CLEVELAND -- Nearly 3,000 people grinned and bared all in Cleveland over the weekend.

They shed their inhibitions and their clothing -- all in the name of art.

It's a sight never before seen in Cleveland. The group gathered in a secret location -- the East 9th Street Pier near the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

"Why not? It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Parma resident William Ares.

It was quite an experience for 2,754 nude people who braved the chilly morning air to pose nude and be molded and formed into art.

The artist, Spencer Tunick, was invited to work in Cleveland by the Museum of Contemporary Art. Tunick is famous for his nude bodies of work.

"People are interested in culture now. There's just a lot of art in Cleveland people should be paying attention to," Tunik said.

When all the clothes were shed, there were different shapes, sizes and a sea of skin creating another Tunick masterpiece.

"It's such beautiful artwork. I just wanted to be a part of it," Sarah Hanselman said.

Cleveland beat Montreal as North America's record holder for the biggest showing of a naked photo shoot.

The print of Saturday's photo shoot will be on view at the Museum of Contemporary Art in August