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Weddings

Pricing information

Reception
$4,500 starting price
Ceremony
$4,500 starting price
Bar service
$35 per person
Reception
$2,000 starting price
Ceremony
$2,000 starting price
Bar service
$35 per person
These prices are available for the months of April through December. These prices are available for the months of January through March.

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Attributes highlighted by couples

Unique aesthetic style
Event coordination
Guests comfort
Amenities

About

On WeddingWire since 2019

Cleveland Museum of Natural History is a museum wedding venue located in Cleveland, Ohio that offers both indoor and uncovered outdoor settings. This museum was first founded in 1920 in the spirit of the gentlemen who had a passion for the natural sciences. Today, this museum is considered to be one of the finest institutions of its kind in North America.

Facilities and Capacity

OPENING FALL 2023: THE NEW VISITOR HALL & EVENT SPACE. As our primary event space, your guests will be seated among several of our iconic specimens- including "Happy" the Jurassic sauropod. This grand reception area features floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking the beautiful Smith Environmental Courtyard, a lovely outdoor area for cocktails.

In addition, this historical museum and wedding venue offers several smaller spaces and rooms for receptions, engagement parties, and/or rehearsal dinners. The variety of galleries and collections, including Corning Gallery and the Perkins Wildlife Center & Woods Garden, provide a great backdrop for your special day. To create a truly unique experience, you can consider adding a private planetarium show for your guests or even invite some native Ohio animals to the cocktail reception. This will truly be a night of unforgettable experiences, fully customized to what you want on your special day. The venue can accommodate anywhere from 10-250 guests.

Services Offered

This venue offers a variety of event, catering, and bar services for each couple and their guests. Create your dream event at this venue by throwing a party in a setting that is truly one-of-a-kind. Services include:

  • Tables
  • Chairs
  • Housekeeping staff
  • Security staffing
  • On-site event coordinator
  • Cleanup
  • Setup
  • Event planning
  • Server(s)
  • Audio equipment
  • Lighting
  • WiFi

Cuisine

We are proud to partner with Levy Cultural, our exclusive catering partner, whose 40+ years of culinary excellence and creativity will help bring your vision to life. Ask about our Wedding Packages!

Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during peak season?

$4,500

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during off-peak season?

$2,000

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?

$4,500

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?

$2,000

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Chairs
Clean Up
Event Planning
Parking
Set Up
Tables

Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?

Cake Cutting
Dessert
Server(s)

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$35

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

Bartender(s)
House Beer
House Liquor
House Wine
Open Bar

What is the minimum number of guests required to book your venue?

10

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

5

Describe your venue:

Museum

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Bar Services
Catering Services
Clean Up
Event Planner
Event Rentals
Wifi

What catering services do you offer?

Buffet
Cocktail Reception
Dessert
Hors d'oeuvres
Outside Cake
Plated
Server(s)
Stations
Tastings

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Cash Bar
Champagne Toast
House Beer
House Liquor
House Wine
Liquor License
Open Bar
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink
Specialty Beer
Specialty Wine

What event items are available?

Audio Equipment
Chairs
Lighting
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Valet
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

What months are included in your off-peak season?

January
February
March
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4.4 out of 5 rating
6 Reviews
  • Quality of service
    4.6 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    4.2 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    4.3 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.3 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.7 out of 5 rating
83% Recommended by couples
E
Elisabeth P. Sent on 11/17/2021
5 out of 5 rating

The best part of the wedding (besides getting married)

Booking the Cleveland Museum of Natural History was a highlight of our wedding planning experience! Our guests loved the unique venue and were so excited to dance the night away underneath the dinosaurs. We held our ceremony in the new Smith Environmental Courtyard which was so beautiful with the colorfully lit waterfall behind us and native plants lining the start of our aisle. We also opened the Wade Gallery of Gems and Jewels for the evening, which was a big hit during the cocktail hour!

We were thrilled to work with with Anne, our event coordinator. She was so helpful both on in-person visits and virtually when we planned much of the wedding from the East Coast. She was enthusiastic about our ideas and able to share experiences from previous events to help us make more informed decisions where possible. Anne was also really good at talking about the Museum in ways that made sense and were exciting to both lifelong enthusiasts and complete newbies- I had been to Ohio a few times prior, but my husband was a regular guest of the Museum while growing up in Cleveland.

Another highlight of working with CMNH: Anne, Zach Bruell catering coordinator Kim, and Solus Lighting coordinator Maureen are a power trio that work amazingly well together for both brainstorming and seamless execution of our plans. We are so grateful for their teamwork!

If we had to plan a wedding all over again, we would return to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History without any hesitation. It’s been a few months, but our guests are still telling people how memorable it was to attend a wedding at the Museum!
Katherine
Katherine L. Sent on 06/17/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Unique.Classy.Unforgetable

If you are looking for the most unique and entertaining venue for you and your guests, this is the place to be! We just had our wedding at the museum a couple weeks ago, and our guests are still raving about it. The dinosaur exhibits and animal enclosure were our favorite parts!

On top of having the endless entertainment of the displays, the staff there are the greatest! Their special event's coordinator Anne was as excited about our wedding as we were. She was super accommodating especially because we were planning our wedding from New York. She is super organized with a concise packet of information that answers practically anything that come up. Also she was very quick to respond via phone or email.

The museum exclusively contracts with Zack Bruell Events for catering. It was also a pleasure working with Kim and Molly. Again, all were super flexible working around our travel schedule and all our lat minute changes to the guest list. And the food.... to DIE for.

The museum also only contracts with Solus lighting who brought to life the night of our dreams. They offered soo many options for coloring, shapes, and the expertise to make it all work together.

Overall this experience has been excellent and we would HIGHLY recommend this venue!
B
Rebecca Sent on 05/19/2009
5 out of 5 rating
This was an amazing venue -- everyone commented how unique the venue was and the outdoor setting was lovely for a spring wedding (we had both the ceremony and reception here.) The museum staff were very professional and happy to work with us in every way. We had a planetarium show, which they customized for our wedding. It was really the perfect site for a pair of scientists to get married.
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