Union Terminal, Cincinnati — Saturday, September 20, 2025, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
On this bright Saturday, the Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) transforms into a celebration of reading, storytelling, and literacy with its “Once Upon a Museum: Literacy Day” event. Designed for families and young readers, the museum will host a full day of free or included-with-admission programming in and around The Children’s Museum that spotlights books, local authors, creative expression, and community literacy resources.
What’s Happening
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the museum’s halls and common spaces — especially The Children’s Museum and Kids’ Town Park — will be alive with story times, hands-on workshops, performances, and chances to engage with reading in all sorts of fun ways. All local families are invited; for museum members the event is free, and for others, access is included with museum admission.
Some of the highlights include:
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Storytimes in Kids’ Town Park: Local authors read children’s books in a variety of styles, from “I Am Not Afraid of Spiders” to “Brown Hands, Black Schools HBCUs,” and more. These sessions are spaced throughout the day so families can pick and choose.
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KidSPACE Programming: Several interactive experiences are planned:
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Mini Book in Minutes: where families craft mini books inspired by story prompts.
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Build-a-Poem with WordPlay Cincy: a poetry station that invites kids to play with words and language.
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Storytime Books Alive! with art and storytelling inspired by the book We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past by Jacqueline Woodson, including clay food sculpture activities.
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Corbett Theater Programming: A rich set of activities including a Mini Spelling Bee (courtesy of the Scripps National Spelling Bee), and an interactive sing-along storytelling experience with the Cincinnati May Festival Choir.
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Community Partners & Resources: Organizations such as the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library, Everybody is LITT Academy, Queen City Book Bank, Imagination Library, Brown Hands Literacy, Cocoa Books, and others will share information, books, and support for families.
Why It Matters
Literacy is foundational. It’s not just about teaching kids to read—it’s about joy, identity, community, expression, and opportunity. Events like this do several important things:
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Connect families with resources who can support reading and early literacy at home. Many parents may not know about book giveaway programs, local library offerings, or free literacy support organizations. Literacy Day brings these to them under one roof.
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Amplify local voices. The inclusion of local authors, including underrepresented ones, helps children see themselves in stories and fosters a sense of ownership over storytelling.
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Make literacy fun and interactive. Workshops and artistic hands-on activities show that reading need not be solitary or academic—it can be social, creative, and joyful.
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Celebrate diversity in stories. Through multiple voices, genres, and formats (from picture books, to poems, to spoken-word or hip-hop influenced storytelling), the event highlights that there is no one “right way” to engage with language.
What to Know for Attending
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The location: Union Terminal, specifically The Children’s Museum and surrounding areas for partner booths and programming.
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Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Cost: Free for members; included with museum admission for non-members.
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Who’s involved: Local authors, reading programs, literacy organizations, volunteers, and community groups.
