Field Museum of Natural History
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The Field Museum of Natural History (often abbreviated to FMNH) is located in Chicago, Illinois; in Chicago Park District near downtown. It is a part of a lakefront Museum Campus (that includes also the John G. Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium). It was founded in 1893, on 16 September.
Original name of the museum was the Columbian Museum of Chicago and the purpose was defined as "accumulation and dissemination of knowledge, and the preservation and exhibition of objects illustrating art, archaeology, science and history."
Since its founding the Field Museum has been the leader in evolutionary biology and paleontology, and archaeology and ethnography in the United States. It has close links with local universities - particularly the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago.
The original name has changed to present-day Field Museum of Natural History in 1905. Marshall Field was its first major donor. And also its main focus, natural science, appeared in its new name. Until 1921 the museum was located in Jackson Park, in the "Palace of Fine Arts", the structure now occupied by the Museum of Science and Industry, and then it moved to its current location.
The museum is organized into four major departments: Anthropology, Zoology, Botany and Geology. The collection of the museum has extended since it was founded. It has more than twenty million species today. It is especially proud of the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex fossil skeleton currently known that is named Sue. In the museum’s library, there are more than 250,000 volumes. The Field Museum offers many opportunities for both informal and more structured public learning. The museum provides also research mainly in the fields of systematic biology and anthropology.
The Field Museum of Natural History is opened daily (except Christmas), usually from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Original name of the museum was the Columbian Museum of Chicago and the purpose was defined as "accumulation and dissemination of knowledge, and the preservation and exhibition of objects illustrating art, archaeology, science and history."
Since its founding the Field Museum has been the leader in evolutionary biology and paleontology, and archaeology and ethnography in the United States. It has close links with local universities - particularly the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago.
The original name has changed to present-day Field Museum of Natural History in 1905. Marshall Field was its first major donor. And also its main focus, natural science, appeared in its new name. Until 1921 the museum was located in Jackson Park, in the "Palace of Fine Arts", the structure now occupied by the Museum of Science and Industry, and then it moved to its current location.
The museum is organized into four major departments: Anthropology, Zoology, Botany and Geology. The collection of the museum has extended since it was founded. It has more than twenty million species today. It is especially proud of the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex fossil skeleton currently known that is named Sue. In the museum’s library, there are more than 250,000 volumes. The Field Museum offers many opportunities for both informal and more structured public learning. The museum provides also research mainly in the fields of systematic biology and anthropology.
The Field Museum of Natural History is opened daily (except Christmas), usually from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.