The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center sits on the banks of Cincinnati's Ohio River with clear views of Kentucky on the other side of the river, where slavery was once legal. This museum celebrates the heroes of that dark time – courageous people who risked their lives to help slaves escape to freedom. Viewing the films in the center's theater is an ideal way to start your visit. The museum houses both permanent and temporary exhibits about slavery and the abolition movement. Step inside an actual slave pen that was used by a Kentucky slave trader to temporarily hold people being moved to slave markets. Another exhibit teaches about the clever ways in which brave men and women escaped. Other exhibits encourage dialog about human rights and racial reconciliation. A permanent exhibition about modern-day slavery and human trafficking reminds visitors that slavery continues to exist and challenges them to become modern day abolitionists.