THE FIELD MUSEUM (INC.)

What THE FIELD MUSEUM (INC.) does

The Field Museum (Inc.) is an independent nonprofit natural history museum established in 1893 and headquartered on Chicago's lakefront at 1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive. It operates a single physical campus open daily 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, serving general public visitors, families, tourists, educators, and students through permanent galleries (e.g., Ronald and Christina Gidwitz Hall of Birds, Rice Native Gardens, the Chicago Archaeopteryx exhibit), rotating special exhibitions (Pokémon Fossil Museum through April 2027, After the Age of Dinosaurs through January 2027), and immersive 3D and VR experiences (T.REX: The Story of SUE 3D, Penguin Island 3D, VR Transporter). The museum is home to iconic scientific assets including SUE the T. rex and houses natural history collections accumulated over 130+ years of operation.

The Field Museum's business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue mix spanning one-time admissions, recurring memberships (with free admission, early exhibition access, and 10% retail/food discounts), venue rentals for corporate and private events, image and collection licensing, museum-curated traveling exhibitions distributed globally to partner institutions, and on-site retail and food services. Pricing varies by tier, with Illinois Free Wednesdays providing periodic free general admission. Marketing is multi-channel, combining website and email, organic social, press and earned media around scientific discoveries, on-site events and programming, and member-only communications. The museum has no disclosed mobile app, no public stock listing, and no parent company or private equity backing in the source data.

The operating geography is primarily the Midwest USA, but the traveling exhibitions and image licensing channels give the institution a global content distribution footprint. Notable strategic positioning includes the Pokémon Fossil Museum co-development partnership that brings franchise IP into a natural history context to broaden family appeal, and the build-out of VR and 3D immersive experiences that extend the product surface beyond traditional physical specimens.

Name

THE FIELD MUSEUM (INC.)

Legal name

The Field Museum

Website

https://fieldmuseum.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1893

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Field Museum is a 130+ year-old nonprofit natural history museum in Chicago that serves the general public, families, educators, and students through permanent galleries, rotating special exhibitions, immersive 3D and VR experiences, and a global traveling exhibitions business.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural History Museum

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJADAC

Natural History Museums

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

SECONDARYTHAJADAF

Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

Keywords

• Natural history museum
• Museum exhibitions
• Educational programming
• Museum memberships
• Traveling exhibitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Admission fees for general entry and special exhibitions
2. Membership Program: Annual memberships offering free admission, early access to exhibitions, and discounts at restaurants and stores
3. Venue Rentals: Rental of museum spaces for events and private functions
4. Image Licensing and Collections: Licensing of museum images and collection information for commercial and academic use
5. Traveling Exhibitions: Development and licensing of traveling exhibitions to other institutions worldwide
6. Retail and Food Services: Museum stores and restaurants with member discounts

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Field Museum is a natural history museum operating rotating special exhibitions, permanent specimen galleries, immersive 3D and VR experiences, and educational programming. Beyond its public visitor experience, the museum sells annual memberships, licenses museum images and collection data, develops and licenses traveling exhibitions to other institutions globally, and rents museum spaces for private events.

Product overview

The Field Museum is a natural history museum offering a diverse portfolio of exhibitions, experiences, galleries, and services. The museum features rotating special exhibitions (Pokémon Fossil Museum, After the Age of Dinosaurs), immersive 3D experiences (T.REX: The Story of SUE 3D, Penguin Island 3D), VR experiences (VR Transporter), and permanent galleries including the Ronald and Christina Gidwitz Hall of Birds, Rice Native Gardens, and Meet the Chicago Archaeopteryx. Beyond exhibitions, the museum offers membership programs with free admission and discounts, venue rental services, image licensing, and traveling exhibitions for other institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pokémon Fossil Museum A special collaborative exhibition featuring Pokémon-themed fossil displays and programming, targeting families and general visitors on Floor 1 of the Main building.
• After the Age of Dinosaurs Exhibition exploring the period following the age of dinosaurs, targeting general visitors and families interested in paleontology.
• VR Transporter at the Field Museum Virtual reality experience offering immersive transporter functionality at the museum, for general visitors seeking immersive experiences.
• Drop in the Ocean Ocean-themed exhibit experience at the museum, targeting general visitors and families.
• T.REX: The Story of SUE 3D 3D theater experience featuring the story of SUE, the famous T. rex skeleton, targeting general visitors and families.
• Penguin Island 3D 3D theater experience featuring penguin habitats and ecosystems, targeting general visitors and families.
• Rice Native Gardens Permanent garden exhibition showcasing native plant species, for general visitors and educational groups.
• Ronald and Christina Gidwitz Hall of Birds Permanent hall dedicated to bird exhibits located on Floor 1 of the Main building, for general visitors and researchers.
• Meet the Chicago Archaeopteryx Exhibition featuring the Chicago Archaeopteryx specimen as part of the Evolving Planet exhibit, for general visitors, families, and researchers.
• The Brooker Gallery General gallery exhibition space at the museum, used for rotating displays and collections.
• Membership Program Annual membership program offering free admission, early access to new exhibitions, and a 10% discount at museum restaurants and stores, for individual visitors and families.
• Venue Rentals Rental of museum spaces and venues for corporate events, weddings, and private gatherings, targeting corporate and private clients.
• Image Licensing Licensing of museum images and collection information for commercial and academic use, targeting publishers, researchers, and media.
• Traveling Exhibitions Museum-curated traveling exhibitions developed and licensed to other institutions worldwide, targeting partner museums and cultural institutions.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• PokémoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative exhibition 'Pokémon Fossil Museum' running through April 10, 2027, featuring on Floor 1 of the main museum. This partnership brings the Pokémon franchise's fossil and dinosaur themes together with the museum's scientific expertise, creating an educational yet entertaining experience that appeals to both children and adults. The exhibition includes special programming and merchandise.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-field-museum-inc.-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 THE FIELD MUSEUM (INC.)