Paleontology Collections There are approximately 63,000 specimens in the six physical geology collections (mineralogy, gems, petrology, sedimentary rock, economic geology and meteorites). The Field Museum paleontological collections include those of the former Walker Museum of the University of Chicago and are very highly ranked, both nationally and internationally. The paleontological collections now number almost 600,000 specimens (several millions if individual items within specimen lots are counted separately) and include historically important material collected by J. Hall, S. and J. M. Weller, S. A. Miller, A. Noe, E. S. Riggs, B. Patterson and R. Braidwood among others. In numbers of specimens, the Geology Department at The Field Museum ranks third or fourth among all paleontological collections in the United States and among the top ten of such collections worldwide. The Vertebrate Paleontology collections at Field Museum rank fourth in size nationally with more than 125,000 specimens. The invertebrate paleontology collections rank third nationally with over 319,000 specimens, and are also rated third among the most significant and useful collections of their kind in North America (Glenister et al., 1977). The paleobotany collections at Field Museum rank fourth or fifth in size nationally with about 77,800 curated specimens that range in geologic age from Precambrian to Pleistocene. Choose a Paleontology collection: Fossil Amphibians and Reptiles Fossil Fishes Fossil Invertebrates Fossil Mammals Fossil Plants Go to the Physical Geology collection