The Crown Family PlayLab offers PlayLab PlayDates on select Wednesdays and Saturdays. PlayLab PlayDates are drop-in activities, free to museum guests with children ages 2-6, featuring storytime sessions, music, crafts, science experiments, and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Pre-registration is not required! Sessions take place in the <a href="https://www.fieldmuseum.org/exhibition/halls-and-galleries/crown-family-playlab">Crown Family PlayLab</a>.&nbsp;

Program length varies, usually from 20 minutes to 1 hour.

For more information, please see the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datocms-assets.com/44232/1771856923-general-playlab-programs-policies-faqs-updated.pdf">PlayLab Programs FAQs</a>. Still have questions? Contact the PlayLab team at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:playlabevents@fieldmuseum.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">playlabevents@fieldmuseum.org</a>.

Join us in the Crown Family PlayLab for a free, drop-in PlayDate celebrating the power of music! Families with 2-6 year olds are invited to a free, drop-in, storytime session hosted by Miss Illinois Kate Dimmett. After storytime, Kate will share her favorite instrument - the violin and share her experiences. Join us for a fun-filled PlayDate with stories and more!

PlayLab PlayDate: The Power of Music Storytime with Miss Illinois Kate Dimmett

PlayLab PlayDate: Music & Movement with La Escuelita Bombera de Corazón

PlayLab PlayDate: Moth Week Storytime

Drop in to the Crown Family PlayLab for free weekly activities for 2-6 year olds!

PlayLab PlayDates

For this week's PlayLab PlayDate, families with 2-6 year olds are invited to a free, drop-in music and movement program led by Ivelisse Bombera De Corazón Diaz with <a href="https://www.bomberadecorazon.com/">La Escuelita Bombera de Corazón</a>. La Escuelita Bombera de Corazón is an Afro-Puerto Rican diasporic performing arts school in Humboldt Park committed to the preservation of Bomba through percussion (buleo, maraca, cúa), dance (baile), vocals (canto), and history. Join us for this fun, interactive presentation complete with music, movement, instruments and more!
Learn more about La Escuelita Bombera de Corazón on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LaEscuelitaBDC">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/laescuelitabdc/">Instagram</a>, and <a href="https://www.bomberadecorazon.com/">their website</a>.

Families with children ages 2–6 are invited to a free, drop-in PlayDate to celebrate Moth Week. During this storytime, Guests will hear stories featuring some of our favorite pollinators along a fun coloring craft. Join us for a fun-filled PlayDate with stories and more!

Please carefully review our updated policy regarding age requirements for Dozin' with the Dinos attendees.

<ul>
<li>Children under the age of 6 will not be admitted into a Dozin' with the Dinos event. Families and groups with children under the age of 6 may be asked to leave the event without a refund.</li>
<li>Adults may not attend Dozin' with the Dinos without a child between the ages of 6-12. If you attend the event and do not have children in your party, you will be asked to leave the event without a refund.</li>
<li>If you've purchased tickets incorrectly by mistake, you have until 2 weeks prior to the event to request a refund. After the two week period no refunds will be given, and you will not be admitted to the event.</li>
</ul>

If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out via email: overnights@fieldmuseum.org or give us a call at 312-665-7525.

Age Policy

See the Field Museum in a whole new light! Families and groups with kids ages 6 to 12 can spend the night at the museum during Dozin' with the Dinos.
Stay up late with scientists as the Field Museum comes to life in games, challenges, and stories throughout the night. Will you dissect owl pellets and identify animal tracks to become the next great wildlife detective? Or, will you embark on a paleontologist's expedition to learn how fossils form? Take on these adventures and more with the Dozin’ Institute for Nocturnal Observations (DINO) on our late-night mission of discovery. Then, grab your flashlight and explore the halls as the lights go out. This is a night at the museum you won't forget!
Tickets to Dozin’ with the Dinos scheduled for September 18th and November 6th will include admission to the Pokémon Fossil Museum. Timed tickets will be assigned to all Dozin’ ticketholders prior to the event. All sales are final.

Dozin&rsquo; with the Dinos is supported by Utz Brands&nbsp;

Acknowledgments

Utz Brands

Dozin' with the Dinos

Media for Before SUE the T. rex, there was ‘Gorgeous George’

Media for Visiting SUE the T. rex: What to Know Before You Go

An adult and two children standing at the skull of SUE the T. rex in it's glass display case..

The smallest of museum visitors can get up close and personal with the largest dinos at our special events.

© Ed Lines, Jr

Settle in for a snooze next to your favorite species at Dozin' with the Dinos!

Science is more fun in your pajamas.

Standard

Premium

Tour

Ultimate SUE Sleepover 

All Dozin&rsquo; with the Dinos tickets include a sleeping spot in the&nbsp;exhibitions, discounted parking, admission to select ticketed exhibits,&nbsp;general admission to the Museum the following day, an evening snack, and a&nbsp;continental breakfast. Upgrade to sleep near the dinos in&nbsp;Evolving Planet, or SUE with the Ultimate SUE package!

Groups of 15 or more can get discounted tickets with all standard amenities&mdash;learn more and register via the&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfjoMYuxAVCgGvcpVOEwSKU7AfaHKvPlLU2Erv3h50mrp2Lcw/viewform">Group Info Form.</a>

All sales are final. Tickets are non-refundable.

2026 Tickets Packages

Welcome to Dozin' with the Dinos at the Field Museum

Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park

Illinois Free Wednesday 

Beat the mid-week blues and come visit SUE— the Field is free on Wednesdays for Illinois Residents! 

Illinois Free Wednesdays

Excavation is one of the most valuable methods that archaeologists use to learn about the past, but it is also irreversibly destructive. Researchers have been shifting away from using destructive techniques in recognition of the harm done to indigenous communities. So, what can be discovered without digging?
Hear about the innovative geophysical technologies scientists at Angel Mounds State Historic Site in Evansville, Indiana, have used to study a fortified Mississippian city (1150 - 1450 CE) that served as the center of a vast network of settlements in the Lower Ohio River Valley. Discover how two non-invasive archaeological approaches–magnetic gradiometry and ground penetrating radar–were combined to create an image of what lies beneath the surface without disturbing the site.
See instruments used for fieldwork, including a magnetic gradiometer, and learn how this research is a combination of detective work and storytelling, where various disciplines and methods work together to unearth the history of Angel Mounds.
Presenters include&nbsp;Sabrina Yeahia, Scientific Affiliate and Intern, and&nbsp;Christina Friberg, Assistant Curator, North American Anthropology.

Groundbreaking! (Without Breaking Ground) Archaeological Geophysics at Angel Mounds State Historic Site

Moth Week! The Secret Lives of Moths: Uncovering Hidden Nighttime Stories

See the latest science firsthand in the Grainger Science Hub.

Meet a Scientist

Poetry Pop-up: Poetry Lives Here

Poetry Pop-up: Poetry is the Thing with Feathers

Poetry Pop-up: Dino-poems

Poetry Pop-up: Genetic Poetry

Discover the natural world through poetry at weekly pop-up events featuring the Field’s poet in residence.

Poetry Pop-up

A group gathers at the corner of a diorama case. One man sits a desk with a typerwriter. He looks up to a family of three standing over him. The man in the middle stands with arms around the other two individuals. Both are smiling down at the man seated at the desk. A black box with a glass front holds a rock specimen and is propped up against the leg of the desk.

Poetry Pop-Up

gn92631_149ad-photoarchives_webexport.jpg

Ask our poet-in-residence to compose a poem for you about your favorite scientific objects or ideas. Find Eric in Stanley Field Hall.

Join Eric in the Ronald and Christina Gidwitz Hall of Birds and make poetry for the birds!

Become a poeto-saurus with Eric, our poet-in-residence. Meet Eric in the Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet, at the entrance to SUE's gallery.

Use the building blocks of life to build a poem.

Purchase a meal voucher ahead of time for a discounted rate of $20. Meal vouchers include a main dish, side, and dessert. Menu will be provided closer to the event date. Gluten-free and vegetarian options are available upon request.

All ticket sales are final. Please email us at <a href="mailto:adults@fieldmuseum.org">adults@fieldmuseum.org</a> or call 312.665.7264 with any questions.

Huzzah, and may fortune favor thy order.

For one enchanted evening, the hallowed halls of the Field Museum will transform into a realm of myth, merriment, and discovery for a 21+ Renaissance-inspired celebration unlike any other.
Upon arrival, guests shall join one of four noble orders — Science, Record, Research, or the Dissemination of Knowledge — the founding muses upon which the museum was built, and rally behind their Champion of Discovery throughout the evening’s festivities. By participating in activities, demonstrations, and challenges across the museum, guests will earn tokens for their order in a friendly competition to determine who shall be crowned Master of the Sciences at evening’s end.
From mead and brewing to medicinal herbs, metallurgy, and the study of mythical creatures through history and folklore, each corner of the museum offers new wonders rooted in science and history to uncover.
Gather your friends, dress for the occasion, and prepare for a night of merriment, mystery, and discovery throughout the museum.&nbsp;
All permanent exhibitions will be open for the duration of the event. Tickets include light snacks, beer and wine. Additional food and beverages will be available for purchase.&nbsp;

Field Faire: A Knight at the Museum 

Museum After Hours

Hear ye, seekers of wonder, scholars of the arts, and revelers of science and sorcery—

Member tickets $70, Non-member tickets $75

Educator Open House

Join us for an exciting professional development opportunity for Pre-K-12th grade educators.

Educator Open House 2026

In this two-day, interdisciplinary session, explore how fossils – and art! – hold clues for interpreting the past.

Join us at the Field Museum on Wednesday, July 8 from 9am-12pm and Thursday, July 9 from 8-10am for this year&rsquo;s exciting two-day Summer Institute &ndash; Interpreting Prehistoric Worlds: Fossils, Art, and Inquiry.
In this two-day, interdisciplinary session, educators will explore how fossils hold clues for interpreting the past.
We will engage in inquiry with fossils and reflect upon how art, including popular media, can be used to help us illuminate both what we know and what we do not.
<h3>What You'll Experience</h3>
Explore fossils through inquiry-driven investigations, examine how scientists and artists reconstruct prehistoric life, engage with Field Museum collections, and enjoy exclusive early access to the Pok&eacute;mon Fossil Museum exhibition. Participants will leave with interdisciplinary strategies that connect science, art, observation, and evidence-based learning for students in grades 3&ndash;8.
Science, social science, and fine arts-aligned. Registration is open to formal and informal educators of all levels, though activities for this session are most applicable for teachers of Grades 3-8.&nbsp;
Illinois Educators will earn 5 hours of Professional Development for attending this two-day training.
<h3 dir="ltr">Your registration includes</h3>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Materials</li>
<li dir="ltr">Light breakfast</li>
<li dir="ltr">Private early-hour access to <a href="https://www.fieldmuseum.org/exhibition/pokemon">Pok&eacute;mon Fossil Museum</a>! Please note, the Pok&eacute;mon Fossil Museum exhibition store will not be open, and access to the exhibit does not include the trading card.</li>
</ul>
Registration will remain open until Wednesday, July 1, 2026, or until full.
Program questions? Contact Samantha Chapleau, <a href="mailto:schapleau@fieldmuseum.org">schapleau@fieldmuseum.org</a>.

Sponsor

Northern Trust (stack)

<h3 align="center">Official Partner</h3>

Accenture

<h3 align="center">Additional Support Provided By</h3>

enjoy illinois 

Summer Institute 2026 – Interpreting Prehistoric Worlds: Fossils, Art, and Inquiry

Windows, Mirrors, and Stories: Exploring Filipino Literature to Teach Identity and Culture

Teaching Through Storytelling: Coast Salish Weaving and Woolly Dogs

Join us in person at the Field Museum for a professional learning experience and workshop!

Professional Development for Educators

SUE Gallery 1327 (Hewett 2018)

Early Morning: The Pokémon Fossil Museum 

Early Mornings

Early Morning events

Join us for a professional development book club over the course of three dates on:
<ul>
<li>Tuesday, July 14, 2026 | 2:00pm&ndash;4:00 pm CDT at Restoried Bookshop | 4613 N. Kedzie Avenue, Chicago IL 60625</li>
<li>Tuesday, July 28, 2026 | 2:00-3:00pm CDT virtual on Zoom</li>
<li>Wednesday, August 12, 2026 | 10:00am-12:00pm at Field Museum &nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Join a cohort of 20 educators for a three-part learning experience exploring Filipino history, identity, and storytelling through literature, dialogue, and place-based learning.
Together, participants will read Wild Song by Candy Gourlay and Mabuhay!, a graphic novel by Zachary Sterling, that brings Filipino history and culture to life for younger readers. Through guided discussions, educators will examine themes of colonialism, migration, resilience, belonging, and representation while considering how these stories can enrich classroom practice and support culturally responsive teaching.
The series will begin with an in-person gathering at Restoried, Chicago's only AANHPI-focused bookstore, where participants will build community and launch their reading journey. A second virtual session will provide space for deeper discussion and reflection on Mabuhay! The experience will culminate at the Field Museum, where educators will connect Wild Song to material culture and history through a special behind-the-scenes tour of the Philippine Heritage Collection.
By moving between books, community spaces, and museum collections, participants will gain a richer understanding of Filipino narratives and explore new ways to engage students with stories that illuminate the intersections of history, identity, and belonging.
<h4>Program Format</h4>
<ul>
<li>Session 1: In-person at Restoried Bookshop</li>
<li>Session 2: Virtual discussion</li>
<li>Session 3: Field Museum discussion and behind-the-scenes tour of the Philippine Heritage Collection</li>
</ul>
Audience: Grades 3&ndash;12 educators, librarians, and education professionals interested in Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander histories, literature, and culturally responsive learning experiences.
<h4>Registration Includes</h4>
<ul>
<li>2 books: Wild Song and Mabuhay</li>
<li>Access to all three sessions</li>
<li>Materials</li>
<li>Light breakfast and parking at Session 3 at the Field Museum</li>
<li>Behind the Scenes Tour of the Philippine Heritage Collection</li>
</ul>
Registration will remain open until July 9th or until full.
Educators who complete the workshop series will receive 5 hours of Illinois Professional Development Credit (CPDUs).
Questions? Contact Ria Pretekin, <a href="mailto:rpretekin@fieldmuseum.org">rpretekin@fieldmuseum.org</a>&nbsp;

Field Museum Connections: AANHPI Stories &amp; the TEAACH Act programming is made possible with the generous support of the Cyrus Tang Foundation.

Join us at the Field Museum on&nbsp;Tuesday, August 11, 2026, from 10am-12pm for Teaching Through Storytelling: Coast Salish Weaving and Woolly Dogs.
In this session created especially for Early Childhood teachers, hear from Eliot White-Hill, Kwulasultun (Snuneymuxw) about storytelling and the importance of the woolly dogs for the Coast Salish people. Then, learn more about Coast Salish weaving by experiencing our new Early Childhood <a href="https://fieldmuseum.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=eaf2429b25c9bd9768bfd6a32&amp;id=739ff71d70&amp;e=380e3ff4ac">Woolly Dogs field trip class</a> for yourself!
<h4 dir="ltr">Educators will</h4>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Understand: That weaving tells a story and that storytelling in the Coast Salish community is a powerful means of conveying knowledge and preserving culture.</li>
<li dir="ltr">Do: Practice weaving and listen to a story about the woolly dogs and their importance to Coast Salish people.</li>
<li dir="ltr">Feel: Prepared to utilize best practices in early childhood learning to make the unfamiliar familiar.</li>
</ul>
Registration is open to formal and informal educators of all levels, though activities for this session are most applicable for PreK-Grade 1 teachers.&nbsp;
Illinois Educators will earn 2 hours of Professional Development for attending this two-day training.
<h4 dir="ltr">Your registration includes</h4>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Materials
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Light breakfast
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
Parking&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
Looking to be more environmentally-friendly? You can find public transit options <a href="https://www.fieldmuseum.org/page/directions-parking">here</a>.
Registration will remain open until Tuesday, August 4, 2026, or until full.
Program questions? Contact Samantha Chapleau, <a href="mailto:schapleau@fieldmuseum.org">schapleau@fieldmuseum.org</a>.

Learn about the Coast Salish woolly dogs and how storytelling is a powerful means of conveying knowledge and preserving culture.

<h3>Standards Alignment</h3>

<h4>Skyline:</h4>

<ul>
<li>
PreK Social Science
</li>
<ul>
<li>
Unit 4: Me and My World
</li>
</ul>

<li>
Grade K
</li>
<ul>
<li>
Unit 1: Getting Along Together
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="2">
Unit 4: From the Past to the Future
</li>
</ul>
<li>
Grade 1: Living, Learning, and Working Together
</li>
<ul>
<li>
Unit 4: Past, Present, and Future
</li>
<li>
Unit 5: The Work We Do
</li>
</ul>
</ul>
Illinois Social Studies Standards Geography: SS.1.G.3. Compare how people in different types of communities use local and worldwide environments to meet their daily needs.
Illinois Social Studies Standards History: SS.K.H.1. Compare life in the past to life today, including the points of view of diverse groups of people
Illinois Social/Emotional Development Standards: 31.A.ECa show empathy, sympathy, and caring for others.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.3 Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
Social Justice Standards Diversity 8: DI.K-2.8I want to know about other people and how our lives and experiences are the same and different.

Asian Popular Culture Teacher Professional Development with exclusive access to the Pokemon exhibition. 

Join us for a professional development workshop on Thursday, July 23rd, from 8:00 AM &ndash;12:00 PM CDT!
Asian popular culture can help shape how many students understand identity, history, and global culture. In this interactive professional learning experience, educators will explore how popular media can serve as a powerful entry point into inquiry-based learning, critical thinking, and culturally responsive teaching.
Through hands-on item and image inquiry activities, participants will examine how popular culture reflects historical context, cultural values, migration, representation, and contemporary social issues across Asia and Asian diasporas. Educators will leave with adaptable strategies and classroom-ready activities that connect student interests to deeper learning across disciplines, from ancient history to current events.
Participants will:
<ul>
<li>Explore ways to leverage Asian popular culture to teach both historical and contemporary topics</li>
<li>Engage in inquiry-based learning using images, media, and cultural artifacts</li>
<li>Reflect on how popular media can communicate cultural identity and historical truths</li>
<li>Develop engaging, student-centered activities that center Asian stories and perspectives</li>
</ul>
Your registration includes:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Materials</li>
<li dir="ltr">Light breakfast</li>
<li dir="ltr">Parking</li>
<li dir="ltr">Private early-hour access at 8:00am (timed entry) to Pok&eacute;mon Fossil Museum! Please note, the Pok&eacute;mon Fossil Museum exhibition store will not be open, and access to the exhibit does not include the trading card.</li>
<li dir="ltr">Looking to be more environmentally-friendly? You can find public transit options <a href="https://www.fieldmuseum.org/page/directions-parking">here</a>.</li>
</ul>
Registration will remain open until Thursday, July 16, 2026, or until full.
All sales final.
Educators who complete the workshop will receive 4 hours of Illinois Professional Development Credit (CPDUs). Questions? Contact Ria Pretekin, rpretekin@fieldmuseum.org&nbsp;

Field Museum Connections: AANHPI Stories &amp; the TEAACH Act programming is made possible with the generous support of the Cyrus Tang Foundation.

Engaging Students Through Asian Popular Culture and Inquiry

Field Museum Connections: AANHPI Stories & the TEAACH Act Workshops

Field Trip 577 (Johnston 2020)

Legendary Late Hours

Legendary Late Hours: Open until 9pm on select dates

<div>Most moths live their lives after dark &mdash; and most of their stories go untold. Celebrate Moth Week with Field Museum scientists from the Negaunee Integrative Research and Keller Science Action Centers to explore the secret lives of moths, from their stunning diversity and surprising behaviors to their roles as pollinators and indicators of environmental change! See real specimens, ask questions, and discover why these nighttime insects matter. You&rsquo;ll be enchanted by spectacular specimens of the moths you know and love, and be astonished to meet some surprising native pollinators that call Chicago home, too. Learn about how you can take action to help native plants and pollinators, and take home a free Field Guide to help you identify the native plants and pollinators of Chicagoland.</div>
<div>Presenters for this session include Alissa Doucet, Field Museum Scientific Affiliate (Insects), and Nicole Machuca, Environmental Social Scientist, Chicago Region (Field Museum's Keller Science Action Center)</div>
<div></div>

See the Field Museum in a whole new light! Families and groups with kids ages 6 to 12 can spend the night at the museum during Dozin' with the Dinos.
Stay up late with scientists as the Field Museum comes to life in games, challenges, and stories throughout the night. Will you dissect owl pellets and identify animal tracks to become the next great wildlife detective? Or, will you embark on a paleontologist's expedition to learn how fossils form? Take on these adventures and more with the Dozin&rsquo; Institute for Nocturnal Observations (DINO) on our late-night mission of discovery. Then, grab your flashlight and explore the halls as the lights go out. This is a night at the museum you won't forget!
Tickets to Dozin&rsquo; with the Dinos scheduled for September 18th and November 6th will include admission to the Pok&eacute;mon Fossil Museum. Timed tickets will be assigned to all Dozin&rsquo; ticketholders prior to the event. All sales are final.

All Dozin&rsquo; with the Dinos tickets include a sleeping spot in the&nbsp;exhibitions, discounted parking, admission to select ticketed exhibits,&nbsp;general admission to the Museum the following day, an evening snack, and a&nbsp;continental breakfast. Upgrade to sleep near the dinos in&nbsp;Evolving Planet,&nbsp;or SUE with the Ultimate SUE package!

Groups of 15 or more can get discounted tickets with all standard amenities&mdash;learn more and register via the&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfjoMYuxAVCgGvcpVOEwSKU7AfaHKvPlLU2Erv3h50mrp2Lcw/viewform">Group Info Form.</a>

All sales are final. Tickets are non-refundable.

Field Museum Gala

Celebrate and support the Field Museum at our annual Gala!

See an Archaeopteryx come to life, then discover how its body became fossilized.

Join this week's session as Grace Burgin from the University of Illinois Chicago presents the talk&nbsp;Mate Choice in Phlox Wildflowers.

Monisa Ahmed

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