The Cleveland Museum of Natural History

There are few places as magical as The Cleveland Museum of Natural History. With a variety of exhibits that are as educational, fascinating and fun, the museum is a true jewel in the heart of Cleveland.

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History is one of the city’s oldest and most respected public educational resources. Dating to 1920, the museum was opened by a few frequent visitors to what was once known as ‘The Ark’ on Public Square- a cramped two-room wooden building that housed several animal exhibits and served as the city’s first science museum.

 Today’s Cleveland Museum of Natural History houses a variety of rare, even one-of-a-kind artifacts. One of the museum’s most visited exhibits profiles .‘Lucy’, a 300 million-year-old primitive ancestor to humans. Guests can see a cast of the original skeletal materials, along with a reconstruction of what Lucy's full skeleton might have looked like.

The famous Tyrannosaurus Rex and Triceratops skeletons are also extremely popular among museum guests.

Don't miss the permanent exhibit honoring legendary sled-dog Balto, who helped deliver diptheria serum in an Alaskan outbreak in 1925.

The fun and learning don’t stop there. The museum also boasts a full-scale planetarium and space observatory, an array of live animal and plant exhibits and a hands-on discovery center for the children.(Note that entrance to the planetarium and observatory requires an additional admission fee.)

There are also plenty of live shows, educational lectures and classes.  For a complete listing of  upcoming shows and events, visit the museum's web site.

 

- by LeeAnn Mullen, Cleveland Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

LeeAnn Mullen

LeeAnn Mullen is a freelance journalist from Cleveland, Ohio. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism is currently furthering her education by studying for an additional degree in information systems management. Mullen has written for several Cleveland-area newspapers, online publications and dozens of private clients. Her topics of specialty include health, technology and travel.