Fort Ancient Earthworks & Nature Preserve

05/30/2026

Check out this blog post from our friends over at Warren County - Ohio's Largest Playground!
Site Superintendent and Archaeologist, Bill Kennedy answers questions about his career, the local community, Fort Ancient and what achieving UNESCO World Heritage status means for the site.

Meet the man who helps preserve Fort Ancient's 2,000 year-old legacy.

05/29/2026

Teachers—now’s the time to schedule your 2026–27 field trips! Fort Ancient is currently booking K–12 class visits for the upcoming school year. Come learn about Ohio's only UNESCO World Heritage site!

Field trips to Fort Ancient include: a 9000-sq-foot museum exhibit covering Ohio History from the Ice Age until the mid 1800's, hands‑on activities like Atlatl throwing and curriculum‑aligned programs that bring American Indian history, Ohio history, and the natural world to life. We also have indoor and outdoor space for picnic lunches and full access to the site until 5pm, is included for all field trip visitors.

Field trips are $8 per child or adult chaperones, school staff and teachers are free and we can accommodate groups up to 80 kids in one day. We offer a convenient online booking page, that allows you to choose what date your class visits and what time. (Groups smaller than 15 students please be sure to select the small group option on the booking page.) We offer both guided and unguided field trip options, allowing you to customize your classes visit.

To schedule your visit click here: [email protected]/" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://outlook.office.com/book/[email protected]/

For Questions or Issues:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (513) 932‑4421

Give your students a field trip they’ll never forget at Fort Ancient Earthworks!

05/23/2026

Please Note:
Fort Ancient will be CLOSED Mon, May 25th, 2026 in honor of Memorial Day.
Thank you.

05/15/2026

Here's a great read about the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks from the Winter 2025/Spring 2026 issue of American Indian Magazine.

The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks in Ohio were named a World Heritage Site in recognition of their “uncommon genius,” in part because some precisely align with the multiyear lunar cycle.

05/14/2026

Check out this blog post by our friend Rebecca Kelly, Interpretive Supervisor at Newark Earthworks, about building a space for students to observe, question, connect and discover ideas for themselves while visiting on field trips to the site.
This is a philosophy we have also embraced here at Fort Ancient with our school groups to help make the experience more memorable and fun for the both the kids and adults.

The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks are rife with educational opportunity. But what happens when we let students just look?

05/08/2026

Check out this Cincinnati Magazine article about the new "Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks: Landscape Monuments of the Ancient Ohio Valley" book by John Hancock.

Spanning the fields of southern and central Ohio are the largest concentration of geometric earthworks in the world. These gigantic earthen enclosures were built by Native American communities nearly 2,000 years ago, made as special places to worship and connect. These monuments—which take the shape of large circles, squares, and octagons—were created with simple tools like baskets, sticks, and shells, which were used to move and compact massive amounts of soil in precise geometric shapes that align with the cycles of the sun and moon.

A new book by local architectural history professor John E. Hancock brings these sites to life through detailed research, Indigenous perspectives, maps, and more than 250 photographs. https://ow.ly/16SL50YVKUN

📸 John E. Hancock

05/02/2026

05/02/2026

Join us today(May 2nd) at noon, as we learn all about the uses of plants.
This program will explore the Fort Ancient Three Sisters and Medicinal Garden and surrounding woods to learn about nature’s bounty. We will cover some of the vast knowledge of American Indian peoples and European Settlers on how plants help humans. Guests will be able to sample several teas made from plants that will be discussed.

Disclaimer:
This is for Interpretative Purposes only and we are not promoting natural healing or any use of self-care or medical advice.
Cost: $10 per person, Children under 6 are free

05/02/2026

👀 Looking for a great read?
Check out this book from Smithsonian Books by author John Hancock about the eight sites that make up the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, including Fort Ancient and Newark Earthworks.
Available in our gift shop or online at various retailers now!
We will be hosting a Book Talk and signing June 27! See our events page for more info.

A new book celebrates eight complex masterpieces of landscape architecture