Photo courtesy of Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Rooted in Purpose Cleveland Museum of Natural History raises the bar for green building Story by Properties Staff
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he Cleveland Museum of Natural History has emerged as a new model for other institutions around the globe – one where mission, architecture and impact converge. After its $150 million, multi-phase transformation, the institution isn’t just telling the story of human and planetary history; it’s inviting visitors to explore it through every facet of the experience, including the building itself.
Since the museum celebrated its grand opening in December 2024, the community response has exceeded the institution’s expectations. In just four months after officially opening its reimagined campus, which includes more than 375,000 square feet and more than two acres of outdoor visitor areas, the museum has welcomed more than 120,000 visitors, surpassing previous records. Surveys collected during those months showed that 35% of those individuals had either never visited before or were back after more than five years away – suggesting that the museum is now reaching more people than ever. One of the most notable aspects of the renovation is its emphasis on environmental performance. This spring, the museum became the first
it includes a review of the building’s operation over time. At the core of the redesign is a commitment to illustrating how human health is interconnected with planetary health. Rather than hiding high-performance systems behind the walls, the design by DLR Group brings many of these features into the open, making sustainability part of the visitor experience. This intention is most clearly visible on the museum’s primary façade, where stormwater Joshua Haney from the roof is captured and DLR Group channeled through a gutter system that spills visibly over the museum’s transformation was com- the GFRC cladding onto an alvar pleted in spring 2024 (see full story in stone outcropping. This flowing water Properties, January 2024 issue, avail- feeds into a rain garden populated able at www.propertiesmag.com), the with native plants, reducing runoff LEED commissioning process can take while also drawing attention to natural approximately a year to complete, as cycles in action. in the United States to earn LEEDv4 BD+C NC Platinum certification for new construction under the U.S. Green Building Council’s standards. Although
“[The] design not only reflects the location’s history but also delivers a sustainable solution and model for the future. Now visitors can experience how the design connects humans and nature at a time when humans have become a major force shaping the Earth’s processes and composition.”
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Properties | May 2025