Cleveland Museum of Natural History in Ohio Delights All Ages

Established in 1920 in order to form collections in the fields of anthropology, archaeology, astronomy, botany, geology, paleontology, wildlife biology, and zoology, and for the purpose of advancing research in those fields, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History is located in the University Circle section of this Ohio city, close to several other museums and cultural institutions. The museum's impressive collection currently numbers more than 5 million artifacts.

The museum's history actually dates to the 1830s, when the city began to collect animal specimens and house them in a small building on Public Square. It became known as The Ark. This early collection was the impetus for the later forming of the Museum of Natural History. It is the mission of the museum "to inspire, through science and education, a passion for nature, the protection of natural diversity, the fostering of health, and leadership to a sustainable future.''

Currently eying a significant expansion program, the museum is considered one of the finest of its kind in the nation. It welcomes about 300,000 visitors annually and boasts a museum membership of about 10,000 Clevelanders who regularly attend museum events and tour new exhibits.

Of the millions of artifacts on hand at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the centerpiece is "Lucy'', part of the Hamann-Todd Osteological Collection, considered to be the largest, most-researched and published collection of modern human and non-human primate skeletons in the world. Lucy was discovered in 1974 by one of the museum's curators, and in the museum there stands a reconstructed skeleton of this 3.2 million-year-old specimen, determined to be a new species of human ancestor. Along with Lucy, visitors will find "Happy,'' the oldest sauropod on exhibit anywhere, as well as a host of other skeletons.

Other galleries include the Hall of Earth and Planetary Exploration, which includes interactive exhibits dealing with astronomy and geology; the Wade Gallery of Gems and Jewels, which showcases about 1,500 breathtaking gems and minerals and explains the process of unearthing them; and the Sears Hall of Human Ecology, which tells the story of how humans interact with the natural world around them.

In addition, visitors can enjoy an Ohio Archeology exhibit, which highlights the natural history of the state and the Great Lakes area; and several other Ohio-based displays, including one each on birds, insects, and botany in the region.

For little ones and their families, there's the Smead Discovery Center, full of hands-on fun that appeals to all ages. On the main level, there is also a planetarium, which is a state-of-the-art facility, opened in 2002. It offers several shows a day. Operating in tandem with the planetarium and providing more opportunity to learn about astrology is the museum's observatory, open to the public one evening per week.

Outside the Cleveland Museum of Natural History patrons will find the Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden and the Thelma and Kent H. Smith Environmental Courtyard, both featuring plants and animals native to Ohio. Exploration of these areas is included in the museum admission fee.

At Cleveland Museum of Natural History, classes are offered regularly for children, youth, adults, and families and week-long summer camps provide the opportunity to explore a number of natural history-related topics. The museum also sponsors adult "field trips'' to nearby locations. Museum curators also offer interested parties an opportunity to travel with them as they further their research, often to exotic, far-away locations.

Cleveland Museum of Natural History is open daily year round, with closings on major holidays. Tours are self-guided but audio tours are available via cell phone, so no additional fees are incurred.