The world-famous Museum of Natural History, known by the acronym FMNH (Field Museum of Natural History), is one of the largest of its kind in the world and the most visited museum in Chicago.
If you want to explore all parts of the museum, be prepared for about 3-4 hours of time.
You'll find the museum, along with other attractions, on the Museum Campus.
What to see and the museum's collections
The Field contains collections of more than 24 million exhibits, and the permanent exhibitions are spread across many halls covering virtually the complete natural history of planet Earth.
What are the museum's biggest draws and what should definitely not be missed?
The animal halls
The first part of the museum is taken up by halls with monumental dinosaur skeletons or stuffed elephants and other animals large and small.
Among the most famous exhibits are highly accurate models of man-eating lions from Kenya's Tsavo National Park.
The evolving planet
The most popular and largest exhibit is the section dedicated to the ancient history of planet Earth.
It is in this section that you will discover, in addition to fossils, extraordinary models of the skeletons of many dinosaur species. In this respect, the Field Museum is one of the best in the world.
Inside Ancient Egypt
The exhibition offers an insight into the life of ancient Egypt and the main attraction is the 23 mummies on display.
You'll also find a replica of a tomb or an ancient marketplace.
Ancient America
A significant part of the museum is also dedicated to ancient life in the Americas.
In total, you will find 6 exhibitions covering the complete period of antiquity with many archaeological artifacts and interactive displays.
Admission and opening hours
The museum is open every day from 9:00-17:00. Last admission is always 1 hour before closing time and for up-to-date information, visit fieldmuseum.org/visit.
There are always many types of tickets available, as the museum hosts occasional and temporary exhibits in addition to permanent exhibitions, for which admission is charged separately.
For a complete list of tickets and upcoming events, visit the museum's website at fieldmuseum.org/visit.
See below for basic ticket prices for permanent exhibits:
- 30 usd - Adults 11 and over.
- 23 usd - Children under 11
How to get there
The Field Museum is located in southeast Downtown on the shores of Lake Michigan.
There is no subway station within convenient walking distance, but you can get here by bus on the following lines:
- 130 - nearest subway station Roosevelt (Red, Green, Orange lines), Downtown, Union Station
- 146 - nearest subway station Roosvelt (Red, Green, Orange Line), Downtown, North Chicago
Use the Soldier Field/Field Museum stop.
What to see around
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