Wade Park (Cleveland park) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wade Park |
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View of the museum from the steps of the Euclid Avenue entrance to Wade Park, overlooking the Lagoon. Seen in the foreground is Frank Jirouch's 1928 bronze sculpture, Night Passing the Earth to Day.
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| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Cleveland |
| Area | 63 acres (25 ha) |
| Created | 1882 |
| Operated by | Private |
Wade Park is a beautiful park located in the University Circle area of Cleveland, Ohio. It's a special place because it's home to some amazing spots like the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Botanical Garden, and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. You'll also find Wade Lagoon here, a pretty body of water right in front of the Museum of Art. Even though the park itself isn't an official historical landmark, it's part of the historic Wade Park District, making it a cool setting for many old buildings.
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A Park's Beginning
Wade Park has a cool history! A man named Jeptha Wade started creating the park in 1872. In 1882, he gave the 63-acre (about 25 hectares) piece of land to the city of Cleveland. The city later bought more land to make the park even bigger. Mr. Wade had a dream for the park: he wanted it to be home to an art museum. His dream came true in 1916 when the Cleveland Museum of Art opened its doors in the park.
Art and Sculptures
Wade Park is like an outdoor art gallery! It has the Wade Park Fine Arts Garden, where you can see many sculptures from the Cleveland Museum of Art's collection. Most of these artworks are placed between the museum's main entrance and Wade Lagoon.
The Thinker Statue
One of the most famous sculptures you'll find is a large bronze statue called The Thinker by Auguste Rodin. It sits at the top of the museum's main staircase. This particular statue is unique because it was damaged in 1970. The damage was left mostly as it was, partly because Rodin himself sometimes showed his works even if they were damaged. Today, this damage makes the statue special among the many other castings of The Thinker around the world. A plaque at the base of the statue explains its story.
Other Sculptures to See
There are other cool sculptures in the garden too:
- A monument to Tadeusz Kościuszko, a Polish hero who helped in the American Revolutionary War. This statue was made by Gaetano Trentanove in 1904.
- The Fountain of the Waters, created by Chester A. Beach in 1927.
- A bronze sundial from 1928 called Night Passing the Earth to Day by Frank Jirouch. This one is across Wade Lagoon from the museum, near the park's entrance on Euclid Avenue.
Park Neighbors
Wade Park is also next to parts of a larger park system called Rockefeller Park. One section of Rockefeller Park is along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, on Wade Park's northwest side. Another part is directly across University Circle to the southeast, on Euclid Avenue.
What to Do at Wade Park
Wade Park is home to several exciting attractions that are great for families and students:
- The Cleveland Museum of Art: This museum is located at the southern entrance of the park, right behind Wade Lagoon. It's full of amazing art from all over the world.
- The Cleveland Museum of Natural History: You can find this museum in the northwestern part of the park. It's a fantastic place to learn about nature, dinosaurs, and space!
- Cleveland Botanical Garden: This garden started in 1930. It's located on East Boulevard in the northeastern part of the park. It had a big update in 2003 and is a wonderful place to explore different plants and gardens.
