The Taft Museum of Art is the opposite of a big-box museum. It fills a historic house, about two hundred years old, on Pike Street at the eastern edge of downtown, beside Lytle Park, and it was once home to notable Cincinnatians. The collection of more than 800 objects is shown in rooms that still feel like a home, and among the highlights are eight large landscape murals by Robert S. Duncanson, the nineteenth-century painter who worked in Cincinnati. Changing exhibitions use the gallery space, and the museum has a cafe and a shop. It is a compact place, easy to enjoy in an hour or two, and it suits travellers who prefer atmosphere and detail to scale. Admission is ticketed on most days, and free on Sundays and Mondays.
Hours and closing days
The museum is open from 10am to 5pm, Wednesday through Monday. It is closed on Tuesdays and on major holidays, including New Year's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Staff events sometimes close it early on a single afternoon, so check the visit page for dates close to your trip.
Admission
Adults pay 15 dollars and seniors 12 dollars. Members, youth aged 17 and under, military and teachers with ID, and students aged 18 and over with ID are admitted free. Sundays and Mondays are free for everyone, while Wednesday to Saturday admission is ticketed. Tickets are reserved through the museum's ticketing system, where you will need an account, and the museum is cashless. The link here goes to that ticketing page.
Location and practicalities
The museum is at 316 Pike Street. Limited free parking is available in the on-site garage for museum, shop and cafe visitors during regular hours, with gates opening 15 minutes before the museum, and cars left after hours will be towed. The Lytle Park Hotel is about a block away, and the riverfront at Sawyer Point and Fountain Square are within a short walk. The free streetcar loop is a few blocks to the west.
Making it count
Start with the Duncanson murals, which are the museum's signature, then move through the house rooms and the decorative arts. Read the labels about who lived in the house as well as the works themselves. If you are visiting on a Sunday or Monday and want free entry, expect more people, and a Wednesday morning is calmer.
The Taft Cafe is a handy lunch stop, and the nearby Cincinnati Art Museum, which is free every day, makes a good second stop for a full art day. Group visits of ten or more have their own booking page.
Because the museum is small, it rewards slow looking, and it is a good counterpoint to the larger institutions on a trip: a morning at the Museum Center for the building and the natural history, an afternoon here for paintings and decorative arts, and the Art Museum in Eden Park on another day for the broader sweep. Visitors staying at the Lytle Park Hotel or the Residence Inn nearby can simply walk over, and anyone using the streetcar can reach it with a short walk from the closest stops. Remember to check the museum's current exhibition before you go, since changing shows alter what is on display.
What to expect
The experience
A self-guided visit to a small museum inside a historic house, with changing exhibitions.
Best time
A Wednesday morning for quiet rooms, or a Sunday or Monday if you want free entry and can handle more people.
How long
One to two hours.
Tips
Remember it is closed on Tuesdays, reserve online through the museum's ticketing account, and note that the museum is cashless.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Art and history lovers who like small museums.
- Families
- Youth aged 17 and under are admitted free, which makes it cheap for older children with an interest in art.
- Couples
- A quiet hour in the house rooms, then lunch at the Taft Cafe.
- Pair with
- The Cincinnati Art Museum in Eden Park, or a stay at the Lytle Park Hotel nearby.
- Time needed
- Under two hours.
Good questions
When is the Taft Museum of Art closed?+
It is closed on Tuesdays and on major holidays including New Year's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Otherwise it is open from 10am to 5pm.
How much does the Taft Museum cost?+
Adults pay 15 dollars and seniors 12 dollars. Youth aged 17 and under, military, teachers and students with ID are free, and Sundays and Mondays are free for everyone.
Where is the Taft Museum?+
It is at 316 Pike Street in downtown Cincinnati, beside Lytle Park, with limited free parking in its on-site garage.
Do I need a ticket on free days?+
Reservations are made through the museum's ticketing system, which asks for an account, so check the page before you arrive.
What is the Taft Museum known for?+
A historic house, a collection of more than 800 objects and eight landscape murals by Robert S. Duncanson.
