A Bold New Chapter for Cincinnati Museum Center

The Vontz Family Research, Education and Collections Center

Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) took a bold step in preserving the region’s heritage by acquiring a 200,000 sq ft site near Union Terminal, the former Heidelberg Distributing facility on Dalton Avenue. Now named, The Vontz Family Research, Education and Collections Center, this space provides CMC with the opportunity to consolidate three off-site facilities while adding critical space to reimagine how we access, study and share our resources.

The Vontz Center is more than a building, it’s a launchpad for ideas and discoveries that will shape our community’s future.

Why This Matters

The Vontz Family Research, Education and Collections Center strengthens our ability to protect and preserve our treasures while expanding research capacity, accelerating discovery and sparking curiosity across all ages.

Preserve the past: From US Legion Northwest Territory books of daily orders for soldiers at Fort Washington 1792-1794 to a 2.1 billion year old slab containing Grypania fossils, these irreplaceable items will be housed in climate-controlled spaces built to protect them for generations.

Unlock access: Scholars, students and the public will be able to explore rare materials such as the earliest atlas map of Cincinnati by W. H. Martin, 1855 and the Rhizodus hibbertia the world's most complete giant rhizodontiform fish.

Support global research: Our collections serve over 1,000 in person research visits, 8,000+ digital searches and countless loans to institutions worldwide annually.

The Vontz Family Research, Education and Collections Center will preserve and share the story of Cincinnati and the natural world, serving as a vital resource for discovery, learning and conservation. To bring this transformative vision to life, Cincinnati Museum Center has launched a $65 million capital fundraising campaign to support the design, construction and long-term impact of this landmark project.