You Are Here

You Are Here shares stories of Cincinnati’s history

You Are Here shares stories of Cincinnati’s history – its people, places, traditions and struggles – that spark curiosity about how life in the city was, is and can be. The gallery is centered around three themes: Living Here, Working Here and Playing Here.

Living Here examines how people of diverse backgrounds made – and continue to make – the city what it is today. Objects and displays highlight Cincinnati’s rich neighborhood traditions and identities, including schools, faiths and home life. A compilation of home videos and photographs drawn from CMC’s collections and public submissions show a snapshot of daily life.

Cincinnati has also long been a destination for job seekers, entrepreneurs and residents working to pay the bills. The Working Here section explores the way jobs, work and volunteering contribute to personal identity and the city’s character. Among the industries featured is our city’s unique food industry, with objects paying homage to our chili, goetta, beer and the people who make them. The way communications have changed over the decades will also be included in this section, with a range of phonographs, typewriters, fax machines, flip phones and more.

The Playing Here section of You Are Here honors what Cincinnatians have long known: having fun together is a hallmark of our city. Among our city’s long sports history, the Reds, Bengals, Royals, FC Cincinnati and boxer Ezzard Charles are all featured with memorabilia, stadium seats and ticket stubs. A flipbook shares the stories of Cincinnati’s many parades and festivals including Oktoberfest, the May Festival and Opening Day Parade.