Founded in 1893 to display items from the World’s
Columbian Exposition, and renamed in 1905 to honor its first major
benefactor, Marshall Field, this vast museum offers fascinating insights
into global cultures and environments past and present. Home to all
sorts of cultural treasures, fossils, and artifacts, as well as to
myriad interactive exhibits, make no bones about it: this natural
history museum is one of the best in the country.
1400 S Lake Shore Dr 312 922 9410
www.fieldmuseum.org
Metra station: Roosevelt Road Open 9am–5pm daily Adm.: adults $12,children (4–11), seniors, and students with ID $7 DA
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The main entrance is
located on the museum’s north side, though visitors typically enter on
the south, where buses, trolleys, and cabs drop off. A third (ground
level) west entrance is suitable for wheelchair access. If you visit on a
weekday, it’s worth asking staff about the museum’s Free Highlights
Tours, which take place twice daily. And don’t forget to look for
information on the day’s special events, tours, and activities, posted
throughout the building.
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Museum façade
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Grab a bite to eat under the watchful gaze of dinosaur Sue at the Corner Bakery on the main level.
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Two free trolley services link the Field, the Shedd and the Art Institute with the nearest Metra stations, CTA stations, and Downtown.
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Have a museum-related question? Look out for attendants carrying a big “Ask Me” sign.
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Top 10 ExhibitsSue A Tyrannosaurus rex,
13-ft (4-m) high by 42-ft (12.8-m) long – the largest, most complete,
and best preserved ever found. Her real 600-lb (272-kg) skull, too heavy
for the skeleton, is on view nearby.
Pacific Spirits A
real celebration of vibrant Pacific islander culture: visitors can see
dramatic masks, listen to recorded sounds from the swamps of New Guinea,
and bang on an impressive 9-ft (3-m) drum.
Underground Adventure Enter
this larger-than-life “subterranean” ecosystem to get a bug’s-eye view
of life. Wander through a jungle of roots, and listen to the chatter of a
busy ant colony. Extra admission charged. Lions of Tsavo In
1898, these two partners in crime killed and ate 140 men constructing a
bridge in Kenya, before they in turn were hunted and killed. The skins
were first used as rugs, before being mounted as you see today. Inside Ancient Egypt This
part-original, part-replica Egyptian ruin leads you up and down stairs,
into Egyptian bedrooms and tombs, and even through a marketplace.
Discover how Cleopatra lived and how mummies were wrapped.
Grainger Hall of Gems Fiber-optic
lighting illuminates over 500 glittering gems, precious stones, and
minerals. Even though it’s a replica, the star of the show is the
breathtaking Hope Diamond. Hall of Jades This
impressive collection of over 500 jade artifacts includes items from
Neolithic burial sites, the Chinese Dynasties and the early 20th
century. Tools used to create them are also on display. Africa Browse
the wares of a Saharan market, experience life on a slave ship, and see
a pair of fighting elephants: this exhibit offers an amazing journey
through ancient and modern Africa.
Pawnee Earth Lodge This replica Pawnee dwelling is an interactive exhibit that showcases the traditions of the 19th-century Pawnee Indians. Nature Walk Stroll
through wetland, woodland, and other habitat dioramas complete with
stuffed wildlife striking perfect poses. A deer management computer game
lets you play God with the fate of the animals.
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