FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 8, 2026
Cincinnati Museum Center's party with a purpose revels in the unknown Nov. 6
Layers of the Unknown puts the fun in fundraiser as you drink with the dinosaurs and dance with the dire wolves at an adults-only night at the museum; early bird tickets available now
CINCINNATI - Cincinnati’s adults-only night at the museum is back November 6. Now in its seventh year, Cincinnati Museum Center’s Layers series once again invites you to enjoy a cocktail in the cave, dine with the dinosaurs and cut a rug in the Rotunda. The upcoming Layers of the Unknown is the boozy, tasty adult field trip of your dreams as you explore every nook and cranny of Cincinnati Museum Center for an incredible night at the museum… all with a drink in your hand. All-inclusive early bird tickets are available now. 
From custom cocktails and creative culinary concoctions to electrifying experiments and a live DJ turning the Rotunda into a dance floor, Layers of the Unknown is a thrill for all five senses.
“This year we’re celebrating the allure of the unknown and the thrill of discovery with Layers of the Unknown,” said Elizabeth Pierce, president & CEO of Cincinnati Museum Center. “Together, we’ll uncover the fascinating stories hidden within our collections and the discoveries yet to be uncovered. As we explore what’s next, we invite you to embrace the unknown and experience our museum in a whole new way, and to support its future in the process.”
Proceeds from CMC’s Layers series support the museum’s efforts to bring you the most immersive exhibits and learning experiences and ensure the sustainability of the museum for future generations. Since the first event in 2019, the Layers series has welcomed over 4,300 guests and raised more than $1.4 million to support the museum.
This year’s Layers of the Unknown invites you to get lost among 25 food and drink vendors and over 20 exhibits buzzing with energy. Explore familiar favorites as you wriggle through 500 feet of twists and turns in The Cave or stroll the cobblestone streets of The Public Landing. Make it a prehistoric party as you dine in the shadow of the dinosaurs or walk among the fossils of ancient Cincinnati’s seafloor. Let the museum’s food scientists unleash their culinary chemistry that turns food into edible experiments in the Cr(eat)e Culinary Studio.
Back this year is the popular silent disco that encourages you to dance like no one is listening. And enter the fantasy of Jurassic World like never before as the film franchise comes to life through over six million LEGO bricks. Cincinnati Museum Center’s newest featured exhibition LEGO Jurassic World: The Exhibition will be open for the event and part of your all-inclusive ticket.
Explore scientific spectacles and culinary experiences, party with paleontologists and relive memories of field trips past as you enjoy an unforgettable night at the museum.
All-inclusive early bird tickets are available now for $195 through October 23. Host/hostess packages are also available for $600, which include two VIP tickets with one-hour early admission and an exclusive VIP experience.
Food vendors for Layers of the Unknown include Abigail Street, Bru Brothers Coffee, Crumbl Cookies, The Delish Dish, Macaron Bar, Maple Street Biscuit Co., Novus Foods, Patty’s Old Fashioned Popcorn, Pepsi, Rollin’ Bowls, Shagbark Seed & Mill, Silver Spring House, Skyline Chili and the SSA Group.
Experience and entertainment vendors for Layers of the Unknown include the American Sign Museum, Curative Printing, JonJon & Friends, MedTech and East to Vest Productions.
Layers of the Unknown is sponsored by Accent on Cincinnati, All On Productions, Bartlett 1898, Brendon Cull, Dean Dorton, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, ESI Electrical Contractors, Fenton Rigging + Contracting, HCS Foundation, Kroger, Losproductions, Messer Construction, PhotoLab Inc., RBC Global Asset Management Inc., RCF Group, SHP Architecture and Design, Taft Law and UberData.
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About Cincinnati Museum Center
Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) at Union Terminal is a nationally recognized, award-winning institution housed in a National Historic Landmark. CMC is a vital community resource that sparks curiosity, inspiration, epiphany and dialogue. 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, one of a select few museums in the nation to receive both honors. Organizations within CMC include the Cincinnati History Museum, Museum of Natural History & Science, The Children’s Museum, Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater, Cincinnati History Library and Archives and the Geier Collections and Research Center. Housed in historic Union Terminal – a National Historic Landmark restored in 2018 and recognized as the nation’s 45th most important building by the American Institute of Architects – CMC welcomes more than 1.8 million visits annually, making it one of the most visited museums in the country. For more information, visit cincymuseum.org.
