As a museum visitor, have you ever wondered if your views are used in the process of developing programming? How exactly does the museum know what the community wants to learn and see? Perhaps it’s the luck of the draw or perhaps it’s the result of something called an audience researcher.
When the snowy days approach and inclement weather beckons for indoor activities, consider bringing the family to visit our permanent collection. Go on a hunt through our galleries for paintings that have snow. Each painting can spark fun discussion about the content and context of the work. For older children, the discussion could evolve into a research project about the artist.
It’s great when our famous works get to meet famous people. Actors Bill and Susan Hayes made sure that they had time to visit the Cleveland Museum of Art during their media tour on October 20. Married for 35 years, the couple has played Doug and Julie Williams on NBC’s “Days of our Lives” for almost as long.
Four days a week, highlights tours offer the opportunity to learn about select works in our permanent collection. Volunteer docents come armed with knowledge and creativity to help museum visitors navigate innovative topics.
Certainly, institutions that benefit from hundreds of hours of volunteer help, such as the Cleveland Museum of Art, can attest to the importance of volunteers. Studies now show that the volunteers themselves also reap advantages, including expanding their social networks, building their resumes, enjoying healthier lifestyles, and traveling the world.
From its very beginning, the Cleveland Museum of Art has been an institution “for the benefit of all the people forever.” These words are key to understanding the museum’s role in the local community and beyond. One of the ways the museum is demonstrating this commitment to inclusive programs is manifested in the new “How Do You See It” multilingual advertisements and visitor guides.
“Totally drew me in–an incredible experience."
"I thought the piece was simply beautiful. Beautifully executed, as well as beautiful to watch."
"As for me the exhibit at first glance impacts me, grabs my attention. The use of both a documentary format and hi-definition manner … Very moving."
The Casting by Omer Fast is a contemporary video art installation. The video features compelling imagery and narratives about love and war while grappling with questions of memory and recollection. The artist visited the museum on July 9 to talk about his work.
Why is it so rare that the bronze statue of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius survived intact to the present day? What do the paintings inside the coffin of Nesykhonsu reveal about Egyptian life? And, what can you learn about cultural beauty standards by examining the Ejagham headdress in the museum’s African collection?
These mysteries and others can be explored in the museum’s new audio tour, which premiered with the re-opening this summer of our first-level 1916 galleries. The tour provides a new way to experience the museum’s ancient, medieval, and African collections.
So much goes on behind the scenes at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Our new web site lets online visitors explore areas of the museum that are not always visible to the public and meet some of the people who give generously of their time to help ensure that everyone’s museum visit is a great one.
The next time you’re visiting the site, be sure to check out the following new features:
One of the great features of our new web site is its New Perspectives section. The section brings the voices of the museum to life through video and audio interviews with curators, artists, and even past directors as they reflect on significant pieces of art within our collection.
What's on view currently in New Perspectives?
