Stop in and experience Union Terminal for yourself!  Whether visiting one of our museums or coming through to see one of our world-class changing exhibits, explore and enjoy one of Cincinnati’s great architectural treasures.  There are several ways to get a more in-depth experience. 

HERITAGE PROGRAM ROTUNDA TOURS

Discover one of Cincinnati’s National Historic Landmarks, Union Terminal. During a 45-minute tour, docents explain the construction, architecture and art of one the finest examples of the Art Deco style. Hear details about the world-famous mosaic murals and visit the Cincinnati Union Terminal President’s Office, today’s Amtrak waiting room and Rookwood Tea Room. Complimentary tours are held Saturdays at noon, 1, 2 and 3 p.m. and Sundays at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Tours can also be arranged for groups during the week with advance notice.

TOWER A

Visit Tower A, restored and maintained by the Cincinnati Railroad Club, and see where rail operations were controlled when Union Terminal was a train station!  Look out over the Queensgate Freight Yard and see trains coming and going through one of the busiest yards in the country!

Tower A is free and open to the public on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Please note that access requires the use of stairs.

CINCINNATI UNION TERMINAL HOUSE DETECTIVE AGENCY

Join the Cincinnati Union Terminal House Detective Agency and solve mysteries relating to Cincinnati history and Cincinnati Union Terminal. Earn agency pay as you solve each case, which you can save up for cool prizes! There is a onetime fee of $5 per agent to join. 

Wednesdays: 1 to 4 p.m.
Saturdays: 10 a.m. to noon, 1 to 4 p.m.
Sundays: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2 to 5 p.m.

GATEWAY TO THE CITY: CINCINNATI UNION TERMINAL

Stop by the Cincinnati History Museum and visit the Gateway to the City: Cincinnati Union Terminal exhibit.  Located on the Mezzanine Level of the museum, learn about how Union Terminal came about, its history as a train station, some of the alternate uses proposed for the building and the story behind the art and artists that decorated Union Terminal.  Also be sure to check out the 1/3 scale painting, or cartoon, of the south-east rotunda mosaics.  This was painted by Reiss as a guide for Ravenna Tile when they create the mosaics!  On the Lower Level of the museum, in the Machine Tool Gallery, you can also view the two remaining industrial mosaics at Union Terminal.  In 1973, 14 others were moved to the Greater Cincinnati Airport to preserve them from destruction when the train concourse was demolished.  These two murals remained in place until the installation of the Omnimax Theater in 1989 and were moved to their current location to allow visitors to continue to enjoy them!

Available Museum hours

CINCINNATI HISTORY LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES

Interested in even more information?  Delve into our library’s collection of Union Terminal material.  Everything from company records to photographs can be researched to expand your knowledge of Union Terminal!  While visiting the library, be sure and check out the Arrival and Departure board mosaic panels.  Located on either side of the library’s front door, these panels were located where the Omnimax Theater is today, right above information boards that told passengers that days train schedule.

Monday through Friday, Noon to 5 p.m.

Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Closed Sundays and holidays

Image Captions: 1 Nick Massa Panorama of Union Terminal during the day. 2 Nick Massa Panorama of the rotunda during a culture fest. 3 Nick Massa View from Tower A. 4  Nick Massa Reiss cartoon in CHM. 5 CMC Online Photo Archive The Cincinnati Historical Library and Archive. 6 Mykl Sandusky An agent working in the C.U.T. House Detective Agency.