I am visiting the Cleveland Museum of Art with my friend Dee. She lives in the Cleveland area and knows the Museum well. This visit is only my second. The last time was over 20 years ago.
I am glad she joined me on many levels, including knowing where to find the highlights. At least highlights she knows I will want to view.
The Museum opened its doors to the public on June 6, 1916. It is the fourth-wealthiest art museum in the United States. With nearly a million visitors a year, it is one of the most visited art museums in the world. Internationally renowned for its substantial holdings of Asian and Egyptian art, the Museum houses a diverse permanent collection of more than 61,000 works of art from around the world.
The Museum divides this collection into 16 areas, including Chinese Art, Modern European Art, African Art, Drawings, Prints, European Art, Textiles and Islamic Art, American Painting and Sculpture, Greek and Roman Art, Contemporary Art, Medieval Art, Decorative Art and Design, Pre-Columbian and Native North American Art, Japanese and Korean Art, Indian and Southeast Asian Art, and Photography.
Due to the time we arrive at the Museum, we have limited time making Dee’s tour guide skills even more critical. I want to see as much as possible in a short time. I could spend the whole day here—each piece awe-inspiring, from the paintings and statues to decorative art.
After walking through a massive open-air atrium, we start our tour with Prints and Drawings, Ancient Near Eastern, Greek, Roman, and Ancient Egyptian. I especially appreciate the Egyptian collection. I would love to go back to this ancient country again.
On the second level, she takes me to the Tiffany exhibit. A massive window originally from the Cleveland Hinds House takes prominence. The detail and color are beautiful. Nearby is a window taken from a Buffalo, New York, Frank Lloyd Wright house.
We wander through the American Gallery and next view the House of Faberge display of eggs, tiny clocks, and portraits.
Past Baroque, Late Baroque, and exquisite furniture, we next enter the Armor Court with a horse taking center stage surrounded by suits of armor, tapestries, and spears.
A French gilded brass clock, candelabra, and a German wood and ivory gaming table get my attention next.
All too soon, the clock ticks to closing time.
My only regret is not having more time. I can certainly understand why visitors think so highly of the Museum. It is excellent!
If you go:
Admission is free. For more Museum information, click here. For more information on visiting Cleveland and its many attractions, click here.
