Trip to Chicago's Field Museum Members night May 9th, 2024

[Joseph Fossil]

Yesterday I went to the annual Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago's Members Night with my Mom and a few friends. Despite being a longtime member of the Field Museum (aka the Best Museum in all of Chicago), I hadn't actually went to Member's night since I was 12. Let's just say that I really didn't regret a single moment going to member's nights yesterday...It was Awesome!!! 

 

I took perhaps hundreds of photos, so here are just some of the best highlights from the event.

 

Got to see the Museum's newly acquired 151-145 million year old Archaeopteryx specimen. This Archaeopteryx is one of only 13 confirmed fossil specimens and only the second specimen in the United States.

 

 

Both the case/display they had for the specimen and the specimen itself are beautiful!!!

 

 

 

 

 

The homing pigeon sized specimen (PA 830) was discovered in Jurassic aged deposits in a Solnhofen Limestone quarry in Bavaria, Germany and acquired by the Field Museum secretly in 2022.

 

[Joseph Fossil]

We got to see one of the third floor fossil prep labs and a true mother load of Awesome Mason Creek fossils!!!

 

 

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[Joseph Fossil]

Afterwards we visited the Field Museum's greatest exhibit the Evolving Planet!!!

 

 

 

 

 

This includes visiting the 68-66 million year old Queen of the Museum itself, Sue the Tyrannosaurus rex.

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, we visited the hall of gems and the behind the scenes fossil mammal collection. They have an excellent collection of mammal fossils dating 37.2-30.8 million year ago from the White River Formation of the Great Plains and Central Rocky Mountains area!!!

 

 

 

This includes specimens of Protoceras.

 

 

 

 

Elomeryx

 

 

Archaeotherium ingens.

 

 

Dinictis felina

 

 

They even had Hyaenodon specimens!!!

 

 

 

There were also Bear dog specimens!!!

 

 

Overall the members night was truly awesome! I'm excited to go again and I recommend you all visit the Field Museum soon too!!

[SPrice]

Great report and photos! I need to calendar a visit there. 

[hadrosauridae]

Thanks for the pics, looks like it was a great trip.  The Field is one of my all-time favorite museums.

[rew]

On 5/10/2024 at 2:30 PM, Joseph Fossil said:

Yesterday I went to the annual Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago's Members Night with my Mom and a few friends. Despite being a longtime member of the Field Museum (aka the Best Museum in all of Chicago), I hadn't actually went to Member's night since I was 12. Let's just say that I really didn't regret a single moment going to member's nights yesterday...It was Awesome!!! 

 

I took perhaps hundreds of photos, so here are just some of the best highlights from the event.

 

Got to see the Museum's newly acquired 151-145 million year old Archaeopteryx specimen. This Archaeopteryx is one of only 13 confirmed fossil specimens and only the second specimen in the United States.

 

 

Both the case/display they had for the specimen and the specimen itself are beautiful!!!

 

 

 

 

 

The homing pigeon sized specimen (PA 830) was discovered in Jurassic aged deposits in a Solnhofen Limestone quarry in Bavaria, Germany and acquired by the Field Museum secretly in 2022.

 

 

Very cool.  I've neve seen a real life Archaeopteryx fossil.  But this will do.