Clevelanders will soon get a rare chance to hear directly from leaders of the city's major museums and cultural institutions.

Why it matters: It's unprecedented to see all of Cleveland's cultural powerhouses represented together in a single series, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how they operate in today's volatile cultural and economic climate.

Zoom in: Case Western Reserve University's "The Great Institutions of Cleveland" will be a four-week Friday morning panel series beginning Sept. 26.

• Sessions moderated by historian John Grabowski, editor of the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History, will explore the institutions' founding missions, programming and financial strategies.
• Each session will be followed by a reception with the museum directors.

What they're saying: "By bringing these leaders together, we aim to provide an inside view of the missions, challenges and evolving roles of these institutions while also fostering greater appreciation of the cultural richness of Cleveland," said Andrea Kushnick Rubin, of CWRU's Siegal Lifelong Learning Center.

📅 The lineup:

• Sept. 26: Great Lakes Science Center CEO Kirsten M. Ellenbogen; Rock Hall CEO Greg Harris.
• Oct. 3: Cleveland Museum of Art director and president William M. Griswold; Cleveland Metroparks Zoo executive director Christopher Kuhar.
• Oct. 10: Children's Museum executive director Maria Campanelli; Western Reserve Historical Society president and CEO Kelly Falcone-Hall; Holden Forests & Gardens president and CEO Edward Moydell.
• Oct. 17: Maltz Museum executive director Aaron Petersal; MOCA Cleveland executive director Megan Lykins Reich; Cleveland Museum of Natural History president and CEO Sonia Winner.

Stop by: The series will be held at the Siegal Lifelong Learning Center location at the Landmark Centre in Beachwood.

• Series tickets are $50 for remote access, $100 in-person, or $135 with reception access.

The Port of Cleveland has tapped Jeff Epstein, Cleveland's chief of integrated development, as its next president and CEO. Epstein will take over Oct. 15, pending board approval.

Why it matters: The Port is one of Northeast Ohio's biggest economic engines, supporting 23,000 jobs and processing more than 13 million tons of cargo every year through the harbor.

• It also wields enormous bonding capacity and has helped finance development projects that have spurred Cleveland's revival.

What he's saying: "The Port is more than a gateway for ships and cargo — it can and should be a gateway to new jobs, thriving neighborhoods, global connections, and a waterfront that is a source of pride for every resident," Epstein said in a statement.

Catch up quick: Epstein oversees nearly 300 staffers in Mayor Justin Bibb's administration. He helped author the city's financing and development strategies, including the Shore-to-Core-to-Shore TIF and the launch of the North Coast Waterfront Development Authority.

Between the lines: He succeeds William Friedman, who left the Port in December, and interim chief Dave Gutheil, who will become COO.

Zoom out: Tom McNair, the former executive director of Ohio City Inc., was named Epstein's successor at City Hall.

• In that role, he'll oversee economic and community development, planning and housing.

⚽️ The Cleveland Soccer Group says it's "full steam ahead" with plans to construct a soccer stadium south of Progressive Field and hopes to break ground later this year. (NEOtrans)

• That's despite news last week that a development company, in partnership with CSU, is planning to reimagine the Wolstein Center site as a mixed-used development, anchored by .... another soccer stadium. (Axios)

📉 After a banner year for conventions in 2025, headlined by the American Society of Association Executives and the National Association of Black Journalists, bookings in 2026 are "a little soft." (Cleveland.com)

💸 Campaign contributions are flowing to the Cleveland City Council Ward 5 race, where incumbents Rebecca Maurer and Richard Starr are seeking re-election. (Signal Cleveland)

"I took a drive today and drove around the city a little bit. It really reminded me how much it shaped me into who I became and who Nine Inch Nails became, and how much I love this place."

Reznor returned to Cleveland, the city where he founded Nine Inch Nails in the late 1980s, this past weekend for the band's "Peel It Back Tour."

What they're saying: The usually reserved Reznor took time out to tell the Cleveland fans how much he "really appreciates" them and the city.

💭 Troy's thought bubble: It was one of the best concerts of the year so far and yet another memorable local moment in Nine Inch Nails' hall of fame career.

The NFL season kicks off this week, but it's NBA time for gamers.

State of play: Popular video game NBA 2K26 releases Friday. It's our first look at what the game thinks of the Cavaliers.

By the numbers: Cleveland has an overall rating of 83 in the game, tied for the third-highest with the Lakers, Nuggets, Mavericks, and Rockets.

• The defending champion Thunder is the highest-rated team with an 85, followed by the Knicks at 84.

Zoom in: Donovan Mitchell is the Cavs' highest-rated player with a 93, tied for 10th best. Evan Mobley (89) and Darius Garland (87) also ranked among the top 50.

• The Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Nuggets' Nikola Jokić had the highest rating of 98.

Flashback: You can also play with the Cavs' "All-Time" team, which is led by LeBron James (99), Kyrie Irving (94) and Mark Price (93).

What's next: The Cavs tip off the NBA regular season on Oct. 22 in New York.