Radical welcome is at the heart of Cincinnati Museum Center’s mission.

We value inclusion. We value empathy. We value you. And we are working on some resources to help everybody feel even more welcome at CMC.

Quiet Zones

Quiet zones are located throughout the building If you borrow equipment from a Quiet Zone during your trip, thanks for returning it to its original location or any ticketing booth before you leave. Used fidgets are yours to keep! Quiet zones are located at:

  • Public Safety (Rotunda – Shared Space)
    Equipped with a Minky-covered 5 lb. weighted blanket, noise reducing earmuffs, various fidgets, a liquid motion timer, adjustable lighting, child sized egg chairs, a couch and first aid supplies. Medication, pumped milk and required food items that need to stay chilled can be stored in the refrigerator in the Public Safety Quiet Zone as needed.
  • Nursing Room by Fountain Gallery (Mezzanine – Private Room)
    Equipped with a Minky-covered 5 lb. weighted blanket, noise reducing earmuffs, various fidgets, a comfortable chair, small table, infant changing table and sink.
  • Nursing Room on The Avenue (Lower Level – Private Room)
    Equipped with a Minky-covered 5 lb. weighted blanket, noise reducing earmuffs, various fidgets, a comfortable chair, small table, infant changing table and sink.
  • Parent Resource Room (inside Little Sprouts Farm in The Children’s Museum – Private)
    Equipped with a couch, two comfortable rocking chairs, two child sized egg chairs and books. Minky-covered 5 lb. weighted blanket, fidgets and earmuffs available upon request.

Additionally, all Ticket Booths are equipped with fidgets and earmuffs which are available upon request.

"One of the workers in the LEGO® exhibit was very helpful for a different family. She saw one of the kids was getting overstimulated with all the noise where kids could build legos for the mural and offered to get them a pair of headphones to help the child since it was pretty loud. I really liked seeing how caring and compassionate that worker was!"

Restrooms

Accessible restrooms are located throughout Union Terminal. Each restroom has the following amenities.

  • Infant changing tables in every restroom
  • Trash bins in all accessible stalls
  • Manual flush toilets and paper towel dispensers. A few restrooms do have air hand dryers.

Universal, single-stall restrooms are located in the Concourse, on the Mezzanine and on the Lower Level near the Museum of Natural History & Science.

Adult changing tables (holding up to 400 lb.) are located in universal restrooms in the Concourse, on the Mezzanine and on the Lower Level near the Museum of Natural History & Science. Staff and visitors may use the restroom that corresponds to the gender with which they best identify.

"Worth the admission! Highly accessible with ramps, braille, interactive displays for kids, plenty for adults. Used multiple learning style friendly exhibits."

OMNIMAX® Theater

Our immersive five-story domed theater serves to take guests to places they can only imagine. And we don’t want anyone to be left out of those experiences!

  • Accessible, wheelchair seating is offered at the top of the OMNIMAX® dome. OMINMAX® staff are happy to assist guests up the elevator.
  • For those prone to motion sickness, it is recommended to sit in the top two rows of the theater.
  • As the OMNIMAX® can be loud and overwhelming to some, the theater is now equipped with earmuffs, fidgets and a 5 lb. weighted lap blanket. Tools are available upon request.
  • OMNIMAX® films offer descriptive audio, closed captioning and assisting listening. Tools are available upon request.

"I learned how accessible the museum is for people and how much the workers do to provide a positive experience for all!"

Mobility Amenities

CMC is happy to offer the following services for those who need them.

  • Additional seating throughout the museums
  • Elevators
  • Push button controls on Museum doors
  • Wheelchairs and Electronic Convenience Vehicles (ECVs) are available for rental on a first-come, first-served basis from the box office. Wheelchairs are $7. ECVs are $29. Renters must be over 18 years old and sign the Guest Mobility Equipment Rental Agreement. A driver’s license or credit card will be held at the box office until the wheelchair or ECV is returned.
    • Single strollers: $10
    • Double strollers: $12
    • Wheelchairs: $7
    • Electric Wheelchairs: $29

    Please note: All mobility equipment rentals are cashless.

"Very accessible, interesting and fun."

Sensory Amenities

CMC is happy to offer the following services for those who need them.

  • At Cincinnati Museum Center, we invite you to bring your whole self to the Museum. Sometimes that means our guests may act in unexpected ways and that’s okay. Our staff is happy to support all guests during their visit. If you or a member of your group needs a little extra support, please just ask.
  • Fidgets, headphones and ear plugs are available at each of the Museum ticket kiosk and in The Children’s Museum. If asked, staff can also bring you sensory items wherever you are when the supports are needed.
  • Sensory maps of each Museum and the Featured Exhibit are available on the top right of this page listed under “Additional Information” and in person at the kiosk in the Rotunda.
  • Looking for a visual supports?
    • Given the size of Union Terminal and “choose your own adventure” style of exploration, we do not provide social stories, visual schedules, or first/then boards.
    • However, feel free to check out our museum focused “Accessibility Amenities” guides on the top right of this page listed under “Additional Information” to build your own or has a visual walkthrough of our galleries before visiting.
    • If you need an additional help, please reach out to accessibility@cincymuseum.org
  • Looking for quiet hours?
    CMC strives to create a safe and supportive place anytime our doors are open. Here are a few quick tips for your visit:
    • If you are looking for the quietest time to explore, join us weekday afternoons from 3 to 5 p.m.
    • Be sure to check out the sensory maps for quieter galleries too.
    • Additionally, we have 4 designated Quiet Zones in the Museum if you or your member of your party is in need an extra minute or two of silence or regulation.
  • Starting in December 2026, we will be adding a short, 3-minute pipe organ performance on Sunday afternoons at 4:15 p.m. The pipes are in the walls of the Rotunda, which make our historic pipe organ quite loud. It can be heard in the Rotunda, Concourse, Avenue, and Mezzanine level by the escalators. While it is beautiful, it can be jarring to those not aware that it is about to be played. Please be advised.
Visual Amenities

CMC is happy to offer the following services for those who need them.

  • Bronze, tactile statutes in the Dinosaur Hall, The Cave plaza, Ice Age and Cincinnati in Motion galleries
  • Braille in the Dinosaur Hall exhibit.
  • There are no touch "button" locations throughout the museum that activate light, sound and movement.
  • The following OMNIMAX® films offer descriptive audio for the visually impaired:
    • Backyard Wilderness
    • Blue Whales: Return of the Giants
    • Call of the Dolphins
    • D-Day: Normandy 1944
    • Into America's Wild
    • National Parks Adventure
    • Rocky Mountain Express
    • Secrets of the Sea
    • Space: The New Frontier
    • Superpower Dogs
    • T. REX
    • Volcanoes: The Fires of Creation

"This is by far the best handicapped accessible building in the city. I am always able to enjoy everything with my family. Thank you!"

Deaf/Hard of Hearing Amenities

CMC is happy to offer the following services for those who need them.

  • Script version of featured exhibit audio is available upon request (see box office)
  • Deaf Days are held at least once per the run of a Featured Exhibit
  • Please ask the box office about available aids for the deaf and hard of hearing for OMNIMAX® films.

Upcoming Deaf Days: cincymuseum.org/deaf-days

Upcoming Deaf Days

Join us for ASL interpreted tours! Interpreters from Cincinnati State’s Interpreter Training Program (ITP) will be partnering with Cincinnati Museum Center for ASL interpreted tours. Please join us if you are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or just interested in learning more sign language!

  • Sunday, December 6 from 2 to 5 p.m.: Deaf Day with Santa (there is no cost to visit with Santa, Holiday Junction is included with Museum Admission)

Learn more: cincymuseum.org/deaf-days

Contact accessibility@cincymuseum.org for more information or questions.

Service Animals

Trained service animals required to perform tasks for or assist with a person with a disability are permitted in Cincinnati Museum Center. Service animals should remain on a leash or in a harness and under the control of the owner at all times. In compliance with the ADA, we only allow Service Dogs and Miniature Horses.

For more information, please view the ADA's Service Animal Requirements and the ADA's Service Animal FAQ.

Additional access-focused initiatives will roll out on an ongoing basis.

Additional Information
  • Caregivers, who are visiting the museum for the purpose of providing care to an Individual with Disabilities, will be able to receive a free, complementary Museum Admission ticket. The caregiver will need to visit the box office to receive their ticket. As a reminder, the caregiver comp ticket only applies to the Museum Admission ticket. Caregivers will need to pay to visit OMNIMAX® and Featured Exhibits.
  • Guests with valid food assistance SNAP or Medicaid card and photo ID will receive free parking and $3/person admission with the Museum Admission Ticket for up to ten guests as a part of our Museums for All program. Eligible recipients can also receive $2/person Holocaust & Humanity Center tickets. Valid cards from all 50 U.S. states will be accepted. Cards must be presented at the Box Office. Museums for All tickets cannot be purchased online.
  • There is also food and drink available for purchase in the walk-up, on-site restaurant: Nourish 513. The onsite restaurant is peanut free and has nutrition and allergy information available. Food and drinks are not allowed inside the museums.
  • There is also food and drink available for purchase in the walk-up, on-site restaurant: Cr(eat)e Cafe. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Located across from The Children's Museum. Our freshest Cafe, serving allergy-friendly meals – sandwiches, salads, soups and flatbread pizzas.
  • Graeter's ice cream also available!