Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:1400 S Lake Shore Dr.
Chicago, Illinois
Tel:
(312) 922-9410
As part of the famous lakefront Museum Campus, the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, exhibits objects illustrating art, archaeology, science and history since 1897. Founded to house the biological and anthropological collection assembled for the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, the collection has grown to over 20 million specimens and a world class library containing more than 250,000 volumes.
The permanent exhibits at the Field Museum of Natural History include topics such as African culture, animal biology, sea mammals, bird habitats "The Ancient Americas" exhibit, complete with a replica of an 800 year old pueblo dwelling as you get windswept into the world of Ice-Age mammoth hunters. Learn about the growth and expansion of the Aztecs capital city,Tenochtitlan, on an island in Lake Texcoco, and see how 200,000 people lived on this unique piece of land. The 19,000 square foot exhibit takes you on a journey of over 13,000 years with over 2200 artifacts, videos, and amazing reconstructions that will truly amaze you.
The Museum's permanent exhibits include topics such as bird habitats, African culture, animal biology and sea mammals. Kids will gawk at Sue, the world's largest and most preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex. Young ones will also have a fun, learning experience at the Crown Family Play Lab, where they can put on lab coats and examine insects, discover hidden objects, and play around in dinosaurs' nests.
The Field Museum always has several temporary exhibits on display. Most are open for a period of 6 to 11 months and can vary in subject matter.
The Museum store offers a variety of lovely gift items from jewelry, books, multimedia, stationary, gifts, clothes, and special holiday items.
The Field Museum of Natural History is easily reached by public transportation: Take CTA bus #46 which stops along Michigan Ave. north of the river and on State St. south of the river which will drop you right across the street from the Museum.
From Field Museum of Natural History - Chicago, Illinois:
The Field Museum was founded to house the biological and anthropological collections assembled for the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. These objects form the core of the Museum's collections which have grown through world-wide expeditions, exchange, purchase, and gifts to more than twenty million specimens. The collections form the foundation of the Museum's exhibition, research and education programs, which are further informed by a world-class natural history library of more than 250,000 volumes.