The Fine Arts Campus’s Restoration

Established through the extraordinary philanthropy and vision of four 19th- and 20th-century philanthropists, the origins of the Cleveland Museum of Art can be traced to Horace Kelley, namesake of the Horace Kelley Art Foundation. In his will, Kelley directed that a substantial portion of his estate be used for the establishment of an art museum in Cleveland. In 1899, acting on this charge, the trustees of the Kelley estate created the entity that would later become the CMA and went on to provide major funding for the museum’s construction, care, and ongoing maintenance. Since the museum’s founding, the Horace Kelley Art Foundation has remained closely aligned with the CMA, helping to advance many of the museum’s highest priorities. 

The Horace Kelley Art Foundation’s steadfast support of the CMA has been essential to the museum’s ability to fulfill its mission of bringing transformative experiences through art to all people. This enduring partnership includes a crucial gift to the museum’s transformation campaign, which fundamentally reshaped the institution and nearly doubled its gallery and exhibition space. The foundation’s generosity, recognized through the naming of the Horace Kelley Art Foundation North Lobby, has helped ensure that the CMA continues to honor its founders’ intent by remaining free and open to the public.

Recently, the Horace Kelley Art Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to the CMA and the Greater Cleveland community by making a foundational gift of $5 million in support of the revitalization of the historical Fine Arts Campus, including Chester Beach’s Fountain of the Waters, the Zodiac Garden, and Wade Lagoon. This vital cultural and civic space that welcomes more than 200,000 Cleveland residents and visitors annually. The Fine Arts Campus’s planned restoration enhances this beloved gathering place through expanded accessibility, strengthened sustainability practices, and the preservation of its cultural and ecological treasures for generations to come. “The trustees of the Horace Kelley Art Foundation are honored to be a part of the restoration and re-envisioning of the Fine Arts Campus,” Curtin G. Kelley, the president of the foundation notes. “As a vital part of the museum’s grounds, its rehabilitation ensures that these iconic spaces can be enjoyed by all.”

The CMA is profoundly grateful to the Horace Kelley Art Foundation for its unwavering dedication to enriching Cleveland’s cultural landscape. In recognition of the foundation’s extraordinary partnership and enduring generosity, this munificent gift is forever memorialized within the restored Fine Arts Campus.