The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is preparing to open its first new permanent exhibit in 15 years. "In This Place" is meant to be both an introduction to the Freedom Center and a tribute to all of the freedom seekers who crossed into the North via the Ohio River.
"It is an immersive experience that helps ground visitors to the Freedom Center in why our place is so significant," Whitney Owens, interim vice president of exhibits and collections, tells WVXU.
Visitors are meant to feel like they're being immersed in a river landscape upon entering — lighting will provide a water effect on the floor. The exhibit is on the first floor of the museum, directly off of the entry.
"In This Place" is set to open to the public May 23.
Owens says the exhibit includes not just the North/South border of the Civil War, but takes a wider look at the history of people in the region, including Indigenous peoples and tribes, like the Shawnee and Miami.
"There's a large media piece that walks you through some of the key moments in the history of this place, whether it is the native peoples who lived here or the Underground Railroad, freedom seekers and abolitionists who lived here, as well as more recent social justice movements that have taken place. ... Folks may not know that Jim Obergefell — who was the plaintiff in the gay marriage case before the Supreme Court — he was from Cincinnati, and so we'll hit on some of those key moments," says Owens.
Objects on display include a pair of autographed boxing gloves from Mohammad Ali, who besides being an athlete, was a social justice and Civil Rights activist from nearby Louisville, Kentucky. There also will be photographs, maps, and other items from the museum's collections, covering the last 300 years of local history.
"I think it's important to remind folks that we have a deep and important history in Greater Cincinnati. Folks working to make the world a better place have always lived here and worked here and passed through here. Particularly, at the Freedom Center, we believe that everyone has a role to play in making the world a better place today, and making us a more free and more just society," Owens adds. "It can be really helpful to ground ourselves in the history of those who have come before us and feel inspired on how we can help carry that legacy forward."
The exhibit opens as the Freedom Center is marking its 30th anniversary, and during a time when funding for such institutions and museums is in jeopardy. Just two weeks ago, the museum lost a $500,000 grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services. The money was to have funded a permanent exhibition on social justice scheduled to open in 2027.
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