Visitor’s Guide

OUR MISSION: We reveal stories about freedom’s heroes, from the era of the Underground Railroad to contemporary times, challenging and inspiring ev-eryone to take courageous steps for freedom today.

Cincinnati, Ohio

HOURS OF OPERATIONTuesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

[CLOSED THANKSGIVING DAY AND DECEMBER 25]

AdmissionAdults $12Seniors & Students with IDs $10Children (6-12) $8Children 5 and under Free

Visit www.freedomcenter.org to schedule a school or group tour

CAFE HOURSTuesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

50 East Freedom WayCincinnati, Ohio 45202

Call 513.333.7500 or visit www.freedomcenter.org for more information

First Floor GUEST SERVICES: Admission, information, first aid, courtesy wheelchairs, lost & found and security.

GIFT SHOP: Shop for unique merchandise: books, music and Fair Trade products from around the world. Proceeds support the Freedom Center.

CAFE: Enjoy a selection of soups, sandwiches and snacks. Tues - Sat, 11 - 4

FREEDOM WITHOUT WALLS: The Berlin Wall Monument honors individuals, past and present, who have died seeking to live in freedom without walls.

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50 East Freedom Way • Just South of Downtown Cincinnati

Welcome!Thank you for visiting the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. This Visitor’s Guide will provide you with way-finding maps, general questions and more. We hope you are inspired by the stories told at the Freedom Center and will share your experience with others. There is a spark within each of us, Fan the Flame!

Second Floor

SUITE FOR FREEDOM: A series of animated shorts by international artists depicting “unfreedom,” slavery and the Underground Railroad.

ESCAPE! FREEDOM SEEKERS & THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD: This exhibi-tion focuses on the courageous actions of men and women who resisted slavery and sought freedom between 1830 and 1865.

BROTHERS OF THE BORDERLAND: An exciting film, narrated by Oprah Win-frey, that dramatizes an escape to freedom across the Ohio River at Ripley, Ohio. Suitable for all ages.

THE SLAVE PEN: A 170+ year-old building discovered on a farm in Mason County, KY, honors the memory of all those who were enslaved and serves as the Freedom Center’s iconic image of the struggle for freedom.

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Frequently Asked QuestionsMay I take pictures in the museum?There are several photograph-friendly areas in the museum. Please look for small yellow squares that encourage interactions through: Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Yelp and Flickr. We do encourage our visitors NOT to use flash as it can be damaging to our artifacts (especially documents) and disruptive to the viewing experience of other visitors.

Is this an African American history museum?Our foundation is in the Underground Railroad and historical slavery. We strive to make connections be-tween historical and contemporary events in order to create relevant ties to our community. We believe that we tell stories from American history and con-nect them to local, national, and global issues today.

Where are the Underground Railroad trains?Although the Underground Railroad seems like it would have trains, there are no trains here. The Un-derground Railroad was a loose network of people who attempted to move enslaved individuals escap-ing from slavery to and from safe places in a quick and largely secretive manner.

What are unFreedoms?The unFreedoms are the Freedom Center’s way of speaking about conditions or circumstances that prevent people from achieving freedom and the protection of basic human rights. The un-Freedoms that we focus on are: Racism, Illiteracy, Genocide, Hunger, Tyranny and Slavery. They spell the acronym RIGHTS.

I’ve been here before, why should I come back?There are so many unique spaces in the Freedom Center and so much to learn! Many visitors have trouble going through the entire museum at one time. We find that even visitors who have been to the museum on multiple visits learn some-thing new each time. Additionally, there are always temporary exhibitions to come see; we change these exhibition spaces every three to six months. And, throughout the year, we strive to provide excellent programs to supplement our permanent and temporary exhibitions.

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A Letter From The CEO

It is with great enthusiasm and humility that I serve as the President and CEO of this esteemed institution. The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is a Smithsonian Institution affiliate, a museum of ideas, a site of conscience, a museum of American history, a museum of Af-rican American history, an educational resource and a center for dialogue.

The exhibitions and programs of the Freedom Center celebrate freedom’s heroes, those brave men and women who came together to create a secret network through which the enslaved could escape to freedom. From their example of courage, cooperation and perseverance, we relate this uniquely American history to contem-porary issues, inspiring everyone to take steps for freedom today.

It is estimated that there are 27 million people around the world currently enslaved, more

people than at any other time in human history. But we believe that – through education and inspiration – we can encourage everyone to take part in the ongoing struggles for freedom.

We hope you’ll visit us often – here at the Freedom Center as well as through our digital content. We believe you’ll be deeply touched, that you’ll be inspired. We believe this because we know: There’s a spark within each of us, Fan the Flame!

Sincerely,

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S - Suite for Freedom, ESCA

PE!, BrotherS of the Borderland & the A

nderson Slave Pen

About the Freedom Center Free Genealogy ResearchDuring the turbulent decades of the early 19th cen-tury, a period when the United States was divided by law and custom into “free” and “slave” states, courage, cooperation and perseverance took on increased sig-nificance in society. Conductors on the Underground Railroad, an informal, unstructured network, aided those seeking freedom. Lighted candles became beacons of protected routes and relative safety was offered for much-needed rest. The Ohio River Valley was an active site along the passage to freedom.

The study of the Underground Railroad is set within the historical context of slavery in the United States; nevertheless, this period continues to affect modern society. With this foundation, the stories of triumph and tribulation, of courage and cooperation, and of hope and commemoration unite together under one roof where a focus on freedom brings relevancy to all generations, regardless of background. The stories represented here, and what they can mean for people today, truly distinguishes the Freedom Center from many traditional museum experiences. It is intended that visitors to the Freedom Center will view their experiences as positive, constructive, and future-oriented.

Interested in discovering your family’s origins, but never had the tools? Take advantage of the family history resources available at the FamilySearch Center at the Freedom Center. It’s FREE.

The FamilySearch Center is located in the John Parker Library, on the fourth floor and is open to everyone, from beginners to advanced genealogists.

Reservations are available, but not required. Call 513.333.7654 to schedule an appointment.

Share Your Journey!

SOCIAL MEDIA @ THE #NURFC Check-in! Tweet!Facebook! Yelp!Share your #NURFC journey. Each marked area is photo-friendly!

STAY CONNECTED WITH US

Enhance Your Tour

APP TOUR: Experience the Freedom Center on your smart phone or home computer with compelling video content, first hand inter-views and archival photography featured in our new app. The app tour is available to visitors on-site via iPod Touch.

Become A Member TodayTake a stand and become part of changing the future with a Freedom Center membership! Through the passion and dedication of individuals like you, we are able to continue with our mission to reveal stories about freedom’s heroes, challenging and inspiring everyone to take courageous steps for freedom. Your support allows us to educate our visi-tors about issues of freedom around the world. We have many exciting events, programs, and exhibits planned for this year, all of which you would be able to attend for free or at a discount.

www.facebook.com/freedomcenter

www.twitter.com/freedomcenter

Kim A. Robinson President & CEO

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Slavery to Freedom, Everyday Freedom

Heroes &

Invisble: Slavery Today

FROM SLAVERY TO FREEDOM: Portrays three centuries of slavery from its introduction into the Americas, to its abolition at the end of the American Civil War. The exhibit describes who the enslaved were, why they were brought here, how they lived, how they worked, who their allies were - and how they ultimately won their freedom!

EVERYDAY FREEDOM HEROES: Celebrates individuals from all walks of life whose extraordinary choices at key moments paralleled the courageous actions taken by participants on the Underground Railroad.

INVISIBLE: SLAVERY TODAY: Slavery still exists today. Whether it is called human trafficking, bonded labor, forced labor or sex trafficking, it is present worldwide, including in the United States. Invisible is the world’s first museum-quality, perma-nent exhibition on the subjects of contemporary slavery and human trafficking.

JACK H. SKIRBALL GALLERY: Houses a changing schedule of important and topical exhibitions. No pictures please.

Did You Know the Freedom Center...

• Has hosted more than 1 million visitors since opening in 2004.

• Nation-wide, more than 1.3 million students are reached annu-ally through Distance Learning programs.

• Has been visited by members of the U.S. State Department es-corting more than 1,000 representatives of foreign governments.

• Has presented the prestigious International Freedom Conductor Award to Rosa Parks, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Dorothy Height, The Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights, former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton and, most recently, His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama.

• Through the generous support of individual and corporate donors and foundations, as well as local, state and federal grants, the Freedom Center is a debt-free institution.

• Is governed by a board of more than 30 members, with strong lo-cal and national representation.

Fan the Flame!

The stories memorialized within the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center should not be considered stories of tragedy. The stories of those whose freedoms have been challenged or denied are complex. And, those who reveal these stories at the Freedom Center recognize not only the complexities of the stories themselves, but also the need to reveal the triumph of the human spirit to overcome great obstacles.

At the Freedom Center we believe that there is a spark within each of us; a passion to make our communities and our world a better place for all. There is a spark within each of us, Fan the Flame. Whether the passion is to fight genocide, illiteracy or hunger, the Freedom Center serves as a beacon of freedom and inspiration - we are all personally responsible for the future.

How can you Fan the Flame? Blog about your visit. Tell a friend about your experience. Become an advocate for the Freedom Center in your neighborhood.

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