The Cincinnati History Museum located in the old Cincinnati Train Station, is an incredible museum that showcases the city's history in some really unique and exciting ways. Enter into the lobby and you are instantly transported to another era, the era of the greatest generation, WWII. As we moved into the first space, we got to see a history of the city by looking at various scale models of the city in miniature through various time periods, complete with working model trains. We marveled at the painstaking attention to detail. We compared the growth of the city over time especially through the evolution of technology and transportation.
The best exhibit though is the mock waterfront where you will learn why Cincinnati was referred to as “Porkopolis.” At the various storefronts you can interact with costumed guides who will explain what Cincinnati was like during the 1800's. We explored a printing shop and learned how a letterpress works. Really different than a modern day copy machine. Next we headed to the general store to see what folks might buy. The clerk behind the counter explained to us what was for sale, how much things would cost and gave us a few demonstrations.. Did you know people used to brush their teeth with baking soda that was sold as “tooth powder,” and that toothbrushes were made out of pig bones? At one point, Cincinnati was the country's largest pork processing location and so they came up with all kinds of creative ways to use every part of the pig. The kids and the adults all loved this museum. Considering the stellar displays and all that you will learn, we rate this museum a DO NOT MISS!! By the way, the front of the museum is truly beautiful and makes a gorgeous backdrop for some spectacular pictures.
