Come to the Lie-Nielsen Show, Bring the Family

Coming from out of town for the Lie-Nielsen show on April 15th and 16th? Here’s a little helpful info (especially if you’re trying to convince your family to join you).

The most conveniently located hotel to the Popular Woodworking Magazine shop is the Hannaford Suites – less than a mile away on the same road (I’d say it’s walkable, but the lack of sidewalks would make it a dangerous trek). But there are lots of other options just up the road in Blue Ash – click here for a list, links and phone numbers.

So what can your family do while you’re at the show? The Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal (a gorgeous Art Deco building just west of downtown Cincinnati) houses three museums (plus an Omnimax Theater): The Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children’s Museum and the Museum of Natural History and Science. (“Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt” is on exhibit at the Center through Sept. 5.)

And of course, the world-renowned Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens is always fun to visit (a baby giraffe was born there just yesterday – but I don’t know if it will be on exhibit in less than two weeks).

There’s also the Cincinnati Art Museum in Eden Park, with more than 60,000 works of art spanning 6,000 years. Of note is the museum’s Cincinnati Wing, comprised of more than 400 objects from artists born in or trained in Cincinnati – including a lovely collection of art-carved furniture, much of which was created by women around the turn of the 20th century. I’m also awfully impressed with one the current special exhibits: “The Amazing Circus Poster”

Also in Eden Park is Krohn Conservatory, an Art Deco glass structure built in 1933 that houses 3,500 species of plants from around the world. And, opening on April 16 is the International Butterfly Show.

In the middle of downtown Cincinnati, you’ll find the Contemporary Arts Center – housed in an impressive structure designed by Zaha Hadid. On exhibit now is “Keith Haring: 1978-1982” (“Jimmy Baker: Remote Viewing” closes on April 10).

Also downtown, don’t miss the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, which celebrates the heroes of the freedom movement from the time of the Underground Railroad to the present, and houses the FamilySearch center, for those interested in discovering their family history.

The Taft Museum of Art, on the east side of downtown Cincinnati, has masterpieces by Rembrandt and Whistler (among others), a delightful cafe and an impressive collection of furniture pieces. And, the 1820 Palladian building in which it’s housed is one of the prettiest structures in the city, I think.

Just up the road in Mt. Auburn is the William Howard Taft National Historic Site, which commemorates the only person to serve as both Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and President of the United States.

And don’t forget that we have the oldest professional baseball team in the world right here in the Queen City! The Cincinnati Reds take on the Pittsburgh Pirates in a four-game match-up, April 15-18, and tickets are still available to take in a game at Great American Ballpark.

I’m sure I’m forgetting scads of attractions – so feel free to chime in below with more. (And in the next couple days, I’ll post about food – so please hold off until then on the Skyline vs. Gold Star and Graeter’s vs. Aglamesis Brothers debates!)

– Megan Fitzpatrick