FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 18, 2020
MEDIA CONTACT: Cody Hefner (513) 608-5777, chefner@cincymuseum.org

Cincinnati Museum Center expands online offerings during closure

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) is expanding its online resources for educators, parents, children and adults during its temporary closure to continue to fuel curiosity and ignite imaginations.

“It is critical that we take the necessary steps to protect our guests and staff at this time, but that will not lessen the impact we have as an educational leader in our community,” says Elizabeth Pierce, president and CEO of Cincinnati Museum Center. “We have a talented and resilient staff that is eager to continue providing content and to do so in a way that is accessible to a wide range of audiences as we all weather this storm together.”

CMC has already launched a series of videos with a how-to element that encourages parents and kids to explore science concepts like nanotechnology and aerodynamics through at-home experiments. The WonderZone videos feature CMC staff working through an experiment, complete with a list of supplies that are commonly found at home, so parents can easily adapt items from the recycling bin or pantry into slime, elephant toothpaste, hoop gliders, papier-mâché and more. The videos will also reunite viewers with some of their favorite friends from CMC’s resident live animals.

While its staff works remotely, CMC continues to tap into their expertise and passion through additional remote and online videos. Story Tree Time will go online as a livestream video every Wednesday at 11 a.m. The Duke Energy Children’s Museum’s Dance Party will also continue online as an opportunity for kids to get out their wiggles during the day.

For parents looking for additional structured learning opportunities, CMC’s educational team will be providing lesson plans and worksheets available to download. These lesson plans will focus on museum content as well as past exhibitions and OMNIMAX® films as CMC digs into the archives to continue to offer a robust learning experience on a variety of topics that span the globe and stretch into the stars above. Select OMNIMAX® films are also available online with accompanying education guides, which CMC has shared on its website at cincymuseum.org/omnimax.

CMC is also reactivating past online exhibits and working on creating new online exhibits utilizing photos and videos from its collections.

CMC’s curatorial staff will showcase their research and collections through blog posts on topics from paleontology and archaeology to manuscripts and photography. With over three million objects in its collections, CMC will have ample opportunity to pique guests’ interests in prehistoric and local history remotely.

As a non-profit organization, CMC relies on ticket sales, education program fees, event sales and donations to operate. The closure will have a significant impact on its operating budget and CMC is encouraging its supporters to consider donating at this time.

Whether you’re 3 or 93, at home or in a senior center, CMC is here to help keep your groups curious, engaged and connected during this extraordinary time. Keep checking cincymuseum.org as we create and upload new content throughout the weeks to come.

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About Cincinnati Museum Center
Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) at Union Terminal is a nationally recognized institution and national historic landmark. Dedicated to sparking community dialogue, insight and inspiration, CMC was awarded the 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums in 2012. CMC is one of a select few museums in the nation with both of these honors, making it a unique asset and a vital community resource. Union Terminal has been voted the nation's 45th most important building by the American Institute of Architects. Organizations within CMC include the Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children's Museum, Museum of Natural History & Science, Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater and Cincinnati History Library & Archives. Recognized by Forbes Traveler Magazine as the 17th most visited museum in the country, CMC welcomes more than one million visitors annually. For more information, visit www.cincymuseum.org.