University, Cincinnati Museum Center Launch Innovative Collaboration on Campus

The University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) are proud to announce a new partnership as part of the Museum Center’s Curate My Community initiative. During the restoration of Union Terminal, four major exhibits previously on display at Union Terminal will be adapted and showcased on the University of Cincinnati’s Uptown campus, starting this fall. Exhibits are slated to remain on campus for two years.

These carefully curated exhibits will serve as interactive learning spaces for students of all ages and disciplines as scholars from across campus, in particular those affiliated with the College of Arts and Sciences, will put them to use:

• for their students (undergraduate, graduate, doctoral)

• for a wide range of public events (tours, field trips, camps, lectures)

• for new and ongoing research opportunities.

“We are excited to work with our colleagues at Cincinnati Museum Center in expanding our offerings for the community,” said Greg Vehr, UC’s vice president for governmental relations and university communications. “These exhibits are the culmination of more than a year’s worth of planning and coordination and will benefit the community in both short and long-term ways.” 

“We’re so excited to work with the University of Cincinnati on Curate My Community as we find ways to display some of the Museum Center’s collections during the restoration of Union Terminal,” said Elizabeth Pierce, president and CEO of Cincinnati Museum Center. “By temporarily moving exhibits and objects to the University of Cincinnati, we are able to highlight the scientists, historians and archaeologists who contributed so much to their research, giving us the tools and information to present them to the public in a way that is as engaging as it is educational. Together, through Curate My Community, we’ll continue to inspire new generations of lifelong learners, pursuing knowledge and fueling their curiosity.”

“The College of Arts and Sciences is proud to help bring these exhibits to campus,” said Ken Petren, dean of the college. “These specific exhibits tie directly to our faculty’s expertise and to critical research areas for the future. By bringing them to campus, we are creating new pathways to learning and discovery for students. And we are inviting our entire community along for the ride.”

“As Cincinnati Museum Center launches its Curate My Community project, it’s only fitting that UC serve as a trailblazing partner and invite our community to explore our campus in new and exciting ways,” said Mary Beth McGrew, university architect and senior associate vice president.  “We plan to host everything from school field trips to community events related to these exhibits, and we will use these exhibits as a starting point for developing  new avenues to highlight the important work being done right here at UC.”

Exhibits to be housed at UC include: 

1. Cincinnati Under the Sea – Explore the depths of a prehistoric tropical sea that once covered the Greater Cincinnati region and examine the abundant fossil remains left behind that scientists from around the world, including many from the University of Cincinnati, continue to study.

2. Climate Change and Us – Take a closer look at the scientific research and discoveries, much attributed to researchers in the College of Arts and Sciences, concerning the effects and causes of global climate change. The exhibit features an interactive timeline and endangered and extinct scientific specimens that have suffered from climate change.

3. Big Bone Lick: A Place of Discovery –From mastodons and sabertooth tigers to early American Indians and the Founding Fathers, Big Bone Lick was a gathering place for some of the Ice Age’s most iconic animals, early American hunters and the site of America’s first paleontological expedition, organized by President Thomas Jefferson. The site, and its treasures, continue to be extensively examined by UC researchers.

4. Ipuh and the Genetics of Extinction – The legacy of Ipuh, one of the last remaining Sumatran Rhinoceroses, lives on after his death; the key to better understanding the role of genetics in extinction may lie in the study of his genetic material. 

SAVE THE DATE: Thursday, Sept. 12, Cincinnati Museum Center’s Climate Change and Us exhibit debuts in the main lobby area of the Tangeman University Center in conjunction with an evening lecture featuring UC researchers whose work focuses on climate change.