This is probably Cleveland's best known and most popular tourist attraction, and it is located just a short walk from the Hilton.

The Conference will be holding its Opening Reception there on Sunday evening. We will have exclusive use of the facility from 7 to 11 pm. There will be a nominal fee of $15 to attend. Kosher hors d’oevres will be served, and there will be a cash bar. Participants will also receive a discount coupon for a second visit later in the week.

The building was designed by I. M. Pei, who just died on May 16.

The website of what Clevelanders call the “Rock Hall” can be visited HERE.

The Great Lakes Science Center is right next to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and also a short walk from the Hilton. It has hundreds of interactive science displays of interest to people of all ages. During the time of the Conference, one can tour the 1925 steamship William G. Mather and learn about the history of commerce on the Great Lakes.

The Cleveland Museum of Art is probably the Number Two attraction. Its collection is particularly strong in American art, including Native American art. Visiting the museum’s collections is always FREE to the public. Some special exhibitions may carry a charge and tickets may be purchased online, at the ticket center, or by calling 216-421-7350. For hours, see HERE.

In addition to the many regular exhibits, the following special exhibit will be open during the time of the conference: Medieval Monsters: Terrors, Aliens, Wonders.

The Museum of Natural History is located a short distance from the Museum of Art, making a nice pair of museums to visit.

The most famous item on exhibit is the skeleton of Lucy, the three-million-year-old human ancestor.

Visitors to the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage step into a world filled with inspiring and moving stories of Jewish immigrants perhaps even their own ancestors and modern-day heroes. By incorporating state-of-the-art computer interactives, film, special effects, individual stories, and oral histories, the Museum’s dramatic permanent exhibition is an uplifting and moving experience.

Among the many exhibits, the following ones may be of particular interest:

• They’ve Arrived: What would it be like to leave everything familiar behind? Experience the hopes and dreams of those coming to America at the turn of the 20th century, including a small band of Jewish immigrants from the tiny village of Unslaben in Bavaria who set out for Cleveland in 1837.
• Building a City: Be part of the struggle to learn a new language, find a job, raise a family and achieve American citizenship while maintaining your heritage and Jewish identity. And as the community grows, find ways to educate your children and care for the homeless, sick, and aged. Watch businesses flourish and fortunes rise; answer the call to protect your homeland’s shores and new-found freedoms.
• Generation to Generation: Generations of Jewish men and women have made a profound impact on the social, cultural, economic and scientific progress of our region, our country and our world.

The Conference is taking place during a great time to catch a Cleveland Indians home game. They are playing the following teams in nine straight games:

• Houston Astros on Tuesday, July 30; Wednesday, July 31; and Thursday, August 1
• Los Angeles Angels on Friday, August 2; Saturday, August 3; and Sunday, August 4
• Texas Rangers on Monday, August 5; Tuesday, August 6; and Wednesday, August 7

You can access the full schedule HERE. The stadium, Progressive Field, is located right in downtown Cleveland, only a mile from the Hilton (you could even walk there). For directions and parking information, click HERE.

If you can’t get to a baseball game but love baseball, you might enjoy a visit to the Baseball Heritage Museum, which is located at the site of League Park, former home of the Cleveland Indians at 6601 Lexington Avenue. During the baseball season, the museum is open on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays from 1 pm to 4 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm. And it’s FREE!

Over the summer, The Cleveland Orchestra performs mainly at the Blossom Music Center, about 30 miles south of downtown Cleveland. By car, it takes only about 45 minutes to get there. There are performances at the following times (complete information and the full schedule can be found HERE):

• 7:00 pm on Saturday, July 27
• 7:00 pm on Sunday, July 28
• 8:00 pm on Saturday, August 3

There are also the following performances at Severance Hall in Cleveland:

• 7:00 pm on Friday, July 26 (the final performance in Oberlin's Cooper International Violin Competition)
• 7:00 pm on Friday, August 2

The Lake View Cemetery, located about seven miles east of the city, is the prestige burial place in the Cleveland area. Famous people buried there include President James Garfield, industrialist John D. Rockefeller, crime-fighter Eliot Ness, and Rock & Roll’s Alan Freed. The cemetery occupies 285 acres of beautiful, peaceful grounds that are open every day of the year, for the summer season from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm (but may close early due to inclement weather).

The West Side Market, a little under two miles south of the conference hotel, is Cleveland’s oldest indoor food market area and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is home to 100 vendors offering meats, seafood, fruits, vegetables, baked goods, dairy, wines, flowers, ready-to-eat foods, spices, and nuts. Hours are from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm on Monday and Wednesday, from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm on Friday and Saturday, and 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Sunday.