Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland, OH

The Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) is advancing the rehabilitation of its historic Fine Arts Garden as part of a long-term commitment to revitalize its 40-acre grounds. Designed in the 1920s by the Olmsted Brothers, the Fine Arts Garden remains a nationally significant cultural landscape and a central feature of Cleveland’s University Circle.

The Schematic Design Plan seeks to unify fragmented areas of the grounds—from access points to terraces and promenades—through a coherent organization of paths, gardens, and features. It incorporates sustainable design, modern utility infrastructure, and reduced maintenance needs to ensure long-term resilience. The plan respects the site’s heritage while introducing contemporary amenities that expand public use, including the East and West Ovals for strolling and gathering, a Reading Terrace with flexible seating, and a Dining Terrace linked to the museum restaurant.

Key restoration efforts include rebuilding sandstone walks and stairs, replacing hedges, revitalizing plantings, and fully restoring Chester Beach’s Fountain of the Waters. The redesign emphasizes accessibility, connectivity to the Nord Family Greenway and Wade Lagoon, and opportunities for future art installations. Through these interventions, the CMA reaffirms its mission to provide transformative experiences through art and landscape—preserving the Fine Arts Garden’s legacy and vitality “for the benefit of all the people forever.”

Collaborators
GPD Group
Meld Architects
Borealis Lighting Studio
Aqueous
WR Restoration