Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

菲尔德自然史博物馆（英语：Field Museum of Natural History），创立于1906年，这座巨大的世界级博物馆里，留出6公顷多的区域用于展览，探索世界各地的文化和环境，菲尔德博物馆收藏了超过2100万件的标本，兼具教育展览、学术研究和收藏保护功能，从甲虫、木乃伊到猿猴标本，还有宝石矿石样样俱全。参观之前首先见到了Sippa，7年前在摩洛哥刚出生时曾抱着他留影，7年后再见面时已经是一位英俊儿童。他父母是泰国外交人员7年前被派往拉巴特，如今又被派往芝加哥，这也是这次芝加哥之旅的另一个原因。在史前馆里我看到了来自摩洛哥数千万年前的水母化石，也印证了撒哈拉地区数千万年前是海底世界的论述。参观过程中我们都被一位研究员坐在那里纹丝不动的情景所疑惑，都以为是一个模型。10多分钟后他站立起来像我们展示他所钻洗的化石样本时才意识到是个真人，赞叹他的奉献精神。这里众多的恐龙展示中有一位最出名就是Sue-苏。苏（英语：Sue），是世界上现存最大，保存最完整的一具雷克斯暴龙化石。它是由美国古生物学家苏·亨德里克森于1990年8月12日在南达科他州西部发现的，因此以她的名字命名。芝加哥菲尔德自然史博物馆在1997年10月4日纽约索斯比拍卖行主持的拍卖中以836万美元购得。这是迄今古生物化石拍卖的最高价。苏也自此成为菲尔德博物馆的永久藏品-镇馆之宝。博物馆目前同时展出“唐仲英中国文物”和“埃及木乃伊”。木乃伊展是我见到的最完整的埃及木乃伊历史展。全方位了解了木乃伊的社会背景，仪式，进行的方式和具体的制作过程。不但大开了眼界，而且增长了知识。博物馆大厅的空中植物园。需要喷水时掉链可以将植物送到地面喷水，结束后再送到空中。

Hop on the South Shore Line from the Miller Beach Train Depot (2 miles from Miller Beach Dream Retreat), then take the CTA or taxi to Nature Museum

Great museum to take little kids to! I used to babysit for a 3 year old who absolutely loved it, aside from being afraid from the butterfly room. There is a nice water station and some areas to climb and it tends to be pretty empty on weekdays.

This is a wonderful place to take children! There's a ton of things to do, I would definitely recommend going just to be in the butterfly room (I believe on Wednesday mornings there are even yoga classes in there!). There are a ton of exhibits, all of which are hands on. There are more than enough exhibits to fill a day here. But if you end up with free time afterwards, the zoo is not far away.

Fabulous for small children. Butterfly room is huge. Water exhibit where they can play with boats and learn about locks. Toddler room with slide for the little ones. Giant remote control praying mantis above main entrance. Across the street from Lincoln Park Zoo. Free on Thursdays.

Celebrating more than 150 years of science exploration and education, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is the public face of the Chicago Academy of Sciences, founded in 1857 as Chicagos first museum dedicated to educating Chicagoans about nature and science through the preservation and display of native specimens, classroom activities, and dissemination of scientific knowledge.