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Cincinnati Museum Center to hold grand re-opening Saturday

242 views · Published 16 November 2018 · 2:25 · Indexed 27 September 2026

Channel: LOCAL 12 · 2018 · News & Politics

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WEST END, Ohio (WKRC) - Other than the Tyler Davidson Fountain on Fountain Square, Union Terminal may be the best known and best-loved structure in Cincinnati.

It took two years and $41 million to build Union Terminal. The then-train station opened in 1933. Eighty-five years later, there will be a grand re-opening thanks to a $228 million restoration.

Construction on the project started in July 2016. Union Terminal, now the Museum Center was falling apart: cracks, water damage. Union Terminal has been mostly closed during the extensive rehab. Now, the icon is ready to shine again.

"Well, when people walk in the door, their heads tilt up, their mouths fall open, their eyes get wide, and they literally forget why they came here because they're just so blown away by the beauty of the space," said the Museum Center's CEO, Elizabeth Pierce.

The rotunda, where train travelers used to meet beneath the murals, has been cleaned and polished. The fountain plaza and roof have been waterproofed. And then there's what you don't see: The Museum Center has all new building control systems and all new cooling and heating.

When a project like this is done, usually you hear the phrase "new and improved." But not here. This place is old and improved.

"You know, a lot of buildings of this type go through renovation where things just become old so they get rid of them. They might take out the ornate doors or get rid of the door handles or cover over the great-looking stone with drywall. They didn't do that here," said former mayor Mark Mallory.

One new thing is the Mallory Gallery, an exhibit room that now has a Lego layout of Cincinnati. The room is named for the late William Mallory Sr., Mark Mallory's father and former speaker of the Ohio House, who grew up nearby and loved the building.

"He said, 'I called it our country club' because he felt that you could come here and feel special," said Mallory.

You too can feel special. The grand re-opening is Saturday morning. 

Besides the various museum displays and galleries, Amtrak has also moved back into the building from a temporary facility next door.

Most of the Museum Center's rehab was financed by a voter-approved sales tax increase, which goes off the books in 2020.

Work at Union Terminal is not completely finished. Upgrades are happening to one popular attraction: $3 million worth of improvements are being made to the Omnimax theater.

New technology will replace the 28-year-old projection system. There will be new laser technology and the domed screen has been replaced.

The new and improved Omnimax will open in late December.

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