The word museum comes from the Greek word for a temple dedicated to the muses: history, astronomy, dance, music, comedy, tragedy, and lyric, epic, and religious poetry. Each of these muses is in evidence at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Few public collections can boast Cleveland's concentration of quality, rarity, and worldwide renown. Dedicated in 1916 for the benefit of all the people forever, the museum is home to a constellation of masterpieces — works that define their medium, that define our experience of art. In The Cleveland Museum of Art new director David Franklin offers a personal tour of some of his favourite objects, selected from holdings that span 6,000 years of artistic achievement. Each entry offers a reflection on the work of art, explaining why it is one of his highlights.