Cleveland Museum of Art

The Cleveland Museum of Art consistently ranks as one of the best comprehensive art museums in the United States and one of the most-visited in the world.

But what does that actually mean?

It means, this isn’t the kind of museum where you show up, look at a couple of Picassos, then find the nearest bar. It's home to more than 61,000 works of art spanning 6,000 years — including soothing lily pad oils by Monet, ancient hot bod Grecian statues and 100 very vivid images of Marilyn Monroe thanks to Andy Warhol.

Oh, and after more than 100 years, the museum’s founders would be pleased to know that their bedrock belief that admission should be free to the general public is still adhered to, today. You might be pleased to know that, as well. Because, you know … free.

What You'll See:

• Included in its wide-ranging permanent collection is one of the world’s leading assemblages of Indian and Southeast Asian art, and their collection of Japanese, Chinese and Korean art are among the most comprehensive in the world.
• The new ArtLens Gallery is a brand-new way of looking at the entire museum-going experience. ArtLens touchscreen-free, interactive elements like motion-detecting technology that allows you to create your own original works. The gallery also includes the 40-foot ArtLens wall, which displays each of the museum’s more than 4,000 works of art.
• Like the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Cleveland Museum of Art sits in historic Wade Park within University Circle. The park, itself, is incorporated into the museum as it is home to an outdoor sculpture gallery known as the Wade Park Fine Arts Garden.

What Else to Do?

• As part of its annual Performing Arts Series, the museum plays host to an eclectic mix of concerts that includes world music, percussion ensembles and live chamber music in the galleries (which is literally the best soundtrack to any museum visit).
• Throughout the year, the museum maintains an active schedule of special events, including adults-only mixers the first Friday of each month, as well as its annual Parade the Circle, which engulfs all of University Circle in an arts parade and festival.
• Then, there's Solstice, a summertime soiree held on the back lawn of the Cleveland Museum of Art. If you're lucky enough to score a ticket to the party, which has sold out every year since its inception, be prepared for a cosmopolitan affair that combines cutting-edge live music from global artists, world-renowned art galleries, and food and drinks prepared by award-winning chefs.
• The museum’s Provenance Restaurant and Café also is a worthy temptress. Regional chef Doug Katz specializes in locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients in this unique restaurant that overlooks the museum’s atrium. Katz also plans occasional menus that complement major exhibits, like Peruvian dishes for an ancient Andean art exhibit.