Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Natural History in Cleveland's University Circle

Located in the University Circle district, the museum offers a variety experiences for lovers of natural history and anthropology.

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History was funded by local philanthropist and banker Cyrus S. Eaton in 1920. Located in the University Circle district, the museum illustrates and interprets science and the natural world. Permanent exhibits focus on human ecology, pre-historic species and Ohio archaeology. A planetarium and observatory offer glimpses of outer space and a living gallery showcases local wildlife and plants.

The museum is a leader in research, too. Most famously, in 1974, Donald Johanson was curator of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History when he discovered the 2.3 million-year-old Australopithecus afarensis skeleton, commonly known as “Lucy,” in the Awash Valley of Ethiopia. A cast of the Lucy skeleton remains on display at the museum, as well as several other paleolithic era skeletons.