CINCINNATI, Ohio — From the first moment you walk into Motel X, it gives you an uncomfortable feeling —like something is wrong. And that’s the point. 

Motel X is a new gallery at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in downtown Cincinnati. It aims to raise awareness on a mostly unknown issue: Human Trafficking — specifically along the I-75 corridor.

• Motel X takes visitors on an interactive and tangible tour through the lives of victims of human trafficking
• A 2019 study by the University of Cincinnati estimates that more than 1,000 people have been victims of human trafficking, and another 4,200 are at risk to suffer the same fate
• Motel X is on display at the Freedom Center now until April 5

“The one thing that I hope people get when they through into Motel X and when they exit, they realize that human trafficking happens here in front of us in the USA, in Ohio and in Cincinnati,” Motel X Creator Christine Marque said. “And that we need to do something about it as a community.” 

The exhibit is interactive and tangible, meaning you can touch everything inside the Motel. There are QR codes you can scan to learn more about human trafficking.

Marque said having an interactive gallery was the best way to strike a chord with visitors.

“What we wanted to hit on was an emotional experience,” Marque said. “Because if we can do that, we can create an empathetic link with practical knowledge that will give you the tools you need to use in order to do something about it. So this exhibit, you could go through it one, two, three, as many times, and I do believe you could get something new out of it. You could read one thing in each room and still have that uneasy feeling. And that’s what we wanted to achieve, is create an environment where you can have an emotional response to what’s happening." 

A study conducted by the University of Cincinnati in February 2019, estimated that over a 1,000 people in Ohio have been victims of human trafficking and 4,200 more are at risk to suffer the same fate. 

Marque is hopeful that her exhibit is powerful enough to resonate with people enough to change the culture we’re living in. She said the project took the last five years to create and she’s extremely proud of the end result. 

“I had a very strong team behind me,” she said. “And they all helped come together and make this dream a reality. And so, as an artist, I love this exhibit because it’s incredibly artistic and as a social justice activist, I love this exhibit because it gives people information and tools to use for this incredible social justice cause.” 

Motel X is on display at the Freedom Center now until April 5th, and admission is $5 along with $15 general admission to the Freedom Center.