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| - There's no better deal around if you're a CWRU student. But even if you're not a student, even if you're not from Cleveland - in fact, as long as you're a functional human being the general exhibits are free. Discounted prices for the special exhibits as a student of any kind, and free admission if you have the privilege of going to Case. Just go to the ticket desk and reserve a time in advance!
The Museum of Art is MUCH bigger than I anticipated, and encompasses pretty much any type of art you can think of. Ancient to modern, paintings to weapons, African to Asian, there's a niche for all of them. It took me two days to wander through everything at a moderate pace, stopping to read descriptions of things I was interested in. Even so, I feel like I could still go back and ponder the galleries several more times before feeling like I'd seen everything. As an added bonus, you can take pictures (no flash!) freely of the permanent exhibits! In fact, they have their own phone app, ArtLens, that provides additional interactive content on many of the pieces when you snap a photo of it.
I went to see the currently running Monet to Matisse exhibit on Impressionism and was very pleased at how much effort was put into the educational aspect. Coming in with virtually no art history knowledge, I felt like the exhibit was curated so that anyone could come in and enjoy the art and understand a little about the background of where it was coming from. There was enough space in each room for all the visitors to walk around comfortably without having to be too quiet, and the docents were friendly and non-overbearing.
The central indoor courtyard of the museum seems to be a gathering place for events and activities, including wedding receptions. The overall design is simplistic in a relaxing way, with a few galleries containing surprising flourishes (checkout the Rotunda and Armory!)
All in all, the museum was a peaceful way to spend several hours over a weekend, well-kept, and full of activities for both young and old. I didn't feel out of place at all by myself amongst the art students and families, and will definitely be bringing friends and relatives in the future!
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