Cleveland Museum of Natural History

1 Wade Oval Dr, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA

Address:	1 Wade Oval Dr, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
Phone:	+1 216-231-4600
Site:	cmnh.org
Rating:	4.7
Working:	Closed 10AM–5PM 10AM–10PM 10AM–5PM 10AM–5PM 10AM–5PM 12–5PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 7

Amber Wallace

I was an intern there this summer so... I had gone through the museum a couple of times while I was working there and Still dont think I got to see every thing, even when I went through it a 3rd time after my research presentation with my mother a boyfriend. There are some really fun exhibits. Like the Gem stones... This exhibit may not have been as large as the Smithsonian of Natural Historys was but it was still great! And the Opals in the collection far surpassed the ones in the Smithsonians collection. I also was impressed by the fact that they have an actual Ice Core on display. Of course this is the home of the Hammond Todd Collection and there is a great deal of prestige attached to that. The animals out side while it might be cool to show some city kids what lurks in the woods in Ohio some parts are honestly kind of sad... The Raccoons, 3 of the very fat Raccoons were pacing back and forth on a 3 foot stretch of the fence like they had gone crazy, poor things. The Fossils are great! I just loved this museum. The gift shop is absurdly priced,like most places like that. For a tiny Balto stuffed animal they wanted 16 bucks thats a dollar less than the larger stuffed animals that werent of an item on exhibit. But they did have some good sales, a salt lamp for only 15 bucks and my mom got a shirt for only 7 bucks. One thing that you cannot pass up is the Cafe. Now you may think it like many attractions food places is over priced but I didnt think this one was. I found the prices to be extremely reasonable especially for the amount of food you got. And the food... I worked at the museum every day for 8 weeks and Im a starving college student. The food is amazing a prepared right in front of you. And they have daily specials. But I recommend The chicken strips with the home made chips or a Chicken Philly sandwich. The Staff at this museum is amazing. They are so nice. Everyone from the curators to the security guards and the cafe staff were some of the most friendly and nice people I ever had the pleasure of meeting. In fact one security guard, knew my name by the second day of my internship, and he always brightened my morning. I really do love this place and I will be going back one day.

Rachael Anson

My boyfriend and I visited here on a Saturday. We made sure to arrive shortly after opening, so parking was no problem and there was no line for admission. Most of the exhibits were very, very good - I particularly enjoyed the Whales Tohora special exhibit - however, the paleontology and anthropology sections were extremely outdated. For example, an Apatosaurus skeleton is labeled as a Brontosaurus, even though that classification has been out of use for over a decade. Also, a section dedicated to the history of Native Americans in Ohio contains information that has been disputed by scholars for quite some time. In addition, the outdoor Ohio animal exhibit made me more sad than interested. The songbird aviary was closed with no explanation (too cold?) and the enclosures for the animals that WERE present were small and unembellished. I wish there was more information about conservation efforts in place. Perhaps a collaboration with the zoo would be in order? We were able to make our way though the museum, including special exhibitions, within 4 hours. Trying to navigate around whatever special event was being set up for was a pain, but most of the exhibits were easily accessible. The cafe was overpriced but the food was decent, and I was pleased to see that all utensils and dishes were compostable. The gift shop is mostly aimed at children. Overall, it was a decent experience, but my visit did not meet the expectations I had set for similar Cleveland establishments after visiting the Cleveland Zoo and the Museum of Art.

Christian Savage

Not quite the Smithsonian, but nevertheless a good way to spend a few hours on the weekend. The entrance fee is a bit steep, but I was able to get a "park hopper" discount by using my Botanical Garden membership card. Some of the exhibits, including the dinosaur wing and the section devoted to various indigenous peoples, look like they havent been updated since the 1950s, and the outdoor animal exhibits are small and depressing. However, the gemstone and geology rooms are cool, and the rotating exhibits are sleek and modern and feature some fascinating science and history (the most recent exhibit was a look at poisons in the natural world and human civilization). Furthermore, while there are several parts of the museum that are oriented towards children (indeed, the museum is often overrun with school groups), there are just as many things for adults to enjoy.

Lauren Brown

The newer exhibits really used the space well to place you in the scene. The older exhibits were well kept and had excellent specimens. I enjoyed all of the carefully crafted models and dioramas. I do think kids might be a bit bored by the display cases. Modern exhibits had interactive elements to keep kids busy and were informative. The raised walkway outside above the animals is impressive. The gift shop is small and targeted at smaller kids. Do not take the snacks purchased there near the animals. Also, they close the outside area if there is thunder. Make sure to check out the night sky dome outside of the planetarium. As a rockhound, I would say that Dallas and LA have better mineral halls, but the fossils here are great. Overall, its a very interesting collection that the family can enjoy together.

Sharon B

Cleveland Museum of Natural History is a wonderful place for the whole family! On the lower level, the Smead Discovery Center is a great place for kids to explore. The upper level has so many interesting areas, from dinosaurs to the evolution of man, geology to astronomy, theres much to see. They have a nice little restaurant with healthy options, drinks and snacks. Perhaps the most amazing thing is the all new Perkins Wildlife Center. It is absolutely incredible! We had such a great time walking through and learning about all the rescued animals. The exhibits are beautiful with water features and enrichments for the animals. They have areas for the kids to have fun while learning about native animals. And the gift shop is great with a wide selection of gifts and souvenirs.

A Private User

I do not recommend taking a group of Day Campers to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Ive had two bad experiences, and will not take my group back to the Museum. They expect busses to park almost a mile away from the museum. That is great if you have a bus driver who is not a teacher. Most day camps use the driver in ratio, and in order for someone to go park the busses, it takes you out of ratio. They are also not willing to work with you on this. We also have found that the security employees are very unhelpful and unfriendly. The other thing is that there facilities for lunch are not set up for a large group.

Patrick Daugherty

Highly recommended, but our experience was similar to Rachaels review. The special exhibits and newer areas present well. First time in the planetarium for me, great facility, solid program and the host was great, ready for serious questions if the kids give him a break. However, I was surprised that the paleontology area hasnt changed substantially since I was a child some forty years ago: the text material presentation is overdue for an update, Overall, still a great place packed with enough inherently amazing material about the formation and history of our world to make it worth your while.