Over-The-Rhine Museum

The Challenge

Every building tells a story. The lives lived inside the walls, the businesses that came and went. The construction, architecture, and changes of the building itself. The Over-the-Rhine Museum’s mission is to tell these stories beginning with our own building at 3 West McMicken. The museum will use interpreted tenement apartments, walking tours, rotating exhibits, education programs, and events to immerse visitors in the history of Over-the-Rhine. We will connect local and personal histories with larger themes of American and global history.

A restored cornice will improve the appearance of the building and add another layer of protection from the elements. Interior restoration will begin soon. We hope you'll be part of this project!

Over-the-Rhine is a neighborhood in the midst of sweeping change. Always an historic, diverse, and dynamic place, the community is now experiencing its most dramatic evolution to date. Unfortunately, the stories of the individuals, buildings, and communities that once called Over-the-Rhine home are being lost as a part of this change. We will preserve these stories. They document the neighborhood’s past and are a vital resource for those who seek to build connections and community in a divisive and disorienting time. They are critical to the history and identity of Cincinnati and connect us to the larger stories of American history. Rapid change in Over-the-Rhine requires an investment now. We are working quickly to preserve the stories that echo through the buildings and streets of Over-the-Rhine before they are lost forever. 

The mission of the Over-the-Rhine Museum is to inspire understanding and respect for the people who have created and lived in Cincinnati’s historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood by working with community members and visitors to uncover, present, and preserve their stories in an immersive experience.