Your Guide to Spring Break 2025

Looking for the perfect spring break destination? 

You don't need to leave Chicago to explore the world. At the Field Museum, you can experience 4.5+ billion years of history and more than 40 million specimens and cultural items under one roof! 

Whether you’re here for a family-friendly day or an immersive educational experience, we’ve got you covered with tips on everything from what to see, how to get here, and where you can save: 

Choose your adventure

Pack your bags for a prehistoric road trip

Come face-to-face with creatures of the past

• Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet: Get to know the many creatures that have roamed the earth throughout it’s 4.5 billion-year history, from single-celled organisms to our extended human family, and one of the most important fossils of all time: the Chicago Archaeopteryx.
• SUE the T. rex: Take a quick trip to the Cretaceous to meet SUE:  the Field’s most famous resident and the largest, most complete, and best-preserved Tyrannosaurus rex ever discovered. Make a detour down to our theatre for a 3D movie featuring our fierce fossil’s epic story.
• Sobek the Spinosaurus and Máximo the Titanosaur: Visit our main hall to meet two of our biggest paleo pals. Dive into Sobek’s semiaquatic world and see what the world would’ve looked like from Máximo’s 28-foot-high POV.

Get ready to garden

Dig into the wonders of the natural world, indoors and outdoors!

• Plants of the World: Wander through meticulously made models of plant life from around the planet, representing the millions of real-life pressed plants, specimens, and cultural items behind the scenes in our herbarium’s collection!
• Rice Native Gardens: Spring has spring, and soon so will the more than 100 species of native plants surrounding the Museum! Keep an eye out for the important pollinators that help our garden thrive: birds, bats, grasshoppers, butterflies, and much more.

Explore the globe

Visit a new place and meet new people—without ever leaving Chicago

• Cyrus Tang Hall of China: Uncover China’s vast landscapes, rich culture, and deep history through artifacts spanning thousands of years— from bronze vessels and weapons to painted scrolls and goods traded along the Silk Road.
• Native Truths: Our Voices, Our Stories:  Hear from Native American and Indigenous people as they tell their own stories—through words, music, dance, and art. Experience featured story, “The Creator's Game.” the history of stickball (or lacrosse, as you may know it) is more than that of a game: It’s part of identity, spirit, and culture.
• Africa Fashion and Connecting Threads: Experience the artistry and influence of African designers through more than 180 works made by creators from 20 countries in our special exhibition, Africa Fashion. Then head back to Chicago via companion exhibition Connecting Threads to discover how our city’s African-inspired design scene connects global traditions with local creativity. 

Head out on a hike

Embark on an adventure through the sights and sounds of natural landscapes

• Ronald and Christina Gidwitz Hall of Birds: Fly by more than 1,000 birds from around the world—living and extinct—and learn about their adaptations to unique environments.
• Nature Walk & Messages from the Wilderness: Stroll through immersive dioramas that help bring wildlife habitats to life. Experience what it’s like to visit national parks across South, Central, and North America.

Make time for hands-on, family fun

Hands-on and immersive fun for curious kids and families

• Underground Adventure: Shrink down to the size of a bug and explore life beneath the soil. Crawl through underground tunnels and meet larger-than-life critters to learn more about what they need to survive and thrive beneath our feet.
• The Machine Inside: Biomechanics: All living things—including you!—contain remarkable feats of engineering. All ages can try out interactive experiences that show how mechanics like wings and fins, pumps and pipes, and claws and jaws work in nature.
• Crown Family PlayLab and Grainger Science Hub: Head to our PlayLab to let the little ones explore the world through music, art, and other hands-on activities. Then, make your way to the Science Hub for a Meet a Scientist session, where you can ask our more than 150 researchers questions about their work at the Field!
  

Make the most of your day— a little planning can go a long way

Tips

• Skip the Line: Buy tickets online and head straight to the exhibits. 
• Check the Weather: Chicago weather can be… unpredictable. Bring layers or an umbrella when needed. Lockers are available to rent near the south entrance. 
• Plan Breaks: Refuel at the Field Bistro or bring your own snacks—tables open to visitors can be found in the cafeteria space on the ground level. 

Tickets, deals & discounts

Explore the museum without stretching your budget

• Illinois Residents: Enjoy free basic admission every Wednesday in 2025 with valid ID. Plus, Illinois teachers (pre-k through 12th grade) receive complimentary admission when they present their employee ID at the museum. 
• Out-of-State Visitors: If you’re planning a trip and are considering seeing as many sights as you can, consider a CityPass or Go Chicago Card for bundled admission to the city's top attractions, including the Field Museum. 
• Membership: For frequent visitors, a museum membership is a great way to save. Members enjoy unlimited basic admission throughout the year, as well as discounts, early access to special exhibitions, and other exclusive perks. 
• Other Offers: Active military personnel receive discounted admission. 
• Museums for All: As part of Museums for All, we offer low-cost admission for families with EBT or WIC cards from any state. 
• ASTC: If you’re a member of a science center or museum that participates in the ASTC Travel Passport Program, you can receive free basic admission.