Ronald and Christina Gidwitz Hall of Birds

The Ronald and Christina Gidwitz Hall of Birds is a window into our collective ornithological obsession. Digital rails display new science alongside traditional taxidermy. Interactive displays offer bird maps and educational videos, as well as a “build a bird” game. And immersive atmospheric projections adorn the walls with live-action silhouette footage and environmental sound.

We started building our bird collection as part of the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893—and we never stopped collecting. Today, the Field Museum’s scientific bird collection has more than 530,000 specimens, including eggs and nests. It is the third largest in the United States and represents 90 percent of the world’s known bird species, several of which can no longer be found in the wild.

Birds have captivated artists for centuries, and the Artists’ Corner features depictions of birds from our library—including works by Louis Agassiz Fuertes and John James Audubon—as well as modern work by talented artists associated with ornithology and the museum today.

Let your fascination take flight, and look up as you leave the museum. You may see things differently!