My husband and I went to the Field Museum yesterday afternoon. Although we live within a 10 minute walk, it was the first time we’ve been to the lakefront/Museum Campus in over a year due to a lot of reasons. It was a great afternoon! The Field Museum requires you to sign up for a specific time slot online. (Also if you aren’t members consider getting one because they are running a discount now). You have to enter on the ground level on the east side. You get a QR code on your phone or you can print out. Everyone has to wear a mask and everyone complied. Social distancing was self enforced and everyone who was there at our time was very respectful. I estimate that less than a hundred people were there. The main hall is different now. They took away the ticket stations so it is almost eerily empty. All the big exhibits are still open but some of the smaller ones on the second floor are closed. They are re-working the Native American section. Since we are members we got free tickets to the new exhibit ‘Asklooke Women and Warriors’. Highly recommend it. The cafeteria is open but with limited food offerings. The bar is closed. After the Museum, we walked around the lakefront. Lots of bikers and walkers but still not as crowded as I imagined. Of course it was a Friday afternoon so that could be a reason. The prairie flowers are in full bloom and it was gorgeous! It was a much needed normal summer activity. I can’t stress enough about how well the Field is doing about Covid restrictions. I felt safe. Please do go and help support our struggling museums.

I always try to add a museum visit to my itinerary whenever I travel. Visiting a large city like Chicago offers many museums- more than most people could possibly cover in a short span of time. If your days in the city are few and you want to narrow down to only the very best, then one museum that needs to be on your list is the Field Museum of Natural History. I fist visited this museum back in 1978 as part of a junior high school field trip, so my recent visit was as much about nostalgia as it was about education. The museum is quite large, and it immediately impresses from the outside. Walking up the steps, you just know there is something great in store for you once you make your way inside. The Field Museum impresses on each of its two levels and the most difficult part is deciding which exhibit to visit. If your time is limited, then I recommend selecting a few that interest you most and going directly to them. If you have plenty of time on your hands, then you can start at the entrance with the first exhibit, then proceed one by one. This museum is all about natural history; the evolution of the earth and its many inhabitants. The exhibits focus mainly on animals, but there are other exhibits that feature plants, gems, and human history as well. There are special exhibits, too, some of which require an additional fee to view. Depending on your individual interests, some of these special exhibits are worth the price so don’t pass them up. Possibly the most popular exhibit at the Field Museum is Sue the famous T. Rex, and her large, imposing skeleton. Dinosaurs are, as expected, a major part of this museum but they are far from the only part. The earth has been home to thousands of fascinating species and the Field Museum gives many of them mention. Transportation to and from the Field Museum can be a challenge if you intend to get her by car. A better option is to use the public transportation. Trying to drive here, find a place to park, etc can be more stressful than necessary so use the public transportation instead. It is much better to leave the worries to someone else so that you can focus on the museum and its many educational wonders. You can easily spend a full day or longer at the Field Museum, so allow plenty of time. And be sure to visit the Bistro before you go for a quick meal and a beer brewed by one of the museum’s partner breweries. These partnerships were created with learning in mind, so not only do you get to drink some fantastic beer, you are also supporting education with each sip, which makes this a win- win all around. Museums educate and inspire. They serve not only to inform us about the past but also about how to best plan for the future. The Field Museum in downtown Chicago accomplishes this and so much more. It’s an excellent way to learn more about the Earth’s past and what we need to do to protect the planet for the future. It belongs on every traveler’s list of places to visit in this midwestern metropolis.

My 9yo and I did the Dozin’ with the Dinos program and had an absolute blast. You can’t beat the price considering it includes a place to sleep and park overnight in downtown Chicago. There were lots of fun, structured activities available, but you were also free to wander the museum at your leisure. We paid a little extra for the premium tickets and would definitely recommend. Bring a few extra dollars for gift shop trinkets and snacks from the vending machines, but otherwise they have all your needs included!