
MM Editor•Apr 19, 2026
Cincinnati Art Museum — The American Midwest's First Purpose-Built Museum
At a Glance
The Cincinnati Art Museum on Eden Park opened May 1886 — the first purpose-built museum in the American Midwest. Collection: 67,000 works spanning 6,000 years. Admission free.
A Midwest Citizen's Louvre
1881 civic subscription, James W. McLaughlin's Romanesque-revival building opened 1886 with an attached art academy modeled on the Royal Academy.
Must-See
- Rembrandt Portrait of a Woman (1648); Hals.
- Rosa Bonheur's studio-version Horse Fair.
- Nabis paired with ukiyo-e.
- Cincinnati Wing of regional art.
- Persian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese galleries.
Visiting Tips
25-min bus from downtown. Free. 2.5–3 hours. Closed Mondays. Pair with Krohn Conservatory and the Zaha Hadid–designed Contemporary Arts Center downtown.