Art Climb adds a new outdoor gallery dimension to the museum.
When Cameron Kitchin became the Cincinnati Art Museum’s ninth director in 2014, his mission was to reconnect the museum with its community. “We exist in the environs of Eden Park, one of the great gems of our city,” Kitchin said. “We also more broadly exist in the context of Walnut Hills, of Mount Adams, of Pendleton and our other surrounding neighborhoods.” A 2016–2021 visionary strategic plan was created focusing on expanding the art museum’s outreach efforts. After discussions with the surrounding community leaders and considering many options, the museum leaders decided on a grand staircase leading from the corner of Gilbert Avenue and Eden Park Drive in Walnut Hills up to the museum which would encourage visitors to walk, explore, linger and connect with each other as well as the historic treasures of the museum’s collection.
“I’d like to see these projects done in the next three or four years,” Kitchin said. “If we can move quickly, we will.” The $20 million project also included a new access drive to bring visitors to the front of the museum, walking paths on the grounds surrounding the museum and outdoor art exhibit spaces. Funding has come from private fundraising, grants and tax credits.
Construction of the staircase, to be known as Art Climb, began in mid-2019 with a planned dedication to the public in early 2020. The dedication did not happen. Little did they know that COVID-19 and social distancing would shut down the museum. Art Climb has given the community a way to connect with the art museum while their building was closed.
Art Climb joins over 400 sets of public steps in the city of Cincinnati. The lengthy staircase wanders up the hillside with landings along the way, walls and benches for sitting and lighting that leads visitors up the hill to the museum. Three outdoor sculptures, including two works from the Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum’s collection, are on display at Art Climb. Trails, continuous paths and a new arrival drive lead you to other outdoor art on display around the museum’s grounds.
Art Climb by the numbers
9 stories high (about 450 feet)
164 steps
16 landings
4 art plazas
Integrated with trails, continuous paths and new arrival drive to come
The museum worked with Emersion Design and Human Nature for architecture and landscape design for this project. Turner Construction was the construction firm while Strand Associates and Terracon's consulting engineers and scientists introduced micro-piling, core drill testing and other advanced techniques to assure long-term stability of the hillside. Effort was taken to retain as many trees as possible but invasive honeysuckle and diseased ash trees were removed. Horticultural leadership has been added to their team and the museum has consulted the Cincinnati Zoo and Pyramid Hill along the way.
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