8 | EXPLORE WINTER 2023 Perhaps you’re familiar with Blackjack, the cashew-loving raven who makes his home in the Museum’s Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden— Presented by KeyBank. Blackjack is smart as a whip, refers to himself in the third person, and if you’re lucky he’ll say hello as you pass by. Like those of all modern birds, Blackjack’s origins can be traced to theropods, a branch of mostly meat-eaters on the dinosaur family tree. The evolutionary process that produced winged birds from these ground-dwelling bipeds took roughly 50 million years. Fortunately, the Museum’s evolution—from the more traditional Cleveland Museum of Natural History into a trailblazing institution that will change how humans understand and interact with the natural world—will have taken a fraction of that time. For those who are eager to see the end result in 2024, the waiting can feel like 50 million years. But the wait is well worth it: The Museum’s evolution has just entered its most exciting phase yet. flowing curve, evoking the glaciers that created Lake Erie. A dramatic Visitor Hall will feature floor-toceiling glass walls that dissolve the boundary between indoor and outdoor space, uniting the exhibits with the surrounding landscape. Free to the public, the Visitor Hall will spotlight some of the Museum’s most iconic objects and specimens. The transformation project also includes the construction of a 50,000-square-foot addition, which will expand the Museum’s building and outdoor visitor areas to more than 375,000 square feet. This space will contain the Planetary Processes Wing, a gallery exploring the processes and systems that shape planet Earth, and the Ames Family Curiosity Center, an Ohio-focused, hands-on area where you’ll have the chance to interact with scientists and educators. The Museum’s existing exhibit space will also undergo a total reinvention, eventually housing the Visitor Hall and the Biological Processes Wing. This wing will delve into the processes that This transformation represents a major shift not just for the Museum, but also in the centuries- old paradigm for how natural history museums engage the public. Rather than passively receiving information, visitors to the new Museum will participate in active experiences that illuminate the relevance of science and nature to their daily lives. The change is a timely one. Never has it been so clear that the survival of all species, including humans, will depend in part on a collective trust in science—both to educate us and to provide solutions that lead to a healthier planet. SNEAK PEEK: NEW SPACES Every aspect of the Museum’s $150 million transformation— from the new exhibits to the architecture to the landscape design—will underscore the dynamic connections between the environment and all living things. Inspired by the geological history of Northeast Ohio, the building’s new façade will take the form of a Evolution Is Trending Debuting New Museum Spaces and Experiences The Museum's future Biological Processes Wing
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