Overview of Collections
The Cincinnati History Museum actively collects, preserves, exhibits and interprets objects related to the social, cultural, economic and political history of Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio. In recent years, the museum's collection has grown to approximately 30,000 three-dimensional objects. Specific collections include: artifacts related to the founding and settlement of the Old Northwest Territory and Southwest Ohio, political campaigns, the Civil War, business and industry, everyday life and leisure activities, children's toys and games, education, religion, medicine, sports, printing equipment, brewing, railroads, river transportation, early broadcasting items, historic clothing and decorative arts, music and fine art.
Objects of Note
A few significant objects include: A Revolutionary War Regimental Standard; a Cincinnati-made "Washington" printing press, c.1840; the uniform, sword and personal effects of Civil War General William Lytle; Civil War Ohio Regimental flags; an Elias Howe sewing machine, c.1863; a 1910 Model K Schacht automobile; and a 1923 Cincinnati curved side streetcar. River-related artifacts and more than 30 steamboat models attest to Cincinnati's role as an important river city in the 1800s. Immigrants and ethnic groups are represented, particularly Cincinnati's strong German heritage, and are reflected in collections of social groups and the brewing industry. Industrial collection groups range from the metal work of Miles Greenwood's Eagle Iron Works (an important munitions center during the Civil War) to the machine tools and heavy industry of the late industrial revolution for which Cincinnati has become world famous.
Fine Art
The fine art collection consists of more than 500 works and includes oil paintings by Henry Mosler, Robert Duncanson, Elizabeth Nourse, William Sonntag, and Louis Vogt, sculpture by Hiram Powers, eight original works by John Casper Wild, and drawings of Cincinnati architecture and urban landscapes by E.T. Hurley.
Focus on Cincinnati's Culture
Overall, the focus of the collections has gradually evolved to reflect the changing interest of historians and to accurately mirror the diverse nature of Cincinnati audiences. More and more, the museum endeavors to collect documents and artifacts that represent ethnic and cultural minorities, reform organizations, non-establishment political groups, environmental organizations, sports clubs, teams and other civic organizations. Gradually, the museum's collections are becoming more broad based and reflective of the community-at-large.
Access to Collections
Approximately 90 percent of the collections are available for research, exhibition or loan. Restrictions on use depend on the rarity of an object or document, conservation concerns and exhibit schedules. In addition to traditional use by historians, journalists and genealogists, the history object collections are broadly used internally by all Cincinnati Museum Center departments. The viewing of the collections is restricted, and appointments should be made well in advance.
History Object Collections Staff
David C. Conzett
Curator, History Collections
(513) 287-7063
E-mail: dconzett@cincymuseum.org
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