For more than 30 years, the docents of Cincinnati Museum Center Heritage Programs have enjoyed sharing their passion for history through audio-visual presentations, walking and motor coach tours. As an outreach association of Cincinnati Museum Center, the all-volunteer Cincinnati Heritage Programs has unlocked doors to privately owned places generally not open to the public. All topics are thoroughly researched for accuracy. The Ambassadors of Cincinnati History strive to inspire people to learn and appreciate local Cincinnati history.

2024 Upcoming Tours

Please note, sites visited on tours are subject to change.

High Steel of Union Terminal

Saturday, April 13 at 10 to 11:30 a.m.; 10:30 a.m. to noon; 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Climb to the high steel trusses supporting one of the largest half-dome rotundas in the world. Tour lasts about two hours, ascends 300 plus steps and has ladders in dusty, dimly lit areas. Visit the clock which is accessed from the 4th floor opaque glass walkway. No cameras or personal carried items are permitted on this tour. No photos are permitted. Sturdy shoes required. No dresses, open-toe or high-heel shoes permitted. Please note, this tour is not handicap accessible.

Age Limit: 12 and older, under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
Registration Deadline: April 10
Price: $35 Members; $50 non-Members

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Cincinnati City Hall

Thursday, May 2 from 9 a.m. to noon

Take a special tour of our City Hall, a Richardsonian Romanesque monument built in the late 1800s that celebrates the rich history of Cincinnati. Walk the marble staircases to see the interior stained-glass windows depicting highlights of the Queen City’s history. Climb the 300 steps to the top of City Hall’s tower for a special view of downtown and beyond. Sturdy shoes required. No dresses, open-toe or high-heel shoes permitted. This tour meets at City Hall. Metal detector scan at entry. Please note, this tour is not handicap accessible.

Age Limit: 12 and older, under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
Registration Deadline: April 29
Price: $40 Members; $55 non-Members

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Behind the Scenes at Cincinnati Museum Center

Saturday, May 11 at 9 to 11:30 a.m.; 9:30 a.m. to noon; 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

See the inner-workings of the renovated Union Terminal on this 2.5 hour tour. Walk behind the new OMNIMAX® Theater screen. See the state-of-the-art HVAC systems in Union Terminal’s Central Utility Plant. Visit the Cincinnati History Library and Archives which is one of the most significant regional history collections in the United States. Enjoy the Cincinnati Museum Center’s world-famous Exhibits Department. No personal carried items or cameras are permitted. No photos are permitted. Sturdy shoes required. No open-toe or high-heel shoes permitted. There is standing throughout the entire tour with some stairs. Please note, this tour is not handicap accessible.

Age Limit: 12 and older, under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
Registration Deadline: May 8
Price: $40 Members; $55 non-Members

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Zoology at Geier Collections and Research Center

Saturday, June 8 at 10 to 11:30 a.m.; 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Cincinnati Museum Center’s Zoology Collections, which dates back to the mid-19th century, contains well over 250,000 animal specimens. Visit with Dr. Heather Farrington, who oversees seven main taxonomic branches of invertebrate and vertebrate areas of zoology at the Geier Collections and Research Center. See mounted specimens of mammals, birds and reptiles from not only the Ohio Valley but also around the world. Hear how Cincinnati Museum Center is doing DNA research on tissue samples in evolutionary biology. There is standing during this 1.5 hour tour.

Age Limit: 12 and older, under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
Registration Deadline: June 4
Price: $35 Members; $50 non-Members

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