At the end of the fall semester, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, located on Wade Oval in University Circle, reopened its doors to the general public on Dec. 13. The museum, which has been under renovation since 2021, gradually reopened new spaces to the public, first in 2022 and then in 2023. Now, students and community members can enjoy a world-class institution transformed by the $150 million renovation.
Previously, many iconic fossils and other natural history attractions were removed from view in 2022 due to the renovations. At that time, a new kids’ area and planetarium opened, which coincided with Andy Warhol’s Endangered Species series. Yet, with the reopening of the Visitor Hall in 2023 and now the rest of the museum in December 2024, the museum has returned to be enjoyed by the public.
The main collection and exhibits of the museum are sorted into two wings: the Larry Sears and Sally Zlotnick Sears Dynamic Earth Wing and the Evolving Life Wing. The former focuses on exploring the history of Earth and various natural phenomena that take place on the planet. This includes specific exhibits tailored to earthquakes, stardust and the effects of urbanization on local ecosystems. The gallery also contains large glass windows that overlook Wade Oval and the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Attached to this gallery are a variety of smaller interactive exhibits. Microscope stations are set up around the museum, and staff members are positioned with artifacts of fossils and animals.
The Evolving Life Wing has large taxidermy animals and fossils on display. Many of the biomes are flanked with interactive exhibits, from audible stories to electronic screens that react based on the viewer’s movements. This part of the museum also contains exhibits focusing on creatures from Northeast Ohio and human evolution, with interactive exhibits that focused on the creation of Homo sapiens.
The choice to show the museum’s collection in two large, interdisciplinary galleries, instead of displays based on timeline or discipline, is different from the museum’s organization before the renovation.
In a press release, the museum’s CEO and President Sonia Winner said that the renovation “aims to achieve one unified vision: to promote healthy humans, a healthy planet, and a better future for all.” Winner said, “By placing visitors at the center of the story of our planet, we’re inspiring all to foster a deeper understanding of science and a connection to nature.”
Local political leaders welcomed the new move. Representative Max Miller, a Republican from a neighboring congressional district, said that the reopening “will launch a new era for the Museum which will share science and the wonders of discovery with generations to come.” Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne said during an opening ceremony that “The museum welcomes in … You feel like you belong here. Hats off to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History!”
The museum opened during the second week of December to members through a ticketed event before opening to the public on Dec. 13. To celebrate the opening, the museum and the Cleveland Monsters hockey team hosted a special “Fossil Faceoff” game against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
According to the website for the Division of Student Affairs, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History is part of the Case Western Reserve University Free Access Program, which guarantees CWRU students one free ticket a week from each of the listed cultural institutions. Students must bring their student ID and purchase their tickets onsite, the museum told The Observer. They also noted that free admission only applies to general admission and that the Planetarium and 3D films are an additional $7 charge per person.
Even without a purchased ticket, visitors will still be able to access the main atrium, which opened in 2023. This includes favorites such as “Balto,” “Happy” and “Lucy.”