The Cleveland Museum of Natural History Fact Sheet
Brief History: Cleveland's first collection of natural history began in the 1830s in a small, wooden building known as "the Ark." Located in Cleveland's Public Square, "the Ark" consisted of two rooms that were packed with animal specimens. Through the passion and enthusiasm of a group of men who frequented "the Ark," The Cleveland Museum of Natural History was founded in 1920. Today, The Cleveland Museum of Natural History is one of the finest natural history museums in North America with an emphasis on scientific research, conservation and education.
Vision Statement: Igniting a passionate, lifelong dedication to the exploration of nature and science for a healthier world.
Making History: The Cleveland Museum of Natural History announced two mergers in 2007, including: 1) HealthSpace Cleveland in January 2007, focusing on an increase in health education in the region; 2) EcoCity Cleveland in June 2007, teaming up to create a center for regional sustainability.
Executive Director: Bruce Latimer has been the Museum’s executive director since 2001. He received a bachelor’s degree in anthropology, a master’s degree in physical anthropology, and a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences. He has earned an international reputation as an expert in his field, physical anthropology, and is recognized as an authority on the evolution of human locomotion.
Board of Trustees Officers: Nathaniel T. Smith, president; Claiborne R. Rankin, vice president; Thomas A. Tormey, vice president; Peter H. Calfee, treasurer; James R. Bright, secretary
Looking Toward the Future: On March 13, 2007, The Cleveland Museum of Natural History selected Fentress Architects Ltd. of Denver, Colorado, as the architectural firm that will design plans for a major Museum expansion/renovation project.
Visitors: 285,000 annually (calendar year 2007)
Membership: 8,900 members
Admission:
Adults (ages 19 and up): $9
Youths (ages 7 through 18): $7
College students with ID: $7
Seniors (60 and up or with a Golden Buckeye Card): $7
Accessibility (wheelchair) rate: $6
Children (ages 3 to 6): $6; Toddlers (age 2 and under): FREE
Tuesday/Thursday Special: Children 12 and under FREE after 3 pm; Wednesdays: All $5 after 5 pm
Hours of Operation:
Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm; Wednesday 10 am to 10 pm; Sunday, noon to 5 pm; Closed: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day
Permanent Exhibits:
Lucy – (Australopithecus afarensis) a skeletal cast of a 3.2-million-year-old species of a human ancestor; Happy – (Haplocanthosaurus delfsi) is the oldest sauropod on exhibit anywhere and the most complete adult specimen of this 70-foot-long, 14-foot-high dinosaur skeleton; Alice – (Allosaurus) a 135-million-year-old predator known as a “strange lizard”; Jane – a skeletal cast of a juvenile tyrannosaur; Triceratops horridus – a 21-foot-long replica of a dinosaur that lived from 68 million to 65 million years ago; Perkins Wildlife Center & Woods Garden – a 2.2-acre outdoor gallery that features Ohio’s native animals and plants; Dunk – (Dunkleosteus terrelli) a 360-million-year-old fish with a big bite; Balto – a heroic dog who helped transport diphtheria serum to save lives in 1925; Steggie – (Stegosaurus) a life-sized Stegosaurus that welcomes visitors at the front entrance; Shafran Planetarium – a glimpse at the universe and beyond featuring live shows; Mueller Observatory – houses a 105-year-old, 10½-inch Warner & Swasey telescope; Wade Gallery – showcases the Museum's collection of more than 1,500 gems and minerals
Collections: More than 5 million artifacts and specimens. Includes the Hamann-Todd Osteological Collection, which is the largest, most researched and published collection of modern human and non-human primate skeletons in the world.
Research: Curators focus on 11 natural science disciplines including: archaeology, botany, cultural anthropology, invertebrate paleontology, invertebrate zoology, mineralogy, ornithology, paleobotany, physical anthropology, vertebrate paleontology and vertebrate zoology.
Public Education Programs: More than 140
Students Served Annually: 100,000
Curators:
Adriann Balok, Acting Associate Curator of Cultural Anthropology
Jim Bissell, Ph.D., Curator of Botany
Shya Chitaley, Ph.D., Curator of Paleobotany
Yohannes Haile-Selassie, Ph.D., Curator of Physical Anthropology
Joe Hannibal, Ph.D., Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology
Andy Jones, Ph.D., Curator of Ornithology
Joe Keiper, Ph.D., Director of Science & Curator of Invertebrate Zoology
Tim Matson, Ph.D., Curator of Vertebrate Zoology
Brian Redmond, Ph.D., Curator of Archaeology
Michael Ryan, Ph.D., Coordinator of Research & Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology
David Saja, Ph.D., Curator of Mineralogy
Employees: 103 full-time and 98 part-time
Volunteers: 279
Hours Donated: 32,000 during calendar year 2007
Sources of Income: Endowment income, operating income, annual fund contributions
Annual Operating Budget: $10 million (fiscal year ending June 2008)
For more information, call 216-231-4600 or 800-317-9155 or visit www.cmnh.org.
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