The exhibit Diana: A Celebration is making its final stop at the Cincinnati Museum Center. The exhibition celebrates the life of Diana (Spencer), Princess of Wales. Included in the traveling exhibition are items from Althorp Estate, the Spencer Family’s ancestral home in England.

Containing around 150 items, the exhibit provides an insight into Diana’s life from her childhood to her death. The highlight of her exhibit is the dress Diana wore when she married Prince Charles. Also noteworthy are the Althorp family jewels, which opens the exhibit. Perhaps the most touch items on display include those from Diana’s childhood: ballet shoes, toys, Diana’s school uniform and trunk. Accompanying these items are home movies captured by her father, who was an amateur photography. Another enjoyable aspect of the exhibit is a collection of dresses worn by Diana, including clothing she worn while raising awareness of landmines.

The exhibit does not place negative emphases on her death yet commemorates her death by showing how her loss was mourned throughout the world. Included in the exhibit are condolence books from the around the world, a draft of Earl Spence’s (Diana’s brother) eulogy and a signed draft of Elton John’s Candle in the Wind.

Throughout the exhibit there are panels providing information on Diana’s life; this could lead to good amount of reading. The exhibit also contains a fair number of video footage of significant events in the life of Diana. Available for an additional charge is an audio guide available. The audio guide provides extra information on the items and provides discussion on the design of Diana’s wedding gown and the other clothing items on display. If you plan on reading all of the exhibit panels and listing to the audio, plan to spend several hours in the exhibit. However, if you plan to just leisurely stroll through the exhibit, the exhibit may be viewed in about 30 minutes.

Diana: a Celebration will be on display at the Cincinnati Museum Center through August 17. Entry fees for the exhibit range from $24 for adults and $16 for children; the audio guide can be purchased for $5. Members of the Cincinnati Museum Center will receive a discount on the entry for the exhibit. Advanced tickets can be purchased.

The ticket prices seem a little high given the length of the exhibit. It was first thought that proceeds from the tickets were going to support the Princess Diana Fund yet no information about this could be found on the exhibition’s website.

At the end of the exhibit, the Cincinnati Museum Center has prepared a short exhibit entitled Daughters of the Queen City. The exhibit celebrates the legacy of Cincinnati women. This is a great example of local women’s history.