The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, located in the Wade Park District of University Circle in Cleveland, Ohio, is one of the oldest natural history museums in the United States. The museum traces its origins back to 1869 when a group of amateur naturalists formed the Western Reserve Academy Science Association. In 1873, they purchased land and buildings on what is now East Boulevard and built a new facility that opened in 1881. The museum has been housed in several different buildings over the years and its current home, designed by architect Charles F. Schweinfurth, opened in 1916.
The mission of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History is to advance knowledge and understanding of nature’s wonder through research, education and exhibits. The museum accomplishes this through a variety of means including scientific field expeditions, educational programs for all ages, an extensive library and archives open to researchers, publications such as Nature News from Cleveland Museum of Natural History magazine, scholarly journals and books; as well as public exhibits featuring world-class collections that tell the stories of nature across time and cultures.
One way the museum furthers its mission is by participating in citizen science initiatives like Project FeederWatch which engages members of the public in data collection to help scientists track trends in bird populations. Other ways include hosting events such as EarthFest which celebrates Earth Day with hands-on activities for kids or Doggie Nights where visitors can bring their dogs to enjoy special evening hours at the museum (and go home with a free bandana).
The permanent exhibitions at the museum are organized into four main galleries: Discovery Woods (an indoor/outdoor play area for kids), Smead Discovery Center (hands-on science lab), Perkins Wildlife Center & Woods Garden (live animals) and Curator’s Corner (fossils & minerals). In addition to these ongoing displays, temporary exhibitions are also hosted throughout the year – past topics have included climate change, bats around the world and even dinosaurs! There really is something for everyone at Cleveland Museum of Natural History.