The Field Museum is a revered Chicago institution and one of the world’s great natural history museums. The immersive exhibits explore everything from ancient cultures to the latest scientific discoveries, drawing from an astounding collection of more than 24 million objects. Explore an ancient Egyptian tomb, meet the planet’s largest creature, get eye-level with insects, discover ancient civilizations, and more.
Here are just a few things to know before visiting the Field Museum in Chicago.
About the Field Museum
The Field Museum first opened in 1894, displaying a collection of artifacts originally assembled for the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. Today, the exhibits explore more than 4.6 billion years of natural history, from ancient Egypt to Qing Dynasty China to the prehistoric era and beyond. When you enter the museum, you’ll be greeted by one of its most famous residents — Máximo the Titanosaur, the largest dinosaur to ever walk the earth. And don’t miss SUE, the most complete T.rex ever discovered, in the Evolving Planet gallery. And make sure to spend time exploring the rest of the lakefront Chicago Museum Campus, including the Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium.
Field Museum permanent exhibits
Cyrus Tang Hall of China: Within five galleries, the 350 objects on display represent centuries of Chinese culture, including pottery, jades, bronzes, burial objects, ceramics, Buddhist sculptures, rubbings, textiles, and paintings.
Inside Ancient Egypt: This popular exhibit takes you deep inside an ancient Egyptian burial chamber, where you’ll come face to face with 23 human mummies and 30 animal mummies. It also features floor-to-ceiling hieroglyphs and a 4,000-year-old royal boat.
Evolving Planet: Say hi to SUE, the most complete T.rex fossil ever discovered, along with more than a dozen of the biggest creatures in world history. The exhibit starts with single-cell organisms and explores the creatures that have roamed the earth right up to our human ancestors.
The Ancient Americas: Step inside an 800-year-old pueblo and view a collection of hand-carved tools used by ice-age hunters. This exhibit offers a glimpse of life for the indigenous peoples of the Americas, including the Aztec and Inca empires.
Underground Adventure: Shrink to less than an inch tall to see and feel what it’s like to be a bug. Meet a bunch of creepy creatures that live in the dirt, and learn why they’re so important to our ecosystem.
Grainger Hall of Gems: Gaze at some of the rarest gemstones in the world throughout this priceless collection. Don’t miss the eye-popping 5,890-carat topaz, Tiffany & Co. pieces from the 1893 World’s Fair, and the ancient Egyptian garnet necklace that’s more than 3,400 years old.
3D Theater: Watch the Field’s exhibitions come to life in Chicago’s first entirely digital 3D theater.
Abbot Hall of Conservation’s Restoring Earth: Follow museum scientists as they study the diversity of life and team up to protect living treasures from Chicago, South America, the Pacific coral reefs, and beyond.
Crown Family PlayLab: Made for little explorers, this immersive kid-friendly environment has six themed play areas bursting with real artifacts and specimens. Dig up dinosaur bones, grind corn in a Pueblo, or try instruments from around the world.
Accessibility at the Field Museum
The Field Museum offers a variety of resources and amenities to help remove barriers and make programs, exhibitions, and facilities accessible to all. This includes wheelchair rentals, accessible restrooms, auditory and tactile guides, sensory bags, free admissions for paid personal care assistants, and more. Learn more about accessibility at the Field Museum.
