Graham, Victoria and I met our friends on Sunday for a play date at the Field Museum. Visiting the museum was on my summer bucket list and has been on my Chicago list since we moved here. The Field Museum surpassed any expectations I had. The colossal building contains so much history that you would have to visit many times to explore all of its exhibits. We spent hours here and left with plans to come back.
We started by letting our toddlers play in the kids lab, where they could color, put together puzzles, play musical instruments, hold plush dinosaurs, and lots more. We worked up an appetite and dined on vegan dogs, grilled cheese, mac and cheese, sausage and peppers and burgers at the Field Bistro on the Main Floor. (By the way, the stroller entrance is on the east side of the building and you will be on the Ground Floor. Also, there’s a picnic area on the Ground Floor.)
Find a map of the museum on its website.
On the main floor of the Field Museum you’ll find Stanley Field Hall, home to the information desk, a gift shop, and entrances to many of the exhibits. You’ll also see Sue the T-Rex.
We then checked out the first part of the Ancient Egypt exhibit before moving to the Tibetan and dinosaur exhibitions.
It is impossible to read every bit of historical information as you walk by. I gravitated toward the displays about evolution and dinosaurs, which I find most interesting. Bones, Stones and Human Evolution was the most challenging class I ever enrolled in during college, and I had flashbacks of studying as I walked through the Evolving Planet exhibit. I suggest picking the topics you like the most and spending as much time as you can in that exhibit.
We also checked out the Cyrus Tang Hall of China exhibit, which had a fascinating video portrayal of the changing physical boundaries of the country throughout its history. Check it out if you go! You’ll need an exhibit ticket to access this area, which also has touch screens on its displays where you can find a vast amount of information.
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| A video plays on a screen in the Hall of China. |
We next checked out garden and gemstone exhibits before heading back to Ancient Egypt to see the mummies. I could not believe all the artifacts the museum has on display. It’s the most impressive museum I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting.
We had a wonderful time at the museum and can’t wait until we can go back. It’s the perfect way to spend a cold winter day when we are tired of being stuck in the house.
Have you been to the Field Museum in Chicago?
