Press Release

Reptiles Alive! features 20 live reptiles from every corner of the planet, taking visitors on a world tour through deserts, oceans, and the tropics. The exhibition highlights the diverse adaptations that allow reptiles to thrive in a multitude of environments. It also features reptiles of the Midwest, shedding light on the snakes, turtles, and lizards found in our own backyards.

Opening June 20, 2025, this family-friendly exhibition showcases a scaly crew of reptiles on loan from Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland, an AZA-accredited zoo in Allenwood, Pennsylvania, including a giant, 14-foot reticulated python and a charismatic Cuban rock iguana. In addition to live animals, mechanical interactives and models show visitors how reptiles move, find food, and escape predators. 

While the thought of a python the length of a moving truck may strike fear into some, Reptiles Alive! gives visitors the opportunity to view reptiles on their own terms and gain a deeper understanding of the thousands of species that inhabit the world. “When you learn more about an animal, it becomes a lot less scary,” says Associate Curator of Herpetology and Reptiles Alive! content developer, Sara Ruane. “You don’t necessarily have to love them to appreciate that they’re extremely cool.”

In addition to live animals, dozens of other species are represented by Field Museum specimens and life-like models. These displays offer visitors a better understanding of the history of reptiles and their adaptations that have kept them around for more than 300 million years, demonstrating reptiles’ remarkable evolutionary traits. One example is the spider-tailed horned viper, which is the only specimen of its kind in the western hemisphere. This viper, native to Iran, will be on display, showcasing its unique spider-shaped lure on its tail, which not only stumps its avian prey but also historically baffled scientists. 

“We’re giving people the natural history of the world that reptiles are a part of,” says exhibition developer Ben Miller. “This is a good opportunity to learn from living animals, but you’re also learning about their evolution and how reptiles have diversified.”

Reptiles Alive! also tells a story of conservation.  The exhibition highlights the impact of human encroachment on reptile habitats, like golf course construction on the home of American alligators. A video projection takes visitors on a trip around forest preserves outside of Chicago with Ruane as she searches for snakes and turtles, collecting DNA to better understand genetic diversity and inform conservation management programs.

Reptiles Alive! is a ticketed exhibition and is not included with Basic Admission. 

Reptiles Alive! was created by the Field Museum and Peeling Productions at Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland.