Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, Cleveland

The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland serves as the headquarters for the Fourth District of the U.S. Federal Reserve System, encompassing Ohio, western Pennsylvania, eastern Kentucky, and the northern panhandle of West Virginia. Established in 1923 and designed by the Cleveland architectural firm Walker and Weeks, the building is a 13-story high-rise located at the intersection of Superior Avenue and East 6th Street in downtown Cleveland. The structure’s exterior emulates an Italian Renaissance Palazzo, featuring pink Georgia Marble, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Notable features of the building include allegorical sculptures by Henry Hering, with figures such as Security and Integrity flanking the East Sixth Street entrance and Energy adorning the Superior Avenue entry. An expansion completed in 1998 by HOK incorporated additional facilities for check processing and cash handling, enhancing the bank’s operational capacity.

The building also housed the world’s largest bank vault door, designed by Frederick S. Holmes. Weighing 100 short tons (91 tons), with a 20-ton (18-ton) door casting, and boasting the largest hinge ever built, the vault remains intact despite being decommissioned in 1997.

In 2006, the bank introduced the Learning Center and Money Museum, featuring over 30 interactive exhibits that educate visitors on the history and role of money in society. The museum, which occupies the former public teller area closed post-9/11, offers various activities and multimedia experiences, including computerized games, crayon rubbings, and virtual tours. One of its highlights is the documentary The Panic of 1907, which narrates the events that led to the formation of the Federal Reserve System.