August Exhibitions and Event Listings for the Cleveland Museum of Art
- Press Release
"Crucible of Honor": Indian Dance Theatre with Live Orchestra Photo © Kshitija Kolvankar
Contact the Museum's Media Relations Team:
(216) 707-2261
marketingandcommunications@clevelandart.org
Events
MIX: Summer Soirée
Friday, August 7, 2026, 6:00–10:00 p.m.
Ames Family Atrium
MIX is a 21+ event. Photo ID is required for all MIX attendees.
Guests are cordially invited to MIX: Summer Soirée, an enchanting evening inspired by the elegance and romance of the Regency era as portrayed in the Netflix hit television series Bridgerton. The evening’s entertainment includes live music by one of Northeast Ohio’s most in demand string ensembles, OPUS 216, performing arrangements of pop songs and Bridgerton-themed music for string quartet. Rebecca Sweet, co-owner and master instructor of Viva Dance Studio, leads a brief waltz dance lesson. DJ Sobe follows with an open format DJ set spinning pop, R&B, and more. At times, members of OPUS 216 perform with DJ Sobe. Guests are encouraged to dress in glamorous Regency-era outfits that blend historic couture with modern fashion. Themed food and drink items, including cocktails, beer, and wine, are available to purchase from Bon Appétit.
Attendees are encouraged to visit the CMA’s special exhibition, Martin Puryear: Nexus, as well as the newly redesigned ArtLens gallery.
Here is the full entertainment schedule:
6:00 p.m.: OPUS 216
6:45 p.m.: Viva Dance Studio waltz dance lesson
7:00 p.m.: OPUS 216
7:30 p.m.: DJ Sobe
Disclaimer: No full-face masks, heavy face paint, glitter, weapon-like props, or excessively oversized costumes are permitted. All outfits are subject to security screening. The Cleveland Museum of Art may refuse entry to any visitor whose attire does not comply with these requirements.
“Crucible of Honor”: Indian Dance Theatre with Live Orchestra
Sunday, August 2, 2026, 2:00–3:30 p.m.
Gartner Auditorium, Suzanne and Paul Westlake Performing Arts Center
Rooted in the classical language of Bharatanatyam (Indian classical dance), this production brings to life the timeless epic of the Ramayana, portraying Rama as divinity in human form, the embodiment of integrity, justice, and heroism. Tested at every turn, Rama remains unwavering in his commitment to righteousness over personal desire. This dance theater production with live music celebrates one of the world’s most enduring tales in conjunction with the CMA exhibition Epic of the Northwest Himalayas: Pahari Paintings from the “‘Shangri’ Ramayana.”
“Crucible of Honor” is produced by Bharatanatyam exponent Sujatha Srinivasan, an award-winning choreographer and artistic director of Shri Kalaa Mandir Dance Company. It features distinguished dancers accompanied by a live Indian musical ensemble.
More About the Featured Performers:
Sujatha Srinivasan, choreographer
Sujatha Srinivasan is an internationally acclaimed Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer, and educator whose work has left a profound imprint on the Indian classical-dance landscape in North America. Since relocating to Ohio in 1993, Sujatha has been a driving force in the propagation of Bharatanatyam as the founder and artistic director of Shri Kalaa Mandir—Center for Indian Performing Arts in Cleveland. Known for her mastery of the graceful Vazhuvoor style, her award-winning choreography seamlessly blends tradition with innovation through composer-centric productions, multimedia presentations, and cross-genre collaborations that showcase her creative range. Her contributions for over three decades have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the 2026 Ohio Arts Council Traditional Arts Apprenticeship grant, the Individual Excellence Award for Choreography and the Ohio Heritage Fellowship from the Ohio Arts Council in 2024, the Cleveland Arts Prize—Martha Joseph Prize in 2022, and the title of Arts Education Champion. She also holds distinguished titles, such as Nrithya Seva Mani, Nritya Ratnakara, and Sambrama Puraskar.
Kaniyal Hariprasad, vocalist
Kaniyal Hariprasad is a Kalakshetra alumnus of three decades and one of the most sought-after dance vocalists in the dance field. His 35-year contribution as a vocalist for Bharatanatyam is deeply respected. Hariprasad’s music has graced prestigious stages and international festivals, showcasing his exceptional artistry as both a soloist and an accompanist. A prolific composer, his collaborations across classical, folk, and contemporary genres, as well as his nuanced vocal contributions, make him an invaluable asset to narrative-driven productions, where his music provides both melodic continuity and emotive depth, as seen in his recent work bringing devotional pieces to life.
Make and Sip: Coiled Baskets
Friday, August 14, 2026, 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Ames Family Atrium
Join us for a creative evening of art making, drinks, and ambience. This is a 21+ event. With Praxis Fiber Workshop (opens in a new tab), learn to make your very own coiled basket inspired by works in the CMA’s collection. Enjoy wine, beer, cocktails, and light snacks as you craft, sip, and get inspired by the beauty of the CMA’s permanent collection.
Each ticket includes a voucher for one beer, cocktail, or glass of wine. Any additional beverages or snacks are available for purchase.
Praxis Fiber Workshop is a local nonprofit that builds the international network of fiber artists and makers through classes, workshops, residencies, and collaborative projects that teach the art form and demonstrate how fiber art can be used to build healthy, resilient, and inclusive communities.
Song Recital Project: “Wayfarer in Dream”
Sunday, August 30, 2026, 2:00–3:30 p.m.
Gartner Auditorium, Suzanne and Paul Westlake Performing Arts Center
Free; No Ticket Required
Song Recital Project presents Jason Fuh (baritone) and John Simmons (piano) in a recital, “Wayfarer in Dream,” featuring the following pieces:
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791): “Nur mutig, mein Herze” (“Be brave, my heart”) from the opera Zaide, K. 344
- Gustav Mahler (1860–1911): Song cycle Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (Songs of a Wayfarer)
- Samuel Barber (1910–1981): Three Songs, op. 10, on poems by James Joyce
- Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943): Selections of Романсы (Romances)
Songs in this program explore the emotional journey of the human heart across cultures and eras. The aria from Zaide by Mozart opens with a call to courage in the face of uncertainty. In Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Mahler follows a wanderer grappling with love and loss as nature reflects his shifting emotions. Barber’s settings of poetry by James Joyce capture moments of introspection, dream, and unease. The songs of Rachmaninoff conclude the program with passionate lyricism, culminating in the exhilarating “Spring Waters,” a musical image of renewal and unstoppable life.
The program is performed with projected texts and translations.
More information about Jason Fuh (opens in a new tab) and John Simmons (opens in a new tab) can be found on their web pages.
Free-will donations are welcome at the door.
New This Month
ArtLens Reimagined: The Intersection of Art, Technology, and Innovation
Through Monday, September 1, 2031
Maltz Family Foundation ArtLens Gallery
Free; No Ticked Required
The new ArtLens gallery features a range of accessible experiences divided into five areas: Relate, Investigate, Create, Explore, and Infinite Landscape + You on View. These experiences are designed so every visitor can find a meaningful way to engage with art. These interactives take away the intimidation of an art museum but leave the awe and inspiration. Accessibility and inclusivity are central to the design, with several experiences specifically developed to support visitors who are blind or have low vision. Additionally, several interactives utilize machine learning and AI models to create richer, more responsive experiences that were not technically possible just a few years ago.
Presented by Harvard FAS CAMLab, Stability.ai, and the Womens Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Principal support is provided by an anonymous donor. Generous support is provided by BlueBridge Networks, CWRU Sears think[box], and LightSight AI. Additional support is provided by RealNose.ai.
All digital innovation and technology initiatives at the Cleveland Museum of Art are underwritten by the CMA Digital Innovation Fund.
Sky Hopinka’s “Visions of an Island”
Tuesday, August 11, 2026–Sunday, January 10, 2027
224B Video
Free; No Ticket Required
Visions of an Island is part of Sky Hopinka’s broader exploration of the ways that memory, the spoken word, and the environment form multilayered Indigenous identities. Here, he focuses on the Unangax̂, an Indigenous people who live on the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands off the west coast of Alaska. Filming on Saint Paul, one of the Pribilof Islands, Hopinka intertwines three elements: an Unangax̂ elder describing the island, students learning the Unangam Tunuu language, and scenes of a dreamlike setting. As the camera pans across rocky cliffs, rough waters, and weathered houses, we hear reflections from the Unangax̂ elder and discussion from students on incongruities between language and landscape. Through techniques of collage and superimposition, images of land, sea, and humans blur and merge.
Final Days
Martin Puryear: Nexus
Through Sunday, August 9, 2026
The Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation Exhibition Hall and Gallery 224B
The Cleveland Museum of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, co-organize the most comprehensive exhibition of Martin Puryear’s (American, born 1941) career in nearly two decades. Developed in close collaboration with Puryear, this exhibition introduces new audiences to one of the most celebrated and influential artists of our time.
Puryear’s singular work across mediums illuminates the expressive potential for abstraction in the present moment. Martin Puryear: Nexus begins with work from the early 1960s and follows the artist’s innovations in form, material, and process since then. Visitors encounter new works that make their first appearance in this show, alongside sculptures that are iconic and those that have not been exhibited publicly in decades. Sculpture, the medium for which Puryear is best known, is integrated with prints, drawings, and documentation of the outdoor commissions that the artist has created around the world.
Martin Puryear: Nexus highlights the global histories that have inspired Puryear’s practice, offering a fresh and timely perspective on his impactful body of work. Puryear’s art is renowned for its elegance and beauty. While accentuating the work’s visual allure, this exhibition and its accompanying catalogue look beyond form. The exhibition’s interpretive frame, rooted in new scholarship, sheds light on the ways that the artist’s unique visual vocabulary has been shaped by his enduring interests in global traditions of material culture, African American history, and the natural world.
Martin Puryear: Nexus is accompanied by an expansive and richly illustrated catalogue. Designed and published by the Cleveland Museum of Art, with distribution by Yale University Press, this publication is anchored by five essays authored by a new generation of scholars: Rizvana Bradley, Joan Kee, Emily Liebert, Michelle Millar Fisher, and Ugochukwu-Smooth Nzewi. Additional perspectives enter the book through a series of responses to individual works, contributed by thinkers and makers from a range of disciplines, many of whom are longtime interlocutors of the artist, including Nairy Baghramian, Alex Da Corte, Thelma Golden, Tom Joyce, Maya Lin, Kerry James Marshall, Pam Paulson, Julia Phillips, Charles Ray, and Billie Tsien. Alongside these contemporary perspectives, the catalogue features archival materials that have never been published.
Presented by the Henry Luce Foundation, the Terra Foundation for American Art, and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Principal support is provided by the late Agnes Gund. Generous support is provided by the Gottlob family in loving memory of Milford Gottlob, MD, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support is provided by Kenneth H. Kirtz and family.
Following the CMA, Martin Puryear: Nexus travels to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.
Epic of the Northwest Himalayas: Pahari Paintings from the “‘Shangri’ Ramayana”
Through Sunday, August 16, 2026
Julia and Larry Pollock Focus Gallery | Gallery 010
Free; No Ticket Required
Forty paintings are reunited from a widely dispersed pictorial series that presents the story of the Hindu divine hero Rama. The timeless tale, more than 2,000 years old, remains a cultural force across southern Asia. Potent themes of righteousness, vengeance, and loyalty are explored through dramatic episodes in which demons are vanquished, lovers are separated, and monkeys, bears, and a man-eagle save the day. Magic abounds, and emotions fly with warriors’ arrows. Three digital stations present more than 100 gently animated images of paintings from multiple collections reassembled into their original episodic sequences.
Created with blazing colors for a royal collection around 1700, the “Shangri” Ramayana has been a beloved and enigmatic series among scholars and collectors for the past century. New evidence from previously unpublished paintings reveals many more artistic styles and triple the number of total folios than have been previously recognized. It argues in favor of a collaborative model of production involving artists from across the alpine region of Pahari India, which straddles the present-day state of Himachal Pradesh and that of Jammu and Kashmir.
Twelve lenders generously contributed to this focused exhibition. The unbound pictorial series began to be divided as early as the 1760s, suggesting that its spiritual merit was intended to be shared among multiple owners. Its title derives from the kingdom of Shangri, where a member of the royal family sold his 275 folios to a dealer in Delhi, beginning in 1962. Hundreds more paintings, however, have been in other royal collections.
The exhibition celebrates the publication of the Catherine Glynn Benkaim and Ralph Benkaim Collection of Pahari paintings, which includes three pages of the “Shangri” Ramayana that are on view and contextualized in Epic of the Northwest Himalayas.
Principal support is provided by William Roj and Mary Lynn Durham. Major support is provided by V. V. Rajadhyaksha, DLZ Corp. Generous support is provided by the Bagri Foundation.
France in the Time of Manet and Morisot
Through Sunday, August 23, 2026
Mark Schwartz and Bettina Katz Photography Galleries | Gallery 230
Free; No Ticket Required
Édouard Manet and Berthe Morisot lived during a tumultuous yet fertile period in France. Events included war and the loss of territory; modernization and the rise of industry; and a shift from rural to urban living. As both artists were living in Paris, it became the largest city in continental Europe and the arts capital of the world. Manet and Morisot’s lifetime also coincided with the birth and rise of a new art form—photography—which recorded many of these social, political, and cultural changes.
Masters of the new medium such as Charles Marville and Édouard-Denis Baldus were commissioned by the Emperor Napoleon III, the Louvre, and the railroads to document both historic monuments and the construction of new architectural and engineering marvels throughout the country. This era also saw the rise of celebrity portraiture and of the general public as patron. Actresses such as Sarah Bernhardt and popular authors Victor Hugo, Charles Baudelaire, Alexandre Dumas, and others sat for photographers such as Nadar, André Adolphe-Eugene Disderi, Gustave Le Gray, and Étienne Carjat. The resulting portraits were printed—and sold—in large quantities to meet a soaring public demand for portraits of the luminaries of the time. When the rising urban middle class sought to have their own likenesses recorded, they flocked to the same studios.
In this exhibition, drawn from the museum’s rich holdings of 19th-century French photography, we can feel that we, like the photographers, are eyewitnesses to the transformation of France in the 1800s.
This exhibition is made possible with support from Anne T. and Donald F. Palmer.
Pahari Paintings: Art and Stories
Through Sunday, August 23, 2026
Gallery 242B
Free; No Ticket Required
In the far north of India, the Himalayan mountain ranges rise abruptly from the Punjab plains to form the alpine region known as Pahari, defined by a shared language (Pahari) and script (Takri). From the 1600s to 1900s, the Hindu nobility of the Pahari kingdoms commissioned paintings for their royal collections. Known as “Pahari paintings,” they were made by painters who were born into hereditary artist communities located in villages throughout the region. By the end of the 1900s, many descendants of royal families dispersed them, and they became some of the most popular and widely collected genres of Indian painting in the world.
This installation celebrates the CMA’s 2018 acquisition and 2026 publication of the Pahari paintings from the renowned Catherine Glynn Benkaim and Ralph Benkaim Collection. It includes portraits of key patrons, a large-scale historical painting on cloth, and paintings of religious and poetic subjects. A special feature on paintings from a mystical romance, the Madhavanala-Kamakandala, reveals the complex dynamic between visual and literary arts, the sacred and the secular, Hindu and Muslim, local and mainstream. Two double-sided embroideries, known as rumal, showcase textile art made by Pahari women in collaboration with painters who were predominantly men. These 23 works of art summarize the scope of Pahari painting.
This show was organized to complement Epic of the Northwest Himalayas: Pahari Paintings from the “‘Shangri’ Ramayana” on view in the Julia and Larry Pollock Focus Gallery from April 19 through August 16, 2026.
Pintoricchio Magnified: An Immersive Conservation Experience
Through Sunday, August 23, 2026
Gallery 115
Free; No Ticket Required
Through a digital immersive experience, step into the conservation studio and get a behind-the-scenes look at the materials and techniques conservators use to preserve paintings in the CMA collection.
For almost 50 years, Pintoricchio’s Virgin and Child (c. 1490–1500) was in storage at the CMA, its last original layers of blue paint hidden beneath a mask of restoration treatments undertaken in the 1900s. Although considered one of the most significant paintings within the early Italian collection, its complicated restoration history and physical state rendered it largely unexhibitable.
In the most recent conservation treatment, original paint layers were revealed, allowing unparalleled access to Pintoricchio’s original composition, freed from past interventions. This allowed conservators to embark on the rediscovery and reexamination of one of the more damaged paintings in the CMA collection and use cutting-edge technologies to better understand the materials and techniques used by the artist. Through a large digital display, visitors can traverse the layers of the painting and its conservation treatment, examining changing details as if magnified under a microscope.
This exhibition is made possible with support from Jared and Linda Buono Chaney and Carl M. Jenks.
All activities of the Eric T. and Jane Baker Nord Family Conservation Suite are underwritten by the CMA Fund for Conservation.
All digital innovation and technology initiatives at the Cleveland Museum of Art are underwritten by the CMA Digital Innovation Fund.
On-Site Activities
Lunchtime Lecture
CMA Backstory: Education’s Role in the Creation of the CMA
Tuesday, August 4, 2026, 12:00–1:00 p.m.
Gartner Auditorium, Suzanne and Paul Westlake Performing Arts Center
Free; Ticket Required
Speaker: Sabine Kretzschmar, Director of the Education Art Collection
From the beginning, the Cleveland Museum of Art was designed to be more than a repository of artworks. By 1916, its founders championed a “campaign of education” to engage the community and expand access to the arts. Explore the pioneering achievements that earned national acclaim and set the stage for the museum’s educational mission today.
Artist in the Atrium: Performing Pahari Paintings
Saturday, August 8, 2026, 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Ames Family Atrium
Free; No Ticket Required
Stop by the Ames Family Atrium between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to get a firsthand look at the art-making process. Each session provides the opportunity to engage and interact with a different Northeast Ohio maker during pop-up demonstrations and activities. See their work unfold and learn how artists create. Explore a related selection of authentic objects from the CMA’s Education Art Collection in a pop-up Art Up Close session. See, think, and wonder.
Join Mandala Arts, a South Asian performing arts group based in Chicago, for an interactive performance of scenes from the Ramayana. Inspired by the CMA exhibition Epic of the Northwest Himalayas: Pahari Paintings from the “‘Shangri’ Ramayana,” Mandala performs 20-minute sessions, each highlighting one hand-painted folio of the Ramayana through movement, gesture, and storytelling. Visitors are invited to watch, learn, and even participate in the performance, with instruction provided by Mandala Arts.
Senior Studio
Tuesday, August 11, 2026, 2:00–3:30 p.m.
Classroom F
Calling all seniors! Looking for an opportunity to learn some new art skills or build on those you have? Come to the CMA for Senior Studio, an art class just for those over 55. Explore the fundamentals of different media with instruction from professional artist Rebekah Wilhelm. All skill levels are welcome, beginner to expert. Materials are provided.
Sensory-Friendly Saturdays
Saturday, August 15, 2026, 9:00–10:00 a.m.
Free; No Ticket Required
Sensory-Friendly Saturday events offer adaptations to meet diverse sensory-processing needs every third Saturday of each month from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.
Guests on the autism spectrum, people experiencing dementia, and those of all ages who have intellectual or developmental disabilities are invited to participate in a calming museum experience with less stimulation in a section of the museum’s galleries before they open to the public—reducing crowds, noise, and distractions.
Guests can explore the galleries at their own pace, relax in the designated “calming corner,” and share this time and space with open-minded members of the community.
Things to Know While Planning Your Visit
- All guests must pass through metal detectors at the museum entrance.
- Attendees are encouraged to bring adaptive equipment, including wheelchairs, walkers, and noise-reducing headphones and technology. The Cleveland Museum of Art also offers a limited number of wheelchairs.
- The museum store and café open at 9:00 a.m. on these Saturdays.
- Sensory-Friendly Saturday events are free. Parking in the CMA garage is $14 for nonmembers and $7 for members.
- Once participants enter, they are welcome to stay for the day. The museum opens to the public at 10:00 a.m.
This program is made possible with support from the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
Guided Tours
Tours meet at the information desk in the Ames Family Atrium.
Art of the Zodiac Tours
Saturdays, August 1, 2026, through August 29, 2026, 3:00—4:00 p.m.
Ames Family Atrium
Free; Ticket Required
Whether you are a devoted horoscope reader or simply curious about the stars, this tour invites you to see the museum through a cosmic lens, where every artwork holds a piece of the universe.
Step into a constellation of stories where art and astrology meet. This docent-led tour explores how artists across cultures and time have looked to the zodiac for meaning, mapping the heavens onto human experience through myth, symbolism, and imagination. From celestial deities to star-crossed lovers, discover how the signs of the zodiac have shaped artistic expression and reflected enduring questions about fate, identity, and the rhythms of life.
To schedule private tours for adult groups of 10 or more, please contact grouptours@clevelandart.org or call 216-707-2752.
Methods and Materials Tours: Engraving and Printmaking
Sundays, August 2, 2026, through August 30, 2026, 3:00—4:00 p.m.
Ames Family Atrium
Free; Ticket Required
Join a docent-led exploration of engraving, where artists transform metal plates into intricate works of art through patience, precision, and a steady hand.
Discover how this meticulous process works, from carving fine lines into copper to transferring images onto paper, and why engraving became one of the most powerful tools for sharing ideas across Renaissance Europe. Featuring a special exhibition of master Renaissance engravers, this tour reveals how artists used line, texture, and shadow to create astonishing detail—and lasting impact.
Art in the Afternoon Tours
Wednesday, August 5, 2026, 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Ames Family Atrium
Free; Ticket Required
On the first Wednesday of each month at 1:00 p.m., specially trained docents lead a gallery tour designed for individuals experiencing memory loss and their caregivers. The Cleveland Museum of Art offers these thoughtfully structured tours to uplift the spirit, engage the mind, and create a relaxed, enjoyable social experience. Docents are trained to be responsive to the interests and abilities of all participants, encouraging conversation, shared memories, and meaningful engagement with art.
To schedule private tours for adult groups of 10 or more, please contact grouptours@clevelandart.org or call 216-707-2752.
Art and Conversation Tours
Tuesdays, 10:15–10:45 a.m.
Ames Family Atrium
Free; Ticket Required
Join us for 30-minute close-looking sessions, from 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. on Tuesdays. This program offers a focused look at just a couple of artworks, versus the traditional 60-minute public tours of the museum’s collection.
Art for Every Body Tours
Saturday, August 15, 2026, 9:15—10:15 a.m.
Ames Family Atrium
Free; Ticket Required
In addition to the CMA’s Sensory-Friendly Saturdays, the museum is also offering Art for Every Body tours on the third Saturday of each month at 9:15 a.m. Join a guided museum tour designed for comfort, ease, and connection. One wing of the museum opens early to provide a quiet, spacious setting before public hours. Two docents lead the tour, offering support with navigation, moving at a slower pace, and ensuring everyone can see, hear, and engage comfortably. This guided experience creates a relaxed, stress-free way to enjoy art, ask questions, and spend time looking together in an environment where everyone is welcome.
To schedule private tours for adult groups of 10 or more, please contact grouptours@clevelandart.org or call 216-707-2752.
Daily Guided Tours
Tuesday through Sunday
Ames Family Atrium
Free; Ticket Required
Public tours are offered Tuesday through Sunday at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., with additional tours at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. Art and Conversation tours are offered at 10:15 a.m. on Tuesdays.
Date Night Tours
Fridays, 6:15–7:15 p.m.
Ames Family Atrium
Free; Ticket Required
Step into the museum for a night out that’s a little different. Join a docent for a tour of intimate works and bold showstoppers, paired with stories of love, longing, power, and desire. Perfect for couples, friends, or a first date, this tour is made for close looking, easy conversation, and discovering how art has captured human drama for centuries.
To schedule private tours for adult groups of 10 or more, please contact grouptours@clevelandart.org or call 216-707-2752.
Continuing Exhibitions
The Renaissance Engraver at Work
Through Sunday, November 1, 2026
James and Hanna Bartlett Prints and Drawings Galleries | Galleries 101A–B
Free; No Ticket Required
Many of us hold an engraving in our hand every day in the form of US currency. In Renaissance Europe, engraving was a new technology. Long the domain of goldsmiths, engraved lines appeared as prints on paper—possibly to record metalwork designs—in the mid-1400s. The potential of printed engravings quickly became clear: They provided the opportunity to reproduce artworks in other media with unprecedented refinement and to disseminate artistic compositions far and wide.
Engraving’s materials are unforgiving. Made with just a burin (a steel chisel), a copperplate, ink, paper, and a press, engraved designs are limited to a visual vocabulary of crossed and parallel lines, dots, and grooves. Engravings made between approximately 1470 and 1650 reveal how early practitioners grappled with universal pictorial problems—such as tone, texture, and volume—through linear means. The Renaissance Engraver at Work follows the rapid spread of engraving, marked by key innovations, from the Rhine region to Florence, Nuremberg, Venice, Antwerp, Rome, and Paris.
The Cleveland Museum of Art holds some of the world’s rarest and most important early engravings, including the only known first state of Antonio del Pollaiuolo’s Battle of the Nudes and unique impressions by the Master of the Nuremberg Passion and the Master of the E-Series Tarocchi. Drawn entirely from the CMA’s collection, The Renaissance Engraver at Work explores the innovations and adaptations as well as the beauty and astounding optical effects that shaped the early history of engraving.
The Cleveland Museum of Art is funded in part by residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
This exhibition was supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts.
American Printed Silks, 1927–1947
Through Sunday, November 8, 2026
Arlene M. and Arthur S. Holden Gallery | Gallery 234
Free; No Ticket Required
Between the late 1920s and late 1940s, the US was a leader in printed silks used in fashionable attire and interiors. This exhibition showcases printed silks in the CMA’s collection from four American companies—Stehli Silks Corporation, H. R. Mallinson and Company, Silks Beau Monde, and Onondaga Silk Company.
The Cleveland Museum of Art is funded in part by residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
This exhibition was supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Plum Scenery Studio: Wu Hufan and His Circle in Modern Shanghai
Through Sunday, November 8, 2026
Clara T. Rankin Suite of Chinese Art Galleries | Gallery 240A
Free; No Ticket Required
Wu Hufan (Chinese, 1894–1968) was one of the most influential and important collectors and artists of modern Shanghai. Many paintings in the CMA’s collection bear his collector seals or inscriptions express his art expertise. This installation presents about 20 artworks from the museum and private collections, including five recent gifts to the CMA, all of which illustrate the exchanges and relationships Wu Hufan entertained with his students, painters, and poets of the time.
Silver, Gold, and Gems: A Spotlight on Jewelry Across Africa
Through Sunday, December 6, 2026
Gallery 108C
Free; No Ticket Required
For the first time, view a permanent display of gold and silver jewelry from across the African continent on view in the collection galleries of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Admire a selection of glittering ornaments from the Akan states of West Africa, shimmering gemstones from the Maghreb region, hair accessories from ancient Egypt in Northern Africa, and the bold silver of five recently gifted Ethiopian necklaces from East Africa. Spanning thousands of years, these works testify to the depth of African creativity, the skill of jewelers on the continent, and the eternal human desire for adornment.
“Bunjin” in Japanese Art
Through Sunday, December 6, 2026
Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation Japanese Art Galleries | Gallery 235A
Free; No Ticket Required
This installation explores how some Japanese artists of the 1700s and 1800s interpreted what it meant to embrace a lifestyle centered on a shared appreciation of learning and literature. Bunjin is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word wenren (文人), literally “person of letters.” Often translated into English as “literati,” wenren originally referred to Chinese scholars of the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) who held government positions and fostered social groups in which they could exchange their own paintings and poems. Over time, knowledge of this tradition—professional scholars creating amateur artworks inspired by values shared with friends—found its way to both Japan and Korea. In Japan, the most widespread engagement with the idea of the scholar-artist took place during the Edo period (1615–1868).
Native North American Textiles
Through Sunday, December 13, 2026
Sarah P. and William R. Robertson Gallery | Gallery 231
Free; No Ticket Required
Newly on display from the permanent collection are two Diné (Navajo) textiles from the late 1800s. Both are rugs woven for the non-Native collectors’ market, modeled on the Diné shoulder blanket.
Ancient Andean Textiles
Through Sunday, December 13, 2026
Jon A. Lindseth and Virginia M. Lindseth, PhD, Galleries of the Ancient Americas | Gallery 232
Free; No Ticket Required
Between about 3000 BCE and the early 1500s CE, ancient Andean weavers created one of the world’s most distinguished textile traditions in both artistic and technical terms. Within this time span, the most complex and well-preserved group of early textiles to survive was made by the Paracas people of Peru’s south coast.
Hidden Insights: Looking at the Backs of Portrait Miniatures
Through Sunday, February 14, 2027
Ellen and Bruce Mavec Gallery | Gallery 203B
Free; No Ticket Required
Portrait miniatures were portable luxury objects treasured by their owners both for the cherished portrait and the precious materials from which they were crafted. Frequently, patrons would spend substantially more than the cost of the portrait to have it placed in a gold or silver case outfitted with pearls, enamel, diamonds, colored glass, or elaborate hair work. Thirteen miniatures spanning 230 years represent a variety of approaches to ornamenting the back of a portrait and suggest the wealth of information that can be hidden from view.
Children’s Armor from the Imperial Habsburg Armory in Vienna
Through Sunday, June 4, 2028
Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Armor Court | Gallery 210A
Free; No Ticket Required
Four historically significant suits of armor from the Imperial Habsburg Armory in Vienna, Austria, are being displayed in the armor court for the next three years. The selection focuses on children’s armor and weapons to illustrate how a military education played an important role in training boys to become a knight. A few objects from the CMA’s own collection of children’s armor are being shown alongside these magnificent loans.
Principal support is provided by the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation.
New Acquisition: Giambologna’s Fata Morgana
Through Sunday, September 1, 2030
Gallery 117B
Free; No Ticket Required
The Cleveland Museum of Art has acquired Fata Morgana, one of the greatest works by Giambologna (Italian, 1529–1608), the preeminent sculptor of his generation, and the last known marble sculpture by his hand in a private collection. This rare and internationally renowned figure is being shown in a gallery evoking the Tuscan grotto in which it was originally placed.
Transformer Station
1460 W 29th Street, Cleveland, OH 44113
Lake Effect: Artists from Cleveland Now
Through Sunday, December 6, 2026
Free; No Ticket Required
In celebration of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s 110th anniversary, Lake Effect: Artists from Cleveland Now brings into focus the extraordinary depth and vitality of artistic production across Northeast Ohio. Earlier this year, the CMA invited artists from the greater Cleveland area to submit their art for a group exhibition. The artworks on view here were selected by a panel of jurors. Recalling the May Show—the museum’s annual exhibition that for decades celebrated regional artists—Lake Effect once again highlights the rich artistic history of the region and the museum’s long role as a destination and inspiration in the community.
The response to this call was itself a testament to that history and its ongoing vitality: We received 1,700 submissions from 950 artists, reflecting a region alive with artistic excellence and vision. From this remarkable pool, 66 artworks were selected, forming an exhibition that honors the breadth of creative voices shaping Cleveland today.
As the Cleveland Museum of Art looks toward its next century, Lake Effect honors the artists and audiences who have shaped its past while imagining a vision for the future. The selected artworks, diverse in medium and perspective, collectively map a contemporary landscape shaped by local histories, global currents, and the unique cultural ecology of Northeast Ohio.
Participating Artists:
Marty Ackley, Keegan Adams, Elisa Albrecht, Leslye Discont Arian, Karen D. Beckwith, Eli Betchik, Melissa Bollen, Davon Brantley, Leigh Brooklyn, Timothy Callaghan, Yiyun Chen, David Kendrick Chittock, Kristen Cliffel, Donna Coleman, Doriyan Coleman, Gianna Commito, Ajha Dean-Phillips, Billy Delfs, Avery Duff, Meryl Engler, Charles Gray, Toby Griffiths, Ilynn Guldman, Melissa Harris, Bettyann Helms, Heather Higham, Matthew Holland, R Kauff, Teresa Kiplinger, Phil Kline, Stanka Kordic, Shufeng Kuang, Maria Laureno, Jennifer Leach, Jordan Lee, Janice Lessman-Moss, Hannah Levengood, Amy Lewandowski, Yu Liu, Nicole Maye Luga, Mike Meier, Anthony Mitri, Nicolette Moyer, Paul O’Keeffe, Jenniffer Omaitz, Frank Oriti, Kristina Paabus, Maxmillian Peralta, Allison Polgar, Darice Polo, Maiya Ponsky, Shawn Powell, Bellamy Printz, Ty Rex, Katy Richards, Eric Rippert, Michael Boyd Roman, Brian Sarama, Glen Schreck, Kelle Schwab, Jacob Smith, Heather N. Stout, Judy Takács, Zack White, Chi Wong, and Nikki Woods.
For more information, visit https://lakeeffect-artists-fromclevelandnow.artcall.org (opens in a new tab).
For questions, please contact cleartistsnow@clevelandart.org.
This exhibition is organized by the Cleveland Museum of Art.
The Cleveland Museum of Art is funded in part by residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
This exhibition was supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts.
CMA Community Arts Center On-Site Activities
2937 West 25th Street, Cleveland, OH 44113
Free Parking in the Lot off Castle Avenue | Estacionamiento gratis en la Avenida Castle
Yoga for All: Connecting Mind, Body, and Community | Yoga para Todos: Conectando Mente, Cuerpo y Comunidad
Saturday, August 1, 2026, 11:00–11:45 a.m.
Free; Reservation Required | Gratis; Es Necesario Registrarse
Come one, come all, both short and tall, for free yoga at the Community Arts Center!
We invite our Cleveland-area families every first Saturday to come out for an afternoon of movement, fun, relaxation, and connection at the CAC! This free event is hosted by Cleveland Clinic yoga professional and Lululemon ambassador Valerie Williams, who guides you through a series of fun stretches, movements, games, and giveaways to brighten up your day! Practice yoga alongside your kids, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or very best friends—all ages are welcome! Don’t worry if your little one might not stay quiet on their yoga mat—we encourage kids to have fun while they move, or they have the option to read or draw in our studios. Snacks and refreshments are provided for all children in attendance. Please join us after yoga for an art-making session with our amazing Community Arts Center staff.
Participants are encouraged to bring their own yoga mats. Limited mats are available.
Email commartsinfo@clevelandart.org (opens in a new tab) to reserve your spot.
¡Vengan uno, vengan todos, tanto bajos como altos, para practicar yoga gratis en el Centro Comunitario de Artes! ¡Invitamos a nuestras familias del área de Cleveland cada primer sábado a salir a pasar una tarde de movimiento, diversión, relajación y conexión en el CAC! Este evento gratuito es presentado por la profesional de yoga de Cleveland Clinic y embajadora de Lululemon, Valerie Williams, quien lo guía a través de una serie de divertidos estiramientos, movimientos, juegos y obsequios para alegrar su día. Practica yoga junto a tus hijos, padres, abuelos, tías, tíos o mejores amigos, ¡todas las edades son bienvenidas! No te preocupes si tu pequeño no se queda callado en su esterilla de yoga: animamos a los niños a divertirse mientras se mueven, o tienen la opción de leer o dibujar en nuestros estudios. Se proporcionan refrigerios y refrigerios para todos los niños que asisten. Únase a nosotros después del yoga para una sesión de creación artística con nuestro increíble personal del Centro de Artes Comunitarias.
Se anima a los participantes a traer sus propias colchonetas de yoga. Hay colchonetas limitadas disponibles.
Envíe un correo electrónico a commartsinfo@clevelandart.org para reservar su lugar.
Comic Club
Saturday, August 1, 2026, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Free; All Ages; No Reservation | Gratis; Todas Edades; No Es Necesario Registrarse
Be inspired and venture into the world of storytelling with artist Kobe Saunders (opens in a new tab). Work in the company of others to develop your own style and collaborate!
Explore the long history of sequential art through various genres and cultures, including newspaper comic strips, American superhero comics and graphic novels, Japanese manga, and media adaptations (film and television) of these stories. Practice techniques to improve drawing and storytelling skills with a focus in character design, visual language, and panel structure.
Inspírate y aventúrate en el mundo de la narración de historias con el artista Kobe Saunders (opens in a new tab). ¡Trabaja en compañía de otros para desarrollar tu propio estilo y colaborar!
Explora la larga historia del arte secuencial a través de varios géneros y culturas, incluidas las tiras cómicas de periódicos, los cómics y novelas gráficas de superhéroes estadounidenses, el manga japonés y las adaptaciones de medios (cine y televisión) de estas historias. Practique técnicas para mejorar las habilidades de dibujo y narración con un enfoque en el diseño de personajes, el lenguaje visual y la estructura de paneles.
The Creative Table
Friday, August 14, 2026, 5:00–7:00 p.m.
Community Arts Center | Centro de Artes Comunitarias
Free; No Ticket Required | Gratis; No Se Requiere Boleto
Join us on the second Friday of each month for a laid-back evening of conversation and creativity. Whether you’re a painter, poet, photographer, or just curious, come hang out and share what you’ve been working on!
All mediums are welcome. The event is an open-discussion forum.
Únase a nosotros el segundo viernes de cada mes para una noche relajada de conversación y creatividad. Ya sea que sea pintor, poeta, fotógrafo o simplemente curioso, venga a pasar el rato, y comparta en qué ha estado trabajando.
Todos los medios son bienvenidos. El evento tiene un formato de discusión abierta.
Presented by Bank of America. Additional support is provided by Shurtape Technologies.
The 2026–27 Performing Arts Series is sponsored by the Musart Society. This program is made possible in part by the Ernest L. and Louise M. Gartner Fund, the P. J. McMyler Musical Endowment Fund, and the Anton and Rose Zverina Music Fund.
The views expressed by performers during this event are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Performances at Transformer Station are generously supported by the Cleveland Foundation.
All exhibitions at the Cleveland Museum of Art are underwritten by the CMA Fund for Exhibitions. Principal annual support is provided by Michael Frank and the late Pat Snyder, the Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation, the John and Jeanette Walton Exhibition Fund, and Margaret and Loyal Wilson. Major annual support is provided by the late Dick Blum and Harriet Warm and the Frankino-Dodero Family Fund for Exhibitions Endowment. Generous annual support is provided by two anonymous donors, Gini and Randy Barbato, Cynthia and Dale Brogan, Dr. Ben and Julia Brouhard, Brenda and Marshall Brown, Gail and Bill Calfee, the Leigh H. Carter family, Dr. William A. Chilcote Jr. and Dr. Barbara S. Kaplan, Mary and Jim Conway, Joseph and Susan Corsaro, Ron and Cheryl Davis, Richard and Dian Disantis, the Jeffery Wallace Ellis Trust in memory of Lloyd H. Ellis Jr., Leigh and Andy Fabens, Florence Kahane Goodman, Martha H. and Steven M. Hale, Janice Hammond and Edward Hemmelgarn, Linda Harper, Robin Heiser, the late Marta and the late Donald M. Jack Jr., the estate of Walter and Jean Kalberer, Robert M. Kaye, Jane and Doug Kern, the late Mrs. Nancy M. Lavelle, Eva and Rudolf Linnebach, William S. Lipscomb, Bill and Joyce Litzler, the Roy Minoff Family Fund, Lu Anne and the late Carl Morrison, Mrs. Peta and the late Dr. Roland Moskowitz, Jeffrey Mostade and Eric Nilson and Varun Shetty, Sarah Nash, Courtney and Michael Novak, Mark and Paula Nylander, Tim O’Brien and Breck Platner, Dr. Nicholas and Anne Ogan, William J. and Katherine T. O’Neill, Henry Ott-Hansen, the Pickering Foundation, Frank and Fran Porter, Christine Fae Powell, Peter and Julie Raskind, Michael and Cindy Resch, Marguerite and James Rigby, in memory of Dee Schafer, Betty T. and David M. Schneider, Elizabeth and Tim Sheeler, Saundra K. Stemen, Paula and Eugene Stevens, the Womens Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art, and Claudia Woods and David Osage.
All education programs at the Cleveland Museum of Art are underwritten by the CMA Fund for Education. Principal support is provided by the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, Dieter and Susan M. Kaesgen, and Gail C. and Elliott L. Schlang. Major annual support is provided by Brenda and Marshall Brown, Mrs. Martine Kowal, Eva and Rudolf Linnebach, Medical Mutual of Ohio, the Edwin D. Northrup II Fund, the Reinberger Foundation, Shurtape Technologies, and the Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation. Generous annual support is provided by an anonymous donor, Gini and Randy Barbato, the M. E. and F. J. Callahan Foundation, Dr. William A. Chilcote Jr. and Dr. Barbara S. Kaplan, Char and Chuck Fowler, the Giant Eagle Foundation, Linda Harper, the late Marta and the late Donald M. Jack Jr., Susan LaPine, Bill and Joyce Litzler, the Logsdon Family Fund for Education, Sarah Nash, Courtney and Michael Novak, William J. and Katherine T. O’Neill, the Pickering Foundation, William Roj and Mary Lynn Durham, Suzanne Cushwa Rusnak and Jeff Rusnak, Ellen and Lowell Satre, in memory of Dee Schafer, Betty T. and David M. Schneider, the Sally and Larry Sears Fund for Education Endowment, Roy Smith, Paula and Eugene Stevens, the Trilling Family Foundation, Jack and Jeanette Walton, and the Womens Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
All activities of the Eric T. and Jane Baker Nord Family Conservation Suite are underwritten by the CMA Fund for Conservation. Principal annual support is provided by an anonymous donor and the Parker Hannifin Corporation. Major annual support is provided by Cathy Lincoln, Eva and Rudolf Linnebach, the Dawn M. Neff Endowed Fund for Conservation, and Dr. Isobel Rutherford. Generous annual support is provided by an anonymous donor, Gini and Randy Barbato, Brenda and Marshall Brown, Dr. William A. Chilcote Jr. and Dr. Barbara S. Kaplan, Linda Harper, the late Marta and the late Donald M. Jack Jr., Dr. and Mrs. John T. Lai, Albert Leonetti and Ruth Anna Carlson, June and Simon K. C. Li, William and Joyce Litzler, Sarah Nash, Courtney and Michael Novak, William J. and Katherine T. O’Neill, the Pickering Foundation, Michael Prunty and the late M. Lee Maxwell, William Roj and Mary Lynn Durham, Anya and John Rudd, in memory of Dee Schafer, Betty T. and David M. Schneider, the Seven Five Fund, Paula and Eugene Stevens, Jack and Jeanette Walton, and the Womens Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
All digital innovation and technology initiatives at the Cleveland Museum of Art are underwritten by the CMA Fund for Digital Innovation. Principal support is provided by the Bishop Parker Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Tim Elek Jr., Walt and Kathy Fortney, Mr. William N. Hanson in loving memory of Susan H. Hanson, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the late Mrs. Nancy M. Lavelle, John and Leanne Sauerland, and the Trilling Family Foundation.
The Community Arts Center was made possible with principal support from Chuck and Char Fowler and the Eric and Jane Nord Family Fund. Major annual support for the Community Arts Center is provided by the Edwin D. Northrup II Fund and the Reinberger Foundation. Generous annual support is provided by the Giant Eagle Foundation.
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About the Cleveland Museum of Art
The Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 68,000 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The museum is a significant international forum for exhibitions, scholarship, and performing arts and is a leader in digital innovations. One of the foremost encyclopedic art museums in the United States, the CMA is recognized for its award-winning open access program—which provides free digital access to images and information about works in the museum’s collection—and is free of charge to all. The museum is located in the University Circle neighborhood with two satellite locations on Cleveland’s west side: the Community Arts Center and Transformer Station.
The museum is supported in part by residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture and made possible in part by the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts. The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. For more information about the museum and its holdings, programs, and events, call 888-CMA-0033 or visit cma.org.