HIDDEN GEMS
WORDS BY SARAH MCCOSHAM
The Cincinnati Art Museum’s Art Climb The Cincinnati Art Museum is iconic. In addition to housing world-renowned works of art and hosting internationally recognized artists, the museum is also incredibly accessible and family friendly. Now, the Cincinnati Art Museum has taken its commitment to community engagement to the next level (literally) with the Art Climb. The Art Climb is a stunning work of art that marries form and function through a nine-story staircase. It’s 164 carefully laid steps that connect the Cincinnati Art Museum to the community. The Art Climb includes a staircase from the sidewalk at the intersection of Eden Park Drive and Gilbert Avenue and leading all the way up to the front museum entrance. This project connects the Cincinnati Art Museum to its neighbors in a dramatic and meaningful way. (A Cincinnati Metro bus stop is located at the bottom of the staircase.) Along the way, there are lots of spots to sit and take everything in. The Cincinnati Art Museum took great care to preserve as much of the natural landscape as possible, and the result is a sprawling
staircase that seems to rise out of the earth. At the top, there’s a pavilion where you can enjoy breathtaking views of the city. Going forward, the Art Museum hopes the Art Climb can provide a space to incorporate outdoor art, opening its art to the community. For the health concerned, there’s a guardrail at the center of the staircase, which makes it easy to keep a healthy distance as you’re climbing. And while the Cincinnati Art Museum is fully handicapaccessible, the staircase is not. (However, the top landing will be made ADA compliant with the addition of a ramp during the Art Museum’s next building phase. Additional accessible ramps are part of future phases on the museum grounds, as well.) As southwest Ohio begins to reopen its doors and emerge from COVID-19, the Art Climb is a glorious reminder that we are all connected, and that our area is truly someplace special.
953 Eden Park Dr., Cincinnati
cincinnatiartmuseum.org
July 2020 I swOHIOparent.com
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