Cleveland's esteemed cultural institution heads set for panel discussions in the upcoming series presented by Siegal Lifelong Learning.
The Great Institutions of Cleveland, a new series of panel discussions, is set to begin on Friday, September 26, 2025, and will continue for four consecutive Fridays. This series, presented by Siegal Lifelong Learning at Case Western Reserve University, promises to be an engaging exploration of Cleveland's cultural landscape.
The series will feature the executive directors, presidents, or CEOs of Cleveland's 10 major museums and cultural destinations. Each session will delve into the founding purpose of these organizations, their community impact, and how their missions and programming have adapted to serve today's audiences. Discussions will also touch upon shifts in funding strategies due to political and economic changes, as well as future challenges and opportunities.
The events will take place at the Siegal Lifelong Learning location in the Landmark Centre Building, 25700 Science Park Dr., Beachwood, starting at 10 a.m. John Grabowski, visiting associate professor of history at Case Western Reserve University and editor of the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History, will moderate these insightful discussions. Both in-person and remote attendance options are available, with optional receptions with the museum directors following each session at 11:30 a.m.
The cost for the full in-person series is $100, or $135 including receptions, while the full series on Zoom costs $50. This series offers a rare opportunity for the public to engage directly with leaders shaping Cleveland’s cultural landscape and aims to foster greater appreciation for the city’s cultural richness.
The first panel discussion on September 26 will feature Greg Harris, President and CEO of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and Kirsten M. Ellenbogen, President and CEO of the Great Lakes Science Center. The following week, on October 3, William M. Griswold, Director and President of the Cleveland Museum of Art, and Christopher Kuhar, Executive Director of the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, will take the stage.
On October 10, Edward Moydell, President and CEO of Holden Forests & Gardens, Kelly Falcone-Hall, President and CEO of the Western Reserve Historical Society, and Maria Campanelli, Executive Director of The Children's Museum of Cleveland, will join the discussion. The series will conclude on October 17 with Sonia Winner, President and CEO of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Megan Lykins Reich, Executive Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, and Aaron Petersal, Executive Director of the Maltz Museum.
Organizers hope to expand future series to include Cleveland’s performing arts institutions, research organizations, sports teams, industry, and education sectors. This promising series promises to be an enlightening journey through Cleveland's cultural institutions, providing insights into their past, present, and future.
- Attendees of The Great Institutions of Cleveland will benefit from lifelong learning opportunities, as the series aims to foster greater appreciation for the city's cultural richness, offering discussions on education-and-self-development and learning about the founding purposes, community impacts, adaptations, and future challenges of Cleveland's major museums and cultural destinations.
- The organizers of The Great Institutions of Cleveland, presented by Siegal Lifelong Learning at Case Western Reserve University, plan to extend future series to include Cleveland's performing arts institutions, research organizations, sports teams, industry, and education sectors, with the goal of providing a comprehensive exploration of the city's cultural landscape, championing lifelong learning and continuous growth.
