University Circle Neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio is a Cultural and Educational Mecca

Located four miles to the east of downtown Cleveland, Ohio, the University Circle Neighborhood is Greater Cleveland's cultural and educational center. Measuring about one square mile in size, University Circle is home to about 20 artistic and cultural venues, dozens of restaurants, a major university, hospitals, and much more.

Most of the institutions in the region are members of University Circle, Inc., the "development, service, and advocacy organization responsible for the growth of University Circle as a premier urban district and world-class center of innovation in health care, education, and arts & culture.'' Organized in 1957, this organization fulfills many administrative functions for the neighborhood, including things such as security, transportation administration, and marketing.

An estimated 30,000 people work in The University Circle neighborhood and another 13,000 or so who frequent the area are students at various institutions, namely Case Western Reserve University. Case Western is a private research university with a population of some 4,000 undergraduates and 6,000 grad students. The university organizes many programs in conjunction with cultural institutions located in the University Circle neighborhood, including museums.

Indeed, a huge variety of arts-related facilities make their home here including the Cleveland Museum of Art, one of the nation's finest art museums; the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, a world-class museum that focuses on the study and display of anthropology, archaeology, astronomy, botany, geology, paleontology, wildlife biology, and zoology; and the beautiful Cleveland Botanical Garden, with its many floral displays and bio-diverse greenhouse.

In addition, University Circle is also home to the Cleveland Orchestra's Severance Hall, the Children's Museum of Cleveland, the Art Institute of Cleveland and its art-house cinema known as Cleveland Cinematheque, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and the Cleveland Music School Settlement. There's also the tiny Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum, the Dittrick Museum of Medical History, Cleveland Playhouse, Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage, the Sculpture Center, and the Cleveland Cultural Gardens.

The University Circle neighborhood is also the location for Case Medical Center, ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of America's best hospitals in 13 medical and surgical specialties. This hospital also includes the Ireland Cancer Center, certified as acomprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute; MacDonaldWomen's Hospital, renowned Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital; and TheCenter for Clinical Research, the largest medical research center inOhio. The Cleveland Clinic, a multi-specialty academic medical center,and The Louis Stokes' VA Medical center is also located in theUniversity Circle area.

University Circle is also a popular dining destination. Combined with neighboring Little Italy, it boasts more than 100 restaurants serving a huge variety of cuisines. About a half-dozen hotels/inns provide accommodations for visitors including a few lovely bed and breakfast-type facilities. Approximately thirty places of worship also make their home in the University Circle neighborhood, providing a choice of a variety of religions and denominations.

Parking is ample in this neighborhood thanks to several garages and secured lots. A visitor's facility, dubbed the University Circle Visitors' and Living in the Circle Center, provides information for guests and those contemplating a move to the area.