40 sweeping panoramic photos find democratic details in civic structures

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 10, 2025
MEDIA CONTACT: Cody Hefner (513) 608-5777, chefner@cincymuseum.org

Sweeping panoramic photos find country's democratic values in civic structures

Civic Architecture features 40 photos from photographer Thomas R. Schiff; opens June 27 at Cincinnati Museum Center

CINCINNATI – Over the centuries, architects of capitols, courthouses and even libraries have sought to both project confidence in the democratic process and invite citizens to participate in it. A new exhibition developed by and opening at Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) is offering a panoramic view of how these civic buildings represent our democratic values. Civic Architecture: The Panoramic Photography of Thomas R. Schiff opens June 27 at Cincinnati Museum Center.

From small county courthouses to the U.S. Capitol, 40 sweeping panoramic photographs encourage us to consider our highest ideals in the structure of our buildings. The flattened panoramic images offer a beautiful distortion unique to Schiff’s photographic style. The photographs simultaneously capture the grandeur of these structures and their openness for engagement, showing how they have changed – from exalted temples to understated organic forms – and how these centers of government and democracy have sought to rise above or blend in with their surrounding landscapes.

Developed to commemorate the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Civic Architecture takes you on a journey to monuments, statehouses, city halls, courthouses and libraries across the United States. As the nation’s first lawmakers developed a fledgling government rooted in democracy, enlightenment and power, the first civic buildings likewise reflected these ideals. The buildings span centuries – from the capitol of colonial Williamsburg to the 21st century Sandra Day O’Connor U.S. Courthouse in Phoenix, Arizona – and also offer new perspectives of familiar and iconic buildings, including the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial and Independence Hall.

Thomas R. Schiff is one of the country’s outstanding architectural photographers. He has produced over a dozen books featuring many of America’s significant landmarks and architects – from I.M. Pei and Zaha Hadid to Philip Johnson and Moshe Safdie. Schiff’s unique panoramic camera captures building interiors in a full 360° sweep, immersing viewers in spectacular vistas and allowing them to see architecture from new angles and perspectives.

Civic Architecture is included with Museum Admission. Learn more atcincymuseum.org/civic-architecture.

The exhibition is a complement to Schiff’s recently published book Civic Architecture Across America: Extraordinary Views. The book, published by University of Cincinnati Press and Cincinnati Museum Center, is Schiff’s fifteenth published book and includes additional photos to those featured in the exhibition.

Following Civic Architecture’s Cincinnati debut, the exhibition will travel to museums and other locations across the country.