PRESS RELEASE

May 9, 2011

MEDIA CONTACT: Stephanie Lowe, (513) 287-7054 office, (513) 373-3242 mobile, slowe@cincymuseum.org

Dust off those heirlooms and discover your family history at Cincinnati Museum Center
Museum Center hosts Show & Tell with Cowan's Auctions on May 14

CINCINNATI, OH- Dust off your family heirlooms, quirky antiques, and garage sale gems and uncover their history (or secrets) at Show & Tell: Your Family Treasures on May 14 at Cincinnati Museum Center.

Wes Cowan, host of PBS’s History Detectives and owner of Cincinnati-based Cowan’s Auctions, will be on-site with his team of art and antique specialists to provide insight into the make, material, and history of your treasures. An auction estimate will also be provided. Independent experts will be on-site to evaluate antique dolls and electric toy trains. 

In celebration of Museum Center’s 20th anniversary, evaluations are only $20 and include free parking and an All-Museums pass for you or a friend (an $18.50 value!) Due to the limited number of appointments, registration is required. Call (513) 287-7021 to register.

Visit our website for a complete list of items accepted for evaluation. No firearms, coins, stamps or fine jewelry will be accepted. 

Cowan will return to Museum Center on May 24 at 6:30 p.m. His lecture, Discovering the Past through Objects: Adventures of a Real-Life History Detective, is open to the public and will highlight some of the interesting objects that he has encountered during his time as a “history detective.” Tickets to the lecture in Reakirt Auditorium are $5 per person. For $15, tickets can be purchased for both the lecture and a reception with Cowan immediately following the lecture. To register, call (513) 287-7021. Walk-in’s are welcome.

All proceeds will benefit Cincinnati Museum Center, whose mission includes preserving regional history. To see some of Cincinnati’s family treasures, visit our permanent collection on display in the Cincinnati History Museum.

###

About Cincinnati Museum Center
Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal is a nationally recognized institution dedicated to sparking community dialogue, insight and inspiration. As one of the top cultural attractions in the Midwest, Cincinnati Museum Center has served as an educational, research and entertainment resource to millions of visitors from around the world. Organizations within Museum Center include the Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children's Museum, the Museum of Natural History & Science, the Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater, and the Cincinnati Historical Society Library. These organizations combine to serve more than one million visitors annually, reaching out to nearly 400,000 young people through hands-on exhibits and programs. Originally built in 1933 as a train station, Union Terminal stands as one of the last remaining grand-scale Art Deco style railroad terminals. The building is a National Historic Landmark and was renovated and reopened as Cincinnati Museum Center in 1990. For information, call 1-800-733-2077 or visit www.cincymuseum.org.