12 Cincinnati Murals and Colorful, Photo Ops

In my honest opinion, Cincinnati is such an underrated city to visit. As it’s a great place for college graduates to move to for jobs, Cincinnati is also known for it’s food and arts. We take pride in our creativity and we want the city to be able to see it! Whether you are a local or visiting from out of town, I’ve rounded up 12 of my favorite Cincinnati murals, public art installations and photo ops for the fans of all things color! P. S. While this post is more dedicated to the arts, I did manage to sprinkle in some of my favorite bites on the way.

Tip: Be sure to bookmark this post, as I linked all addresses to Google Maps!

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I know I only cover some of the hidden gems, but please feel free to check out many more on ArtWorks‘ website!

1. A Little Piece of Italy

226 Richmond Street, Cincinnati, OH 45203

This little slice of Italy has become one of my favorite places to shoot. First of all, the wall is yellow – you know that’s instantly a win in my book. Throw in the wall of greenery and it looks like your living your best Lizzie McGuire life in Rome. On the other side of this wall is a another wall covered in these green vines, which could always serve as another photo opportunity. This is also a 2 minute walk away from the next wall I’m going to mention…

2. Red Doors

414 Richmond Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

These red doors are my go-to options for holiday shots. Whether is Christmas, 4th of July, Valentines Day, these bright red doors makes for the perfect backdrop to a festive outfit. However, I like to utilize these doors when I want to highlight more of a creative look – que that second outfit. Across the street from this location and the last are a bunch of other cute locations to shoot. It’s a great stop to get a bunch of shots in a short amount of time and it’s not too far from the next location…

3. One-Eyed Purple People Eater Mural

1401 U.S. 27, Cincinnati, OH 45214

This monster of a wall is across the street from Wooden Nickel Antiques. I still need to get my butt in the shop one day, but instead opted for a more nostalgic photo op. I believe it’s actually attached to some apartments, but it’s usually very easy to find free parking on the street.

4. Mr. Dynamite Public Art Installation

1437 Main Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Good ole Jackson Brown, one of the most infuential musicians of the 20th century – and he’s a Cincinnatian! The great thing about this wall is it can morph to look like a bunch of different walls. For example, both of these shots are of the same wall but they look completely different. If you have a thing with color, then you are 100% going to love this wall. I will say parking is a bit tricky for this one and I suggest finding free parking on the street near by. Check out this post for more angles of the wall!

5. Longworth Hall 3D Glass Wall

700 W Pete Rose Way #137, Cincinnati, OH 45203

This wall is an oldie but a goodie. If you know where Longworth hall is then it’s right as you turn into the parking lot from Pete Rose Way. I promise, you won’t miss it. Although it’s not a Cincinnati mural, it’s definitely a great photo op to remember the city’s art.

6. New Lines Phase II: Bolivar Alley

578 E 12th St, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Holy moly, I just discovered this incredible alley this year and I don’t know what I’ve been doing with my life. Regardless if you want to take pictures there or not, Bolivar Alley is 100% a landmark you need to visit. These are only two of about 50 Cincinnati murals, and each one gets better than the next. My best advice is to park at the Casino (because it’s free parking) and then walk to the alley. If you walk towards the “Cincinnati” mural across the street from Jack Casino, the alley is directly to the right of the mural. I promise, you aren’t going to want to miss this hidden gem.

7. Armstrong Public Art Installation

511 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

If you are going to check out any of these Cincinnati murals, make this be your first stop. You get the perfect angle of it with all the twinkling lights at Nada, one of the best Mexican restaurants in Cincinnati. Plus, it gives you the excuse to grab a margarita and eat some yummy tacos! Make sure you wear something fun though!

8. Fiona and Bibi at the Cincinnati Zoo Mural

910 Race Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

If you can’t get the opportunity to see Fiona, our pride and joy, this could be a good alternative for you. With many shades of blue as your background, this wall could quite possibly be the perfect location for a Canadian tuxedo! I may be a bit biased…

9. The Cincinnati Strong Man: Henry Holtgrewe Mural

1215 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

I will admit, I haven’t taken pictures here in a really long time. If you don’t know the area, Vine Street is one of the busiest streets in Over-the-Rhine (OTR). Parking can be tricky and cars could very well be in your way of shooting the mural – I guess that comes with the territory. If luck is one your side and you have an open spot to shoot, congratulations! I will say this is still one of my favorite Fourth of July shoots of all time. Be aware – you will also have people come up to you to ask for money.

10. Daybreak in O’Bryonville Public Art Instillation

2030 Madison Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45208

This would definitely have to be my suggestion for the #2 place to shoot, but selfishly for food (again). If you’ve never tried any pastries from The BonBonerie, make this the first stop. Basically you can judge a book by it’s cover here, because everything really does taste as good as it looks! Each little tasty treat is intricately designed and baked to absolute perfection. The owner used to be an artist, so if you don’t believe me go find out for yourself. Plus, you’ll have the perfect photo op to get of your cookies!

11. Cincinnati Toy Heritage Mural

23 West Court Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

If this wall doesn’t scream nostalgia, I don’t know what is. I will say that this wall is actually pretty challenging to shoot. I would definitely go for a big picture shot here – if you can get it though, it’s truly incredible. This wall is also right around the corner of the “Fiona and Bibi at the Cincinnati Zoo” mural, so you could definitely kill two birds with one stone.  

12. Crazy Cat, Crazy Quilt Public Art Installation

1107 Walnut St. Cincinnati, OH 45202

If you are in OTR for the day, definitely make this wall a pit stop. As the name suggests there is a cat involved with the wall – However, it is actually a little difficult to shoot. I would definitely take this opportunity to play around with the colored stripes. In this alley, there also a space-themed mural and the famous “Lookin Good” wall is right around the corner. Definitely a great location to hit a bunch of Cincinnati murals.

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These are just a few examples, and there are many other murals to discover in Cincinnati. If you’re interested in learning more about the city’s public art, you might consider taking a mural tour.

Pin me for your next trip to Cincinnati, OH.

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