Contemporary Arts Center
Zaha Hadid's first completed building in the United States, with rotating exhibitions, no permanent collection, and free admission.
The Contemporary Arts Center was founded in 1939 and is one of the earliest contemporary art institutions in the United States. In 1990 it drew national attention in a censorship lawsuit over an exhibition of Robert Mapplethorpe's photographs. The current building, completed in 2003 and designed by Zaha Hadid, was her first completed project in the United States. Its staggered concrete and glass volumes look like boxes being pushed and pulled apart, and inside, the "city carpet" rises from the sidewalk and curls up to form the walls. The galleries host rotating exhibitions, admission is free, and the museum is modest in size, making it an easy stop while you're downtown.
Opening hours
About 10:00–16:00; closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays (check official website)
Nearby sights
- Fountain Square
- National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
- Great American Ball Park
- Smale Riverfront Park & The Banks
- Washington Park
- Taft Museum of Art
- Cincinnati Music Hall
- Over-the-Rhine