It’s super easy to make the trip into Cincinnati from Deerfield Township, and that’s great news for any family looking for an enriching museum visit. Cincinnati boasts an abundance of fun institutions kids of all ages will love exploring. Whether your kid is a blossoming Picasso, an aspiring firefighter, or a history buff, you’re sure to find the ideal museum to keep them entertained. Crème de la Crème of Deerfield Township (Mason), OH put together this list of awesome museums you need to visit close to home to take the guesswork out of planning your next family outing.

Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal

Image via Flickr by wrightbrosfan 

Head over to the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal for a day filled with learning and fun. You’ll find three museums in this one center: the Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children’s Museum, and Museum of Natural History and Science. The center is also home to the state-of-the-art Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX Theater, and it hosts traveling exhibits throughout the year as well.

The building itself is a Cincinnati treasure, too. A national historic landmark, Union Terminal opened as a train station in 1933 and was renovated and reopened in 1990 as the museum center. While portions required timed tickets, you can generally visit the center Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (it’s closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays). Adult tickets cost $14.50, but you can enjoy reduced prices for seniors ($13.50), children ages 3 to 10 ($10.50), and children ages 1 to 2 ($5.50). Kids under a year old enter for free.

Cincinnati Art Museum

Kids into art will jump at the chance to explore artwork spanning the centuries at the Cincinnati Art Museum. You’ll find this Ohio institution in beautiful Eden Park. The museum displays a broad collection featuring over 67,000 works of art that cover 6,000 years of human history, and it also welcomes national and international traveling exhibitions. All in all, you’re sure to find something to inspire every member of the family here.

What’s even better? General admission to this museum is always free! You will have to get tickets for special exhibitions, but kids under 5 enter those for free, as well. The Cincinnati Art Museum also hosts a range of family programs your kids are sure to love. From artist workshops to family tours complete with interactive, touchable art, this museum really does it all. The museum even offers “baby tours” for the youngest artists in your brood.

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

An educational center and source of inspiration for visitors of all ages, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is another must-see museum in nearby Cincinnati. The museum sits just beside the Ohio River, the natural barrier that separated slave states from free states. The museum opened in 2004 to share the history of the Underground Railroad and beyond.

Listen to stories of heroes and explore hands-on activities when you visit this important institution. The museum is typically open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Admission for adults costs $15, but seniors pay $13 and kids between the ages of 3 and 12 pay $10.50. Kids under 3 enter for free.

Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum

The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum offers an exciting experience for baseball fans. The museum strives to record and preserve the Cincinnati Reds’ rich history and traditions while honoring accomplishments and achievements on the field. Whether you love the Reds or the sport in general, the facility with galleries location on two floors should be high on your list of museums to visit.

The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., making it easy to plan a trip whenever you’re in the area. Admission for adults is $12. Seniors, colleges students with an ID, and kids between the ages of 13 and 18 pay $8. Kids under 12 and active military or veterans can enjoy free admission here.

American Sign Museum

If you’re looking for a unique experience while you’re in Cincinnati, you can’t go wrong with a visit to the American Sign Museum. This beloved spot is dedicated to educating the public about the art and history behind commercial signs. In fact, it’s the biggest public museum on this topic in the whole country. Take a walk through history while you explore over 100 years of sign-making in the United States.

You can visit the American Sign Museum from Wednesday through Saturday between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The museum is also open on Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. (Neonworks is closed on Saturdays and Sundays, so keep that in mind when planning a visit if you want to check that out.) The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Adults pay $15, while seniors, youth between the ages of 13 and 18, military, and first responders pay $10. Up to three children under the age of 12 can get in for free with each paying adult.

Cincinnati Fire Museum

Kiddos are sure to love the Cincinnati Fire Museum, which offers an abundance of interactive activities that are equal parts fun and educational. Kids can visit the Safe House to practice fire safety skills, check out what real firefighters look like when they’re wearing their gear, and even slide down a firehouse pole or run the lights and sirens in a cab. The museum also boasts an extensive collection of firefighting artifacts.

You can explore this museum Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entry costs $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, and $6 for children between the ages of 7 and 17. Kids 6 years old and younger can enter for free with an adult or senior.

That’s Crème de la Crème of Deerfield Township’s list of amazing museums to visit with the kids! There’s truly something for everyone in our area, so have fun exploring and learning together as a family. Did we miss your family’s favorite local museum? Drop us a line so we can check your go-to educational institution out and add it to our list!