The Cleveland Museum of Natural History is delighted to join the more than 30 museums and historic sites that make up the Ohio Air and Space Trail. This initiative is part of America 250-Ohio, a multi-year commemoration leading up to America's 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026. Highlighting Ohio's history as the birthplace of aviation, the trail invites all to discover the sites where you can explore the stories of the remarkable men and women who made significant contributions to flight.
The Museum offers numerous ways to learn about explorations beyond our planet—as well as the ways human innovations have led to new discoveries. One of the first specimens you encounter upon entering the Visitor Hall is a Moon rock collected during the Apollo 12 mission in 1969. The new Larry Sears and Sally Zlotnick Sears Dynamic Earth Wing further immerses you into the story of the Universe, our Solar System, and the Earth. On your next visit, be sure to stop by the Viking Biology Instrument, a spacecraft designed to search for the presence of life on Mars. And don't miss the astronomical instruments on display in the Messages in Light gallery—all examples of the amazing innovations humans have made to understand the Universe.
In addition to the Air and Space Trail, the Museum is excited to be a part of another America 250-Ohio initiative: the Lake Erie to Ohio River Trail. This “drive your own adventure” experience explores Ohio’s rich maritime legacy—where rivers, lakes, and canals have shaped life, commerce, and innovation for thousands of years.
The Museum's Natural Areas Program, established in 1956, advances Lake Erie conservation through research on water quality, invasive species, and watershed health. The program protects more than 12,500 acres across northern Ohio, including critical Lake Erie habitats, while Museum ecologists study coastal ecosystems, native plants, and wildlife to inform sustainable land and water management. Visitors can explore exhibits on Great Lakes ecology, attend lectures, and engage with ongoing fieldwork within protected Museum preserves—connecting museum learning to real-world environmental challenges facing Lake Erie and its watersheds.
