At the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, we believe that discovery starts with you. Explore our exhibits, meet our wild animals, take a hike, join a class—all while creating meaningful memories.
We make science relatable by cultivating your curiosity. When you visit the Museum, you’ll have the opportunity to delve deep into the past in our dinosaur hall, discover the outer reaches of the Universe in the Shafran Planetarium, and experience natural wonders in outdoor galleries. Children can experience hands-on learning in Smead Discovery Center, where the motto is "please touch!" Traveling exhibits bring the world to Cleveland with an ever-changing variety of new subjects to explore.
Beyond the Museum campus, we protect more than 11,000 acres through our Natural Areas Program. Each preserve harbors at least one unique natural community, including hardwood forest, Lake Erie island, fossil dune ridge, marsh, swamp, and glacial wetland. Together, these areas represent the remarkable biological diversity that was once widespread throughout the region, and now serve as educational and scientific resources. Our naturalist-led hikes and classes provide access to a wild Ohio you may never have imagined.
Two gray foxes joined the Museum’s menagerie of live native Ohio animals …
Two gray foxes joined the Museum’s menagerie of live native Ohio animals in the reimagined Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden—Presented by KeyBank, which opened Labor Day weekend 2016. Gray foxes are one of the only canines that can climb trees—a fact that inspired the young foxes’ names. Buckeye and Ash were born in captivity and hand-raised in Minnesota. In the years since the state-of-the-art wildlife center opened, the pair have bonded with their caregivers and become familiar with their homes. Worksheet available for grades 1-3.
Join Nick Anderson on a tour of the technology that powers a …
Join Nick Anderson on a tour of the technology that powers a planetarium, and even sneak behind the dome for the ultimate inside peek at astronomical action! Worksheet available for grades 3-4.
Museum bug wrangler Kate McNeese shows us some of her six- and …
Museum bug wrangler Kate McNeese shows us some of her six- and eight-legged pals and demonstrates how to handle these arthropod animal ambassadors safely. Worksheet available for grades 3-4.
Museum craftsmen Carl and David explain how they create casts of Australopithecus …
Museum craftsmen Carl and David explain how they create casts of Australopithecus afarensis fossils to display in the Museum. Worksheet available for grades 3-4.
In this week’s edition of Scientist Saturdays, we’ll chatter about those hunks …
In this week’s edition of Scientist Saturdays, we’ll chatter about those hunks of enamel we use to chow down on our food. That’s right—we’re talking teeth! Last week, you learned about the clues hidden in ancient teeth. Now, join the Museum’s Curator of Human Health & Evolutionary Medicine, Dr. Nicole Burt, as she shares what you can learn from your own pearly whites. Worksheets available for grades 7-8 and 9-12.
In this Museum Mondays episode from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, …
In this Museum Mondays episode from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Dr. Denise Su, Chief Academic Engagement Officer, Gertrude Haskell Britton Endowed Chair of Education, and Curator of Paleobotany & Paleoecology, tours the Human Origins Gallery, discussing the environment in which Lucy likely lived. Features a video and downloadable worksheet.
Dr. Denise Su, Chief Academic Engagement Officer, Gertrude Haskell Britton Endowed Chair …
Dr. Denise Su, Chief Academic Engagement Officer, Gertrude Haskell Britton Endowed Chair of Education, and Curator of Paleobotany & Paleoecology, tours the Human Origins Gallery, discussing the environment in which Lucy likely lived. Worksheet available for grades 5-12.
In 2016, Dr. Yohannes Haile-Selassie, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s Curator …
In 2016, Dr. Yohannes Haile-Selassie, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s Curator of Physical Anthropology, discovered a “remarkably complete” hominin cranium at the Woranso-Mille Research Site in Ethiopia. He spent the next few years analyzing the specimen with the help of his team of experts to determine its age and species. Now, he’s ready to reveal the face of Lucy’s ancestor, which challenges previous theories about evolution, in an article published in the journal Nature. Learn about this discovery and groundbreaking research from Dr. Haile-Selassie himself. Worksheet available for grades 6-12.
After a decade of dormancy, the Cultural Anthropology Department at the Cleveland …
After a decade of dormancy, the Cultural Anthropology Department at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History has come back to life. Our new Collections Manager, Trisha Patton, has spent the last year digging deep in the Museum’s vast repository of cultural artifacts from around the world. Meet Ms. Patton in this edition of Museum Mondays.
Dr. David Saja talks through the geology of Ohio and shares details …
Dr. David Saja talks through the geology of Ohio and shares details about some of his work with the mineral garnet. Worksheets available for grades 7-8 and 9-12.
Did you know sea lampreys aren’t native to Lake Erie? As invasive …
Did you know sea lampreys aren’t native to Lake Erie? As invasive predators, they’re actually damaging Great Lakes fish and amphibian populations, including mudpuppies. Join host Lee Hall and Curator of Vertebrate Zoology Dr. Tim Matson for this specimen spotlight. Hear about Dr. Matson's long-term ecological research study examining the relationship between sea lampreys and mudpuppies. Worksheets available for grades 7-8 and 9-12.
Dr. Gavin Svenson, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s Director of Research …
Dr. Gavin Svenson, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s Director of Research & Collections and Curator of Invertebrate Zoology, discovered a new species of praying mantis on an insect survey expedition in the Amazon Rainforest. The mantis, named Vespamantoida wherleyi, is brightly colored and mimics wasps to ward off predators—a combination that has never been seen before. The discovery and analysis have had widespread implications for the Mantoididae family. As part of our Scientist Saturdays series, learn even more about this newly discovered mantis from the expert himself—Dr. Svenson! Worksheets available for grades 7-8 and 9-12.
Everybody loves Lance! But did you know he’s an avid climber? This …
Everybody loves Lance! But did you know he’s an avid climber? This animal ambassador is full of surprises! Learn all about North American porcupines in this week’s Creature Feature, part of our Wildlife Wednesdays series. Worksheets available for grades PreK-K and 1-2.
You otter know it’s World Otter Day! Celebrate the occasion this Wildlife …
You otter know it’s World Otter Day! Celebrate the occasion this Wildlife Wednesday by going behind the scenes of the otter enclosure at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden—Presented by KeyBank. You’ll learn about otter care techniques as our resident mustelids, Linus, Calvin, and Hobbes, make on-screen appearances! Worksheets available for grades PreK-K and 1-2.
In this edition of Museum Mondays, learn about the Museum’s new citizen-science …
In this edition of Museum Mondays, learn about the Museum’s new citizen-science initiative, ProtectCLE, with Skye Powers-Kaminski, Manager of Educator Engagement. You’ll get a rundown of the free app iNaturalist, learn about our Biocube Build Challenge premiering tomorrow on Goosechase, and so much more. Worksheet available for all grades.
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