Cleveland, Ohio USA
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History (CMNH) has unveiled a multiphase, $150 million transformation that since beginning in 2018, has been guided by a mission to advance sustainability and educate the community on how humans are connected to and impact the natural environment. The newly renovated and expanded facility introduces a new model for museums to elevate the visitor experience and reduce their environmental footprints.
Cleveland Museum of Natural History Transformation by DLR Group, won an American Architecture Award 2025 from The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.
The new addition is the first museum in the United States to achieve LEEDv4 BD+C NC Platinum certification, inspiring museums worldwide to lead with sustainable design. Bringing to life the natural evolution of the region, including a glacier that carved the Cuyahoga Valley and melted about 10,000 years ago, the new building’s design evokes the region’s surrounding bodies of water and geological history through alluvial shapes that define and create a single and continuous form. This form unifies the Museum’s additions, including a new visitor hall and exhibit wings designed as immersive spaces where visitors can engage with the prehistoric fossil record and interactive displays.
Drawing inspiration from the museum’s proximity to and relationship with the surrounding bodies of water, the sustainable design concept is an ode to water as a life-giving source and a force that shapes the earth. The façade’s gentle, wavy lines are reminiscent of glacial movement. A drop-shaped feature in the middle of the façade is both a symbolic gesture toward the waters that shape our world and a functional outlet that drains rainwater from the roof. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls flood the interior with natural light, dissolving the boundary between exhibit galleries and the outdoor landscape.
These design choices elevate the human experience by delivering one-of-a-kind encounters with science and nature. The new, visitor-centered experience inspires discovery and awe while prioritizing relevance and inquiry-based learning. Within the new 14,650-square-foot Visitor Hall, a community hub that ensures accessibility for diverse socioeconomic groups by being completely free to the public, visitors encounter eight of the Museum’s most iconic objects and specimens and learn about groundbreaking discoveries with ties to the Museum, Cleveland, and the region of Northeast Ohio. The renovated centralized courtyard creates a place for respite, outdoor events, and interpretation of natural areas and native plant conservation.
A new water feature, inspired by the geology and form of natural waterfalls in the Cleveland region, features local Berea sandstone. The watershed court features a map of the local watershed etched into bluestone paving that interprets flow patterns of local streams and rivers. A new feature screen wall acts as a background made up of glass fiber reinforced concrete panels organized in a modular flowing pattern. The reimagined visitor experience breaks away from the traditional, static exhibits organized by discipline and timeline, presenting an integrated storyline that illustrates how humans are products of the same evolutionary processes that shaped all life on Earth.
Reconceptualized exhibits, media-enhanced displays, and flexible spaces integrate active research and the most current scientific knowledge into gallery spaces where visitors can have authentic interactions with Museum scientists and their work. The new building stands apart through its U.S. Green Building achievement – as the first museum in the United States to achieve LEEDv4 BD+C NC Platinum certification – and distinctive architecture, featuring a curving façade whose exterior motif evokes the geological history of Northeast Ohio.
Working with landscape and civil design partners, DLR Group employed passive and active sustainable design strategies to achieve LEED Platinum certification, including: Water Management: In addition to the visible stormwater runoff, plumbing fixtures reduce indoor potable water use by 37%. Restoration and Wildlife Protection: Restoring over 50% of the site with native vegetation and trees reduced outdoor potable water use by over 60%, mitigated heat island effects, and supported pollinators and birds. Bird-friendly glazing and minimized light pollution protect wildlife.
Energy Efficiency: A mix of passive strategies (low-e glazing, R-30 roof insulation, shading) and active systems (HVAC plant with efficient heat recovery chiller, solar photovoltaic arrays) reduced energy use by 32% from the ASHRAE 90.1-2010 Baseline. Carbon Reduction: A Building Life-Cycle Impact Reduction study showed a greater than 10% reduction in embodied carbon for the new spaces. Sustainable Materials: The project diverted over 75% of construction waste from landfills. Interior designers prioritized materials with environmental product declarations (EPDs) and verified sourcing. Indoor Environmental Quality: Low-VOC materials, optimized acoustics, and daylight access for 95% of occupied spaces enhance comfort and health.
Architects: DLR Group
Design Team: Mark Morris, Joshua Haney, Paul Westlake, Dan Michaels, Andrew Gale, Kyle Zook, Marta Johns, Coral Pais, Stephanie Banfield, and John DiAntonio
General Contractor: Panzica Construction Co.
Client: Museum of Natural History
Photographers: Kevin G. Reeves
