Trailside Museum

In 1930, we partnered with Cleveland Metroparks to create outdoor-education programming. The resulting innovation—small cabins (or “trailside museums”) that hosted exhibits and events for park visitors—paved the way for today’s nature centers.

In addition to collaborating on the construction of “trailside museums” in the Metroparks, we piloted a Traveling Trailside Museum in 1947. Filled with natural history specimens that students could study up close, the trailer also featured a flip-up canopy that allowed the exhibits to be viewed from the outside. A naturalist accompanied the trailer to provide programming everywhere it visited—mostly schools, hospitals, and facilities for children with disabilities. One of the first of its kind, the Traveling Trailside Museum received international attention.

The Museum’s passion for educational outreach continues today. Each year, our educators share natural history specimens with hundreds of classrooms through our Science-to-Go!TM programs.