Field Museum

What Field Museum does

The Field Museum of Natural History is a private non-profit natural history museum founded in 1893 in Chicago, Illinois, located at 1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive on Museum Campus. The museum operates daily from 9am to 5pm and houses one of the world's most significant natural history collections, featuring permanent exhibitions including Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet with SUE the T. rex, Máximo the Titanosaur, Inside Ancient Egypt (50+ mummies), Grainger Hall of Gems (600+ gems), and the Elizabeth Hubert Malott Hall of Jades (450+ specimens). Core offerings extend to paid discovery exhibits (Underground Adventure, Cyrus Tang Hall of China), temporary exhibitions (Pokémon Fossil Museum through April 2027, After the Age of Dinosaurs through January 2027), and immersive experiences (VR Transporter, Drop in the Ocean, 3D films).

The museum's technology infrastructure includes a collections management system with publicly accessible databases, a digital asset management system, interactive mobile mapping, and multimedia documentation capabilities (CT scans, 3D models, photogrammetry). Collections data is released under Creative Commons CC0 and multimedia under CC BY-NC licenses, following FAIR and CARE principles, with distribution through GBIF, VertNet, Europeana, and partnerships with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

The Field Museum operates a diversified revenue model spanning general admission tickets, premium Discovery/All-Access passes, an annual membership subscription program (with free daily admission and 10% retail/F&B discount), traveling exhibition licensing to global partner institutions, image and media licensing for commercial use, venue rentals for private events, on-site retail stores (including the SUE store), and the Field Bistro restaurant. The traveling exhibition program distributes turnkey content packages (Wild Color, Death: Life's Greatest Mystery, Pokémon Fossil Museum) to art museums, science centers, children's museums, and local history centers worldwide, supplemented by digital IP starter kits that enable partner-curated exhibitions. Customer segments include general public visitors (primary), partner museums and cultural institutions, Illinois and Chicago residents receiving free/discounted admission, schools and educational groups, and museum members.

Name

Field Museum

Legal name

Field Museum of Natural History

Website

https://fieldmuseum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1893

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Field Museum is a private non-profit natural history museum founded in 1893 in Chicago, serving the general public with permanent and temporary exhibitions, traveling exhibitions licensed to global partner institutions, memberships, retail, and educational programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural History Museum and Cultural Institution Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums (71211), Museums (712110)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural History Museums (THAJADAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

Keywords

• Natural history museum
• Museum exhibitions
• Traveling exhibitions
• Science education
• Museum memberships

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. General Admission Tickets: Base ticket sales providing access to standard exhibitions including SUE the T. rex, Máximo the Titanosaur, Inside Ancient Egypt, Hall of Gems, and Hall of Jades.
2. Premium Exhibition Passes: Discovery and All-Access passes providing access to paid exhibitions including Underground Adventure and Cyrus Tang Hall of China.
3. Membership Program: Annual membership providing free admission every visit, early exclusive access to new exhibitions, and 10% discount at museum restaurants and stores.
4. Traveling Exhibition Licensing: Licensing of exhibition intellectual property packages including design content, specifications, and media to partner institutions for hosting Field Museum exhibitions.
5. Image and Media Licensing: Licensing of collections images and multimedia for commercial use with curator and licensing committee approval.
6. Venue Rentals: Private event venue rental services for corporate events, weddings, and special occasions at museum facilities.
7. Retail Store Sales: On-site gift shops offering souvenirs and merchandise, including main store, SUE store, and special exhibition shops.
8. Food and Beverage: Field Bistro restaurant operation serving locally-sourced menu items and grab-and-go options during museum hours.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Field Museum operates a natural history museum at its Chicago headquarters, offering permanent and temporary exhibitions featuring iconic specimens such as SUE the T. rex, Máximo the Titanosaur, Inside Ancient Egypt, Grainger Hall of Gems, and Hall of Jades. It also licenses traveling exhibition IP packages (Wild Color, Death: Life's Greatest Mystery, Pokémon Fossil Museum) to partner institutions globally, sells memberships, operates retail stores and the Field Bistro restaurant, and provides venue rentals, image licensing, and educational programs.

Product overview

The Field Museum is a natural history museum offering a diverse portfolio of permanent and temporary exhibits, traveling exhibition packages, and educational services. Core permanent exhibits include Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet (featuring SUE the T. rex), Máximo the Titanosaur, Inside Ancient Egypt, Grainger Hall of Gems (600+ gems), and Elizabeth Hubert Malott Hall of Jades (450+ jade specimens). Paid discovery exhibits include Underground Adventure and Cyrus Tang Hall of China. Temporary exhibitions feature VR Transporter, Drop in the Ocean, T.REX: The Story of SUE 3D, Penguin Island 3D, and the Pokémon Fossil Museum (through April 2027). The museum's traveling exhibition program offers turnkey exhibition packages including Wild Color and Death: Life's Greatest Mystery, plus digital IP starter kits like the Wild Color IP Starter Kit for digital content delivery. Additional services include venue rentals, image licensing, and membership programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SUE the T. rex: Famous T. rex specimen and brand, one of the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons ever found

Products and services

• General Admission Tickets Base ticket sales providing access to standard permanent exhibitions including SUE the T. rex, Máximo the Titanosaur, Inside Ancient Egypt, Hall of Gems, and Hall of Jades for individual visitors and families.
• Discovery and All-Access Passes Premium ticket passes providing access to all exhibitions including Underground Adventure and Cyrus Tang Hall of China, in addition to standard exhibitions included with general admission.
• Membership Program Annual museum membership providing free admission every visit, early exclusive access to new exhibitions, and 10% discount at museum restaurants and stores for individual members and families.
• Wild Color Traveling Exhibition Award-winning traveling exhibition where visitors journey through the rainbow, experiencing each color in the spectrum in its own section with vivid graphics and immersive media. Licensed to partner museums, science centers, children's museums, and history centers worldwide.
• Death: Life's Greatest Mystery Traveling Exhibition Traveling exhibition exploring natural and cultural perspectives on death through artifacts, specimens, interactives, and immersive media experiences. Requires 7,500 ft2 gallery space with 12 ft ceiling height. Licensed to partner institutions globally.
• Pokémon Fossil Museum Traveling Exhibition Traveling version of the Pokémon Fossil Museum exhibition featuring Pokémon themed around real fossils, available for hosting at other museums and cultural institutions.
• Wild Color IP Starter Kit Digital intellectual property package allowing institutions to curate their own Wild Color exhibition using the Field Museum's research-based content. Includes object lists, bilingual label text, high-resolution graphics files, projection files, soundscapes, component shop drawings, and atmospheric element guidelines.
• Image Licensing Licensing of museum collection images for educational, personal, and commercial use, with curator and licensing committee approval. Collections data released under CC0 public domain waiver and multimedia under CC BY-NC license.
• Venue Rentals Rental of museum spaces and facilities for corporate events, weddings, and private gatherings, providing distinctive venue settings with access to exhibition backdrops.
• Museum Retail Stores On-site gift shops offering souvenirs and merchandise, including main store, SUE store, and special exhibition shops selling dinosaur-themed and museum-branded products to visitors.
• Field Bistro Restaurant On-site restaurant serving locally-sourced menu items and grab-and-go options during museum hours, providing dining services to museum visitors.
• Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet Exhibition Permanent natural history exhibit exploring Earth's 4.5 billion years of evolution, featuring over a dozen giant creatures and SUE the T. rex in a new display.
• Máximo the Titanosaur Exhibition Permanent exhibit featuring the largest dinosaur ever discovered, a herbivorous titanosaur that lived over 100 million years ago in what is now Patagonia, Argentina.
• Inside Ancient Egypt Exhibition Permanent exhibit exploring ancient Egyptian daily life and preservation practices after death, featuring replicas of tombs and over 50 human and animal mummies.
• Grainger Hall of Gems Permanent gem exhibit showcasing over 600 individual gems and hundreds of beautiful pieces of jewelry from around the world.
• Elizabeth Hubert Malott Hall of Jades Permanent exhibit featuring over 450 jade specimens from throughout Chinese history, exploring the cultural significance of jade.
• VR Transporter Experience Virtual reality experience offering immersive exploration capabilities for visitors at the Field Museum.
• T.REX: The Story of SUE 3D Film 3D film experience telling the story of SUE the T. rex, the world's most complete T. rex skeleton.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 130 years of museum operation since 1893
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and supporting.

• GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerField Museum follows GBIF data sharing policies and publishes biodiversity data on the GBIF aggregator, adhering to shared ethics and copyright standards for open data.
• Europeana FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerField Museum follows Europeana Foundation data sharing policies for public domain usage, contributing to the European cultural heritage data ecosystem.
• CanadensyscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerField Museum follows Canadensys data practices for openness and ethics in biodiversity data sharing, with recommended data practices based on their policies.
• VertNetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerField Museum publishes biodiversity data through VertNet aggregator, following shared data licensing guidelines and practices for open scientific data.
• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural HistorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerField Museum's recommended data practices are based on policies from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, indicating alignment in data management approaches.
• Creative CommonscoreTechnology or IntegrationField Museum releases collections data under CC0 public domain waiver and multimedia under CC BY-NC license, using Creative Commons licensing frameworks for open content sharing.
• SpotHerominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpotHero parking reservation app partnership offering discounted Museum Campus parking for Field Museum visitors using promo code FIELDCHI.
• DivvyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChicago's bike-sharing system offering 24-hour passes for visitors to access the museum via Lakefront Trail, with nearest station at museum's southwest side.
• CityPASSsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCityPASS bundled attraction pass including discounted Field Museum admission along with other Chicago tourist attractions.
• GoChicagosupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGoChicago bundled attraction pass including discounted Field Museum admission along with other Chicago tourist attractions.
• Standard ParkingsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStandard Parking manages Museum Campus parking operations on behalf of Chicago Park District, providing parking services for Field Museum visitors.
• Partner Museums (Art Museums, Science Centers, Children's Museums, Local History Centers)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner institutions host Field Museum traveling exhibitions including Pokémon Fossil Museum, Wild Color, and Death: Life's Greatest Mystery, bringing museum content to global audiences.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Carnegie Museum of Natural History: Pittsburgh-based natural history museum with significant dinosaur (Diplodocus carnegii) and gem/mineral collections. Comparable in scale, collections scope, and the model of using iconic specimens to anchor attendance and brand.
• American Museum of Natural History: The largest natural history museum in the world, located in New York City. Operates a directly comparable mix of permanent natural history exhibits, dinosaur collections, traveling exhibitions, membership programs, and scientific research — making it the closest structural and mission peer to the Field Museum.
• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: Smithsonian's flagship natural history museum in Washington, D.C. Operates dinosaur halls, gem and mineral collections, and research-driven exhibits on the same model as the Field Museum, with Field Museum explicitly aligning its data practices to Smithsonian standards.
• Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County: Major natural history museum with permanent dinosaur halls, gem and mineral exhibits, and active research and collections programs. Competes for traveling exhibition partnerships, scientific talent, and West Coast visitor traffic comparable to Field Museum's Midwest catchment.
• California Academy of Sciences: San Francisco-based natural history institution combining research, aquarium, planetarium, and exhibits under one roof. Comparable scale and mission in running a hybrid research-and-public-facing natural history operation.
• Denver Museum of Nature & Science: Regional natural history and science museum serving a comparable Midwestern/Rocky Mountain audience. Competes for traveling exhibitions, family memberships, and educational programming partnerships in adjacent US markets.
• Houston Museum of Natural Science: Large US natural history museum with extensive permanent and traveling exhibition programming and a notable gem collection. Operates a similar model of premium traveling exhibitions, IMAX/3D films, and membership-driven revenue.
• Peabody Museum of Natural History: Yale-affiliated natural history museum with deep collections in paleontology, anthropology, and natural sciences. Comparable in research-intensity and exhibition programming, though smaller in scale than the Field Museum.

Regional players

• Royal Ontario Museum: Canada's largest natural history and world cultures museum based in Toronto. Comparable in scale, collections breadth, and operating model, but serves a primarily Canadian catchment rather than competing directly in the Chicago market.
• Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago: Chicago's other major Museum Campus institution directly competing for the same local visitor and tourist base, school group bookings, and CityPASS bundle inclusion.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fieldmuseum
• Facebookfacebook.com/fieldmuseum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-field-museum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Field Museum