Translated Museum Guides

Know Before You Go: Visiting Safely during COVID

We can’t wait to see you at the museum! Use these tips to plan a safe, fun visit.

A young boy wearing a face mask poses for a photo next to a dinosaur bone that's twice his height, in front of a mural of a rocky landscape. Another young boy and a man take his photo.

Is the Field Museum open? 

Yes, we've reopened to the public. The Field is open 9am to 5pm, Thursday through Monday. We’re closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 

Our priority is to maintain a safe environment for all of our visitors and staff while letting you reconnect with the exhibits you know and love. Read on for details about health and safety at the Field, buying tickets, and what to know before you go.

 
 

 

Health and safety 

We’ve implemented many health and safety measures at the Field, including:

  • In accordance with City and State guidelines, face masks are required for all staff and visitors, except for children under 2 
  • 144 hand sanitizer stations are installed throughout the building 
  • Frequent, rigorous cleaning procedures follow CDC guidelines
  • Floor markers help guide social distancing and direct one-way paths
  • Exhibitions that are highly interactive or located in small spaces are temporarily closed

We are also limiting the number of visitors each day to 25% of our building’s capacity. With nearly half a million square feet of public space, there's plenty of room to spread out and comfortably enjoy your time at the Field. 

Order your Field masks or SUE the T. rex masks online, or purchase them before you enter the museum.

Getting tickets

All tickets have an entry time. Please arrive at your designated time so you can enter promptly and have plenty of space to explore the museum. We recommend purchasing your tickets online in advance to secure your preferred date and time and to have a contactless experience when you arrive.

Choose your ticket package

Arriving at the museum 

When you arrive at the Field, you can enter through our main South entrance on McFetridge Drive. The East entrance is also open and accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.

Please leave at least six feet between yourself and other visitors as you get in line to enter. If you’ve already purchased a ticket, be prepared to show your printed ticket or your mobile device with the ticket. 

When you’re ready to leave, you can use the East, South, or North exit. 

Directions and parking

A sidewalk leads to the Field Museum’s East entrance, a one-story atrium with gardens next to it. A sign indicates that the entrance is wheelchair accessible.

The accessible East entrance is on the side of the building that's closest to Lake Michigan and farthest from Lake Shore Drive. 

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Exhibitions

Most of our exhibition spaces are open and ready for you to explore, including the Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet, Inside Ancient Egypt, and the Grainger Hall of Gems. Outside, the Rice Native Gardens are perfect for a mini-nature walk or a peaceful break.

The special exhibition Apsáalooke Women and Warriors is also open. It’s a vibrant show that features collection items alongside contemporary beadwork, clothing, video animation, painting, and photography. 

Some areas that have smaller spaces or interactive elements are temporarily closed.

Browse all open exhibitions

Social distancing and one-way paths

Please follow any one-way paths that are marked on the floor. Take note of signs that indicate which areas of the museum are closed or have limited capacity. Additionally, guidelines from the State of Illinois recommend that you do not touch hands-on displays, touchscreens, or models. 

While we’re not distributing paper maps at this time, you can find our maps and guides online. 

We felt so safe on our first return visit. The Field is really doing great taking necessary steps to keep everyone healthy. As members, we look forward to visiting often.

Kelsey M., Facebook

Everyone was safe, masked up, and socially distant. My babies were so happy to be able to get out of the house and do something.

  santanas_xo, Instagram

Amenities 

Please review all updates to our services as you plan for your visit. 

Food 

The Field Bistro is open, offering a reduced menu featuring locally sourced food, quick grab-and-go service, and tables that are spaced farther apart. The Explorer Cafe, located on the ground level, is open 11am–3pm (Friday–Sunday).

You can also bring a lunch or snack in a closed container. Please enjoy it in the designated picnic areas on the ground level: in the Siragusa Center and at the tables near the Sea Mammal dioramas. You can bring your own closed water bottle. There are some contactless filling stations in the museum, though all manual fountains are shut off. 

Store

For all your natural history-themed gifts and souvenirs, the museum store is open 10am–5pm, or you can shop online anytime. All store purchases directly support our staff and collections.

Restrooms

There are accessible restrooms on every level, including three family-friendly restrooms on the ground level. 

An all-gender, single-stall restroom is available on the ground level near the James Simpson Theatre, and the restroom at the East entrance has a family restroom with an adult changing table. Our restrooms feature reminders asking you to maintain a six-foot distance from others and thoroughly wash your hands.

Coat check

Our coat check is currently closed. Please only bring bags or coats you can carry with you.

Wheelchair and stroller rentals

Wheelchairs are available for visitors to borrow at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis.

Strollers are available to rent for $3 (or $5 for double strollers) on a first-come, first-served basis.

Both wheelchairs and strollers are available at the East and South entrances and are fully sanitized between uses.

Accessibility at the Field

Frequently asked questions

No, but please stay home if you’re not feeling well or have any symptoms of COVID-19. You can reschedule your ticket by contacting guestrelations@fieldmuseum.org.

Yes, each staff member’s temperature will be taken when they arrive for work at the museum.

If you are unable to wear a mask due to a disability or medical condition, you may substitute a looser fitting scarf or clear face shield as an alternative. Please bring a scarf or face shield with you as they are not available for sale at the museum. We ask all guests who are feeling unwell or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms to delay their visit.

 

A maximum of 10 household members can visit together.

We cannot guarantee entry outside of your reservation window due to City and State guidelines for capacity. Please speak with Field Museum staff once you arrive to create a new reservation for the next available time slot.

Legal disclaimer 

COVID-19 warning: We have taken enhanced health and safety measures—for you, our other guests, and our staff. You must follow all posted instructions while visiting the museum. An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. By visiting the Field Museum, you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19. Please help keep each other healthy.