Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, Cleveland

The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (MoCA) is a key institution dedicated to contemporary art in Cleveland. Founded in 1968 by Marjorie Talalay, Agnes Gund, and Nina Castelli Sundell, it is the only contemporary art venue of its kind in the Greater Cleveland area. MoCA started as The New Gallery became the Cleveland Centre for Contemporary Art in 1984, and has been the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland since 2002.

In 2012, MoCA unveiled a new building designed by the acclaimed British-Iranian architect Farshid Moussavi, along with the architectural firm Foreign Office Architects (FOA) and the American firm Westlake Reed Leskosky (WRL). The structure, a striking four-story, 34,000-square-foot six-sided building, integrates seamlessly into the surrounding Uptown neighborhood and reflects MoCA’s ethos of creativity and innovation. Moussavi's design uses reflective black stainless steel for the exterior, allowing it to mirror the surrounding plaza and environment, thus creating an ever-changing visual experience that engages visitors from all angles.

The interior of the museum defies the traditional 'white cube' gallery model, opting instead for electric blue walls and ceilings that enhance the presentation of contemporary artworks. The museum’s layout is highly flexible, utilizing movable walls, glass partitions, and a unique guillotine wall system that allows the top floor’s 6,000-square-foot space to be adapted for a variety of exhibitions and events. The Kohl Family Monumental Staircase and Kohl Atrium serve as guiding features through the building, encouraging visitors to explore all four floors.

Key areas include the Gund Commons, a two-story event space with a retractable door, and the MoCa Gift Store, featuring flexible cabinetry that can be hidden for more event space. The museum’s façade, interacting with Toby’s Plaza, serves as a public “living room,” inviting community engagement. MoCA Cleveland remains a hub for creativity, offering a space for art, public events, and cultural exchange.