of slavery. I thought the reconstruction of the slaves quarters was a good way to heighten perspective for all age groups.

What a wonderful museum! Much better than I expected. First class exhibit on the history of slavery with an interesting audio you can download. Learned that the museum sits by the Ohio River. When slaves crossed the Ohio River from Kentucky into Ohio, they were free.

Thought provoking exhibit on how religions approach injustice called "Faith and (In)justice". Reconstructed slave pen from the pre Civil War era was fascinating.

Didn't have time to see any more exhibits. Highly recommend!

This museum does an amazing job of opening the eyes of the visitor to the ills of slavery. Details in depth the role The Underground Railroad played in the freedom of the slaves. It is an absolute must see!

If you are in the mood for an in depth history lesson that will change you come here and be open to what happened and is happening.Displays that are well done to illustrated periods of social change.I spent 6-8 hours here and you may too.

Learned some thing we didn't know and we really liked how they linked modern day human trafficking to historical slavery.

Highly recommend checking out if you’re in the Cincinnati area! I learned a lot about the history of the Underground Railroad as well as slavery happening today and what you can do to help stop it.

This museum is chock full of information both on the plight of the African slave and modern day slavery. While our group felt positive about the information being provided, we were concerned that there was very little that was interactive and there were few relics. There is a very heavy emphasis on reading, which might be off-putting for many people. As avid readers ourselves, even we needed almost four hours to complete the exhibits -- without seeing the special exhibit. Also, we were very disappointed with the gift shop which could have offered Free Trade items or other things that would benefit groups trying to support freedom. I hope people will visit the museum, but just wish it was more user friendly for the general public and young children.

I like to think I know my history but there is always so much more to learn when you enter a museum such as this. My children were enlightened and inspired by the experience. We just went to a museum in Philadelphia that severely lacked and reinforced just how amazing the underground railroad museum was once again. If you are in Cincinnati; you definitely will not be disappointed by this experience!

To be fair they give you a Map at the beginning of the tour. We chose self guided not sure if guided would have been extra. Anyway you start at the 3rd floor and work your way down. The entire layout could have been easier to follow with signs or visible numbers on the areas to go to next. Everything was spread of too far with no real timeline theme.
Honestly I was so excited to go to this museum to learn more about history and was completely bored out of my mind.
Masks are mandatory btw.

Ruthie and I spent 4hours and have decided if you were to read all the information posted, you would need 6hours. Only complaint is that many of the small plaques 4x4 or 12x4 were in colors such as orange and with black print, but the lighting is so poor we needed to use the flashlight on the cell phone to read. Example is the really interesting and terrific painting of Lee's surrender at Appomattox. Even though the plaque is not behind glass (which many are) we could not read it only inches away. We needed the flashlight to be able to read. This is the major drawback, as all exhibits of artifacts are behind glass and have these small plaques next to them but they are unreadable. The layout of the museum is terrific and the exhibits are beautiful. They also have several interesting short videos and one 25min film called Brothers of the Borderland (all excellently done). We did not do the Rosa Parks experience or the special Challenge of Men(sp) which were extra, and if those were done then the total time needed would be 7hrs+. The museum is not for people who cannot stand for long lengths of time as there is little to no seating in the exhibit rooms. If you go, be sure to bring a sweater, jacket or coat, as they have the A/C working full time. Overall the museum is a gem and not well or publicized well Lastly, there is NO Audio.

Wow! This was the best part of our visit to Cincinnati. We spent hours here and that was mostly on the third floor. The third floor includes an exhibit sponsored by the Oprah Winfrey foundation and reveals a very dark history of humanity’s past. Fortunately for all of us here now, we can visit museums like this, re-read our histories, and hope not to repeat such inhumane atrocities. We enjoyed every aspect of this visit from the exhibitions, interactive displays, the unique artwork, the eternal flame (with breathtaking views of the Ohio River), the piece from the Berlin Wall, the two floor slave pen, and more. The price of admission was very reasonable. We will definitely return to this museum when in Cincinnati again.

This is a MUST see in Cincinnati. We did not budget enough time and we were there for 5.5 hrs. There is a vast amount of information provided The sheer amount of information may make this challenging to partake fully with young children. I would definitely recommend taking children though because it is important content.

I looked forward to going to the Freedom Center, but my friends and I were disappointed. Many of the displays were is disrepair: missing lights, sounds, descriptions. There is such potential here, but it needs some work. Parts were very moving and educational. We were not there during a time when guided tours were available; friends had raved about the place when they had visited with group and guides.

I learned so much about the history of our nation and how immigration and slavery impacted the events. These are things I don’t remember learning in school. Great for older children and adults. This is probably too in depth for young ones. I would like to bring my 10 and 13 year old here some time. You need 3 hours at least here to see it all. We arrived early on Saturday and there was lots of street parking.
Also very nice waterfront park if you bring a picnic.

I was greatly moved by the exhibits and the stories they brought to life.
We recently visited the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, which we both enjoyed very much but we both agreed this museum is even better. My only complaint is some of the small displays are dimly lit and very difficult to read. Don't take that wrong, the dim lighting and background music contribute greatly to the atmosphere. Well done, Cincinnati!

Very informative and put together. The theater wasn't open when we visited but it was still a nice experience, however I dont think there was a lot of information about the underground railroad

We enjoyed visiting. We consider that the building should be utilized in a better way since the space is huge and they should put more interactive experiences.

There is so much here to see, read and learn. If you want to fully experience you will need several hours or plan for multiple visits. We took nearly 2 hours on the 3rd floor, where it’s recommended that you begin, and really didn’t really do it full justice. This museum is for everyone! I thought I was well informed; but learned so much.

My daughter (10) was excited about going and it’s a great museum. The amount of reading got heady for her after a while. And I’ll admit I’m not great at stopping and reading everything. We scanned and moved on. But it is well done and impactful.

As a history nerd, I love all museums but this one was really great. Very well laid out. Great mixture of historical artifacts, audio/visual, artistic representations, and information. They also had a modern exhibit on human trafficking which was very moving

This museum captures the experience of enslavement so poignantly, making it clear why the Underground Railroad was such an important thing. It has everything from an actual slave pen that will make you cry to beautiful fabric art, and you learn so much about how the UGR operated. Probably best for adults and older children.

Was disappointed with this museum after visiting the exceptional Harriett Beecher Stowe home. I was fairly familiar with slavery in the USA, but not very familiar with the Underground Railroad, and was expecting to learn about the railroad at this museum. However, I found little here about the Underground Railroad.

My wife and I were lucky enough to spend a few hours at the museum between other appointments. My only regret is that we didn't have more time to spend there, I would certainly budget 4-5 hours to truly take in everything the museum offers. I'll admit I didn't understand beforehand the numerous topics that this museum tackles in a historically accurate manner as well as in a way that anyone of any ages can learn. I'm very grateful for the few hours I was able to spend in the museum and hope to return again in the future.

Too much to see in one visit

Would have liked better signage; had difficulty finding the entrances to the rooms where films are shown.

Didn't see a vending machine; was in need of a drink of water.

Loved the movie brothers of the borderland

Entrances to the underground garage are a few blocks away. Drive around the garage looking for signs for the freedom center before choosing a parking space.

This museum is very well done, nice exhibits and good information. The Men of Change exhibit was excellent.

First time visit .
Good Exhibits but there's a lot to read...
Didn't get to see everything as we had another Tour lined up.
Only saw half of the 3rd floor! Which is where you start.
But what we saw/ read---- was good.
Went over the history of the slave trade and history during that time.
Need to do something uplifting afterwards.

I visited the museum with a good friend and intended to spend an hour or so before taking in some other Cincinnati sites. Our visit lasted most of the day. Just in the writing of this review, I find myself overwhelmed. Our darkest hours as a nation...as a people, is well documented and one can’t help but think of today’s times as a continuation of the deep seated bigotry and hatred that marked America’s “original sin”of slavery. This isn’t an easy museum to visit but is one not to be missed.

This museum was awesome. There was a variety of ways to learn about the Underground Railroad including exhibits as well as movies that really illustrated what it was like. The exhibit about slavery today was our favorite part and also the hardest. It was so engaging. We loved the art pieces representing the various types of slavery. We also loved seeing personal stories of really situations that are still happening today. It was very thought provoking. We also paid extra for the Rosa Parks experience. It was very interesting, though I wished it was longer than 2 mins.

I found it difficult to know where to go next in the exhibits.
There was a lot of history, but only a small portion on the underground railroad. Seemed like the civil war and politics were more prevalent.

The audio exhibits with recordings of individuals were unintelligible. And the Harriet Tubman theater was closed.

Air conditioning in the theaters must be set at 50 degrees below zero. Absolutely freezing.

No cafe.

I took my ten-year-old daughter to what I thought was going to a historical museum about the underground railroad. She is learning about it at school and I thought a field trip would be appropriate. I knew it would be a bit heavy and powerful, so I planned a boat ride on the Ohio for the afternoon.

I wasn't prepared for the impact the museum would have on me. It was devastating to learn how little I had understood about the slave trade and the terrible ill-treatment of slaves, men, women, and children. We have a lot to learn and to face about ourselves and our society. My daughter pointed out that only three or four of the first fifteen presidents were not slave owners. The reconstructed slave pen brought tears to my eyes and I couldn't look at anyone else for a time. The Rosa Parks virtual reality experience, the Harriet Tubman movie, these and other exhibits are well presented. The walls have art. there is sculpture and exhibits about different aspects of the slave trade. The underground railroad exhibit brought home the fact of how few of the citizens stood out against slavery and that it was not tidily confined to the Southern states.

My daughter took it all in stride better than I could have expected and she seemed to be familiar with much of the history.

The modern-day slavery exhibit is gut-wrenching. But it is a must-visit-section of the museum.Finally, the implicit bias area was also extremely interesting and informative. Do save some time for that area.

One learns about implicit and unintended bias; not just racial bias. I was struck by how segregated we are as a society as I saw neatly segregated groups going through the museum.

Take your children and go often. We need to learn more if we are to face and be rid of this terrible history and its after-effects that still tear us apart.

The building itself is beautiful, stark and dwarfing. The covered parking is convenient, plentiful and inexpensive in the lot below the buildings. Street parking was all taken before 11 am when the building opens. There are clean restrooms and plenty of places to eat nearby.

I took some pictures but I felt I was violating a temple to those who suffered and are remembered here.

Take your children and visit. The book-store gift shop has a decent collection of children's' books that deal with diversity, race, and bias.

I plan to go back again and again with my daughter.

Closed Sunday.