Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland Museum of Art is a major encyclopedic art museum located in University Circle, a cultural district in Cleveland, Ohio. Founded in 1913, it opened to the public in 1916 and is renowned for its significant holdings of Asian and Egyptian art, as well as European and American paintings and sculpture. The museum operates under a founding principle of providing "for the benefit of all the people, forever," offering free general admission to its permanent collection. Its extensive collections and ambitious architectural expansions have established it as one of the premier art institutions in the United States.

History

The institution was established in 1913 following a bequest from prominent local industrialists including Horace Kelley, Hinman B. Hurlbut, and John Huntington. The original Beaux-Arts building, designed by the Cleveland firm of Benjamin Hubbell and W. Dominick Benes, opened on June 6, 1916. Early directors like Frederic Allen Whiting and William M. Milliken aggressively expanded the collections, acquiring foundational works from medieval Europe, the Near East, and Asia. A pivotal moment came in 1958 with the bequest of Leonard C. Hanna Jr., which provided an endowment that transformed its acquisition capabilities. Throughout the 20th century, it grew into a leading research institution, with curators such as Sherman Lee building a world-class collection of Asian art.

Collections

The permanent collection spans more than 61,000 works and 6,000 years of art history. It is particularly celebrated for its holdings of medieval armor and tapestries, Renaissance paintings, and one of the most comprehensive collections of Asian art in the Western world, including major works from China, Japan, India, and Southeast Asia. Notable European masterpieces include Caravaggio's *The Crucifixion of Saint Andrew*, J.M.W. Turner's *The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons*, and Claude Monet's *Water Lilies*. The department of Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern art is also exceptionally strong, featuring the statue of Amenhotep III. The museum's American art collection includes key works by Thomas Eakins, Winslow Homer, and Georgia O'Keeffe.

Building and campus

The original 1916 building forms the core of a campus that has undergone several major expansions. The first significant addition was the 1958 wing designed by the firm of Hays and Ruth. A more radical transformation began in 1971 with the addition of the Brutalist-style Education Wing by Marcel Breuer. The most recent and extensive project, the $350 million renovation and expansion completed in 2013, was designed by Rafael Viñoly. This project unified the campus under a vast, soaring atrium known as the Ames Family Atrium, creating new gallery spaces, a state-of-the-art conservation laboratory, and enhanced facilities for the Ingalls Library, one of the largest art museum libraries in North America. The campus also includes the Fine Arts Garden and the Cleveland Botanical Garden.

Governance and funding

The museum is a private, non-profit institution governed by a Board of Trustees. It operates with a significant endowment, historically bolstered by bequests from Cleveland's industrial families like the Hannas, Holdens, and Severances. The director, a position held by figures such as Sherman Lee, Evan H. Turner, and currently William M. Griswold, oversees artistic and operational matters. Major funding comes from endowment income, private donations, grants from organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts, and support from Cuyahoga County via a public cigarette tax. Admission to the permanent collection remains free, in adherence to its founding charter.

Notable exhibitions and programs

The museum has a long history of organizing groundbreaking international exhibitions. Major shows have included "The Triumph of Japanese Painting" (1954), "The Age of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent" (1987), and "China's Southern Paradise: Treasures from the Lower Yangzi Delta" (2023). It actively engages the community through programs like "Chalk Festival," "Solstice," and "CMA Thinker" lecture series. The institution also runs the "Gallery One" interactive space, featuring the "Collection Wall," and produces the "ArtLens" app. Its performing arts series presents concerts in its auditorium, and it maintains a strong partnership with the Cleveland Orchestra, located adjacent in University Circle.

Category:Art museums in Ohio Category:Museums in Cleveland Category:University Circle Category:1913 establishments in Ohio