Illustration by Michael Hacker
From weirdly specific museums to unique architecture to the many pieces of public art in the city, you can hardly throw a cheese coney around here without hitting something that draws the eye. Here are a few of the most notable spots.
Mushroom House
Are you truly a Cincinnatian if you haven’t heard of the Mushroom House? Located in Hyde Park, this home is a stark contrast to its neighbors. With a winding orange staircase and many circular windows, the architect plucked it straight out of a fairytale. While visitors can’t go inside, it’s a popular landmark. 3331 Erie Ave., Hyde Park
Vent Haven Museum
What’s weirder than thousands of puppet eyes watching your every move? Vent Haven, the world’s only museum dedicated to ventriloquism, houses the personal collection of its founder, ventriloquist W.S. Berger. From dummies and puppets to historical posters and playbills, Vent Haven won’t disappoint those in search of Greater Cincinnati’s wonderful weirdness. Tours must be scheduled in advance. 33 W. Maple Ave., Ft. Mitchell, (859) 341-0461, venthaven.org
Hollow Earth Monument
For us, A Journey to the Center of the Earth is sci-fi, but to Captain John Cleves Symmes, it would have been much more. A simple stone pillar with a cement sphere on top located in Hamilton stands testament to the 1800s lecturer, who truly believed our planet is hollow. Not only is the Hollow Earth Monument in honor of him, but it also marks his grave. 454 S. Third St., Hamilton
Clive the Alien
As you walk the streets of Covington, don’t be alarmed if you suddenly face a 30-foot-tall green alien peering at you through a magnifying glass—that’s just Clive. Clive the Alien was created by artist Marc Phelps and sits comfortably on the Midtown Parking Garage. There are a few reasons he landed here: Cincinnati is headquarters to the Mutual UFO Network, was home to ufologist Leonard Stringfield, and is near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (which was rumored to house remains of a spaceship). E. Fifth St. and Scott St., Covington
Lucky Cat Museum
What started as a personal collection of a few Lucky Cats turned into a museum with thousands of them. The Lucky Cat Museum has been open to the public in the Essex Studios since 2016 and is home to more than 2,000 maneki-neko (Japanese for beckoning or inviting cat). The museum is still growing and is open by appointment only. If you pay a visit, look out for one of the owner’s favorite cats: a Weird Nyal she commissioned from Argentinean artist Marceland. 2511 Essex Place, Walnut Hills, luckycatmewseum.com
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