Materials from Cincinnati Museum Center collections form interactive companion gallery
CINCINNATI – Just as Diana, Princess of Wales continues to inspire people globally, Cincinnati Museum Center hopes to inspire people locally with a companion gallery, Daughters of the Queen City. Items from Cincinnati Museum Center’s historic collections illustrate a sampling of philanthropic efforts by Cincinnati women from the 1850s-1960s. The gallery also recognizes a modern city of women leading, giving and caring, inviting visitors to learn more about several local organizations at work today.
“We wanted to extend the spirit of inspiration Diana shared with the world,” says Elizabeth Pierce, vice president at Cincinnati Museum Center. “Stories of earlier Cincinnati-area women leading with their hearts, building the community, embolden us today. As daughters of the Queen City, we have the power of the princess – compassion, beauty, courage, wisdom and strength – to make an impact.”
Daughters of the Queen City features historic gowns and objects of women who raised funds for charity and awareness about issues ranging from the city’s widows and orphans to education and the arts. Drawn from Cincinnati Museum Center’s collections, these gowns range in date from 1853 to 1947 and represent eras of fashion spanning a century. But they represent much more than fashion. In addition to the gowns, Daughters of the Queen City highlights stories of philanthropy at work throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
“While we love the opportunity to feature these exquisite gowns from our collections,” says Pierce, “it’s about more than just the dress. It’s about the type of women who wore these dresses, women who are asking us today, ‘What are you inspired to do?’.”
With creative support from the Museum Center’s partner Landor Associates, one of the world’s leading strategic branding and design firms, Daughters of the Queen City presents these gowns and objects in a way that celebrates the collection and captivates visitors. Landor’s multi-functional team, which includes new media, brand environment and design experts, came together to create an all-encompassing experience for all the senses. Highlights include a media animation display, developed by the same team who brought Lumenocity to Music Hall in 2013. Using state-of-the-art projection mapping techniques, the animations fuse fashion, light and technology to explore what it means to be a princess, and what it means to be a woman in Cincinnati today.
“This gallery is an innovative and interactive way to present these wonderful objects from the Museum Center’s collections,” says Mary Zalla, President of Consumer Brands and Managing Director of Landor’s Cincinnati and Chicago offices. “We wanted to tell the stories of these objects in a way that would resonate and inspire modern day visitors. And we also wanted to encourage visitors to make themselves part of the experience.”
The objects in the crest of Daughters of the Queen City represent the attributes of all women of Cincinnati: the courage, confidence and strength of today’s princess (lioness); the depth and grace of their beauty (rose); the waters of the Ohio River, an ever moving, ever changing legacy (waves); and the classically modern style of the Queen City’s princesses (houndstooth pattern). But being a princess is about individuality and you can make your own crest. A stamp wall allows you to pledge your talents to the Queen City, leaving your mark on the gallery.
The gallery utilizes video mapping to project media animation onto a wedding dress. A mirror with crowns painted on it invites you to take a selfie of yourself as a princess, complete with a crown. A collection of community partners inspires you to go out and act like one.
As you leave the gallery you can learn more about how organizations are working in the community today and how you can join them in their efforts. Information is available to take with you from the following organizations: YWCA, WE Lead, Red Cross, United Way, Junior League Cincinnati, Impact 100, Girl Scouts , Enquirer Woman of the Year, Women’s Alliance, Advocates for Youth Education, Kindervelt andthe Links, Inc., Queen City and Cincinnati chapters.
Daughters of the Queen City opens February 14 as a companion gallery to Diana, A Celebration and will close August 17, 2014.
Diana, A Celebration and Daughters of the Queen City Hours:
Monday & Tuesday: Noon to 6 p.m.
Wednesday – Friday: Noon to 8 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
End times are last entry.
For more information, visit www.cincymuseum.org