Gallery One

Cleveland Museum of Art

Overview

Breaking the museum’s oldest rule: Please touch the art.

For centuries, art museums have been defined by one rule: Look, but don't touch. The Cleveland Museum of Art wanted to tear down that barrier. We created Gallery One, a space that transforms passive observation into active participation. By digitizing the entire collection and putting it onto a 40-foot interactive wall, we gave visitors permission to touch, sort, and play with the art—creating a sense of ownership that glass cases never could.

Partners

Zenith Systems (AV Integrator), Gallagher & Associates, Piction

“Unprecedented”

The New York Times

We designed the space to function as a bridge between the visitor and the vast collection. Through a mix of large-scale interactive displays and mobile tools, visitors can curate their own journey based on what they love, rather than just historical eras. The experience empowers them to see the museum through their own lens, turning a daunting labyrinth of galleries into a personalized adventure that begins with digital play and ends with a face-to-face encounter with the art itself.

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“The success of Gallery One cannot be overstated.”

Jane Alexander, CMA Chief Information Officer