Experience the unexpected
Perkins has been a favorite of Museum visitors for more than four decades. In its current form, which opened in 2016, this outdoor gallery is a fully immersive environment that will bring you closer to native Ohio plants and animals than ever before. Take a walk below the waterline as you stroll into a wetlands community teeming with fish, turtles, and frogs. Peer directly into the aquatic world of playful North American river otters. And listen to the chorus of songbirds flying all around you.
Soar to New Heights
A highlight of Perkins is a winding elevated walkway that places you in the canopy of beech and oak trees. Track a pack of coyotes roaming the forest floor below, get a bird’s-eye view of a porcupine on its perch, or come nose to beak with peregrine falcons. Learn more about how everything in nature is connected—from the treetops to below the soil—as you stroll through the beautiful foliage in the heart of Cleveland’s University Circle neighborhood.
Find a New Perspective
Get a sense of your place in nature while experiencing stunning views of wildlife and cityscape alike. Gain a new appreciation for the agility of bobcats and gray foxes as they traverse directly overhead in trailways curving through the brush and trees. Get a glimpse into a red fox’s den or a bald eagle’s nest. Gaze up at towering oaks and down at minutely detailed wildflowers. Catch unique views of Cleveland’s skyline and the surrounding University Circle neighborhood as you take in all the amazing sights of Perkins.
Show Your True Colors
The animals that call Perkins home live in the comfort of their natural surroundings, including thousands of native Ohio plants—many rare or endangered. Travel seamlessly among five distinct ecological communities, each boasting a diverse array of beautiful and colorful plant life: from rich forests to shrub swamps, wild woods gardens to vibrant wetlands. Learn about the importance of balance and harmony between flora and fauna and how you can help the Museum in its mission to protect these wonderful yet fragile ecosystems.
