Press Release

Ahead of 125th Anniversary, Chicago’s Field Museum Challenges People to Take a Fresh Look

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Chicago – March 6, 2018 – Six months after unveiling plans for dramatic changes to some of its best-known exhibitions, the Field Museum today announced a brand refresh that will better convey its bold, progressive approach to scientific research, cultural understanding, and community engagement.

“The Field Museum is a dynamic place,” says Stacy Dilling, Marketing Director at the Field Museum. “But while most people know the Field as a hub for ancient artifacts and dinosaur bones, not enough people know about the science behind the exhibitions, the scale of our behind-the-scenes collections, and the work that those collections are able to fuel globally.”

For the past 125 years, the Field Museum has forged trails as a scientific leader and will continue to do so for years to come. With more than 150 scientists on staff, the Field Museum is involved in groundbreaking research all over the world while maintaining one of the most expansive natural history museum collections in existence. In the past few weeks alone, Field scientists have discovered two new dinosaur species, explored the way that inequitable societies tend to fall apart faster than egalitarian ones, and helped designate two million acres of Peruvian rainforest as a national park.

The new brand—represented, in part, by a new logo—speaks to these initiatives and goes far beyond a change in visual identity; it declares and reinforces the Field’s mission to fuel a journey of discovery, enabling solutions for a brighter future. These changes will be present not just in the museum’s advertising, signage, and branded gear, but also in what visitors see and experience when they walk through the Museum’s doors. The Field is revitalizing its dinosaur experience by moving SUE to their own new state-of-the-art gallery and introducing a 122-foot-long titanosaur, the largest dinosaur ever discovered, into a revamped Stanley Field Hall. The updated space, made possible thanks to a $16.5 million gift from the Kenneth C. Griffin Charitable Fund, will also include a flock of flying pterosaurs, hanging gardens, and a reimagined visitor experience.

Beyond the visual changes to the brand, Dilling notes, the reintroduction is accompanied by an expansion of the Museum’s outreach to the Chicagoland community, including exhibitions written in both English and Spanish and science storytelling programs like “A Scientist Walks into a Bar,” a monthly series at the bar and music venue the Hideout. Museum staff are excited for these changes to help revitalize the Field in the public’s eye and make clearer the scope and breadth of the institution’s work.

"At a time when people are coming together to acknowledge the importance of science, we want the world to see the Field as the dynamic, forward-thinking scientific leader we’ve always been,” says Field Museum President Richard Lariviere, PhD. “Whether it’s by inspiring people’s curiosity inside the Field or showcasing the impact we’re having on world problems, we’re looking forward to connecting with people in a new way.”

Watch this video to see Field Museum’s new brand come to life.

About the Field Museum

Now in its 125th year, the Field Museum is a forward-thinking scientific leader on a mission to explore, protect, and celebrate nature and culture. The Field takes part in groundbreaking research all over the world while maintaining one of the world’s largest collections of artifacts and specimens, used to inspire discovery, spark public engagement with science, and uncover solutions for a better world. To share its scientific and educational mission, the Field welcomes 1.6 million visitors every year. For more information, visit us at fieldmuseum.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.