Cincinnati, once a pivotal stop for escaped slaves riding the Underground Railroad north to freedom, has a brand-new museum to honor that legacy: The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center <www.freedomcenter.org>, which opens Aug. 23.

Located on the banks of the Ohio River — a symbol of freedom that formed the northern boundary of the slave states — the 58,000 square-foot, $100 million Freedom Center has been under construction since June 2002. Its five galleries outline the history of slavery and the secret Underground Railroad network of conductors who hid slaves in cellars, barns, churches and haystacks until they could safely travel to the next stop along the route.