Website Terms of Use

Welcome to the website of the Field Museum of Natural History (“Museum”). The Field Museum website, which includes all content, features, and services (“Content”) available on fieldmuseum.org ("Website") is provided to Website users (“you”) under the following terms of use ("Terms "). By using this Website, you signify your acceptance of these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our Website.

For more information on how the Museum handles intellectual property rights and privacy, see the Museum’s Copyright Statement and Privacy Statement; these documents are incorporated into these Terms by reference.

Museum may at any time revise these Terms by updating this web page. Additionally, the Museum may require you to follow or expressly agree to supplemental guidelines or conditions in order to participate in certain programs, access certain areas of the Website, or use certain services on the Website. Your continued use of the Website following the posting of changes to these Terms will indicate your acceptance of those changes. You are encouraged to visit this page from time to time to review the current Terms.

1. Permissions

This Website and its Content may be used for your personal, non-commercial use and as otherwise authorized by the Museum’s Copyright Statement . Use of the Website or Content for any other purpose requires the Museum’s prior written approval. Permission for such use is granted on a case-by-case basis at the sole discretion of the Museum or the appropriate rights holder; a usage fee may apply. For permission or more information about using the Website contact webmaster@fieldmuseum.org. See the Museum’s Conditions and Suggested Norms for Use of Collections Data and Images for information about using collections-related materials.

2. Prohibited Behavior

You are responsible for all material, information, questions, comments, or data (“User Content”) you upload, post, email, transmit, or otherwise supply to the Museum using the Website or by other means. You may not use the Website to:

  • Transmit or post any User Content that is illegal, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortious, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, pornographic, invasive of another’s privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically, or otherwise objectionable as determined by the Museum in its sole discretion;
  • Transmit or post any User Content that infringe any intellectual property right or privacy right of any person or entity. By transmitting or posting User Content to or through the Website, you represent and warrant that you have the right to do so;
  • Transmit or post any unsolicited or unauthorized advertising or promotional material (e.g. “Spam”, chain letters, junk mail, etc.);
  • Collect or store third parties’ personal data or transmit, without authorization, any material containing the personally identifiable information or confidential information of a third party or entity;
  • Impersonate another person or entity, including without limitation the Museum or any of its representatives, or misrepresent your affiliation with another person or entity;
  • Disrupt or interfere, directly or indirectly, with the Website in any manner that may materially adversely affect the Museum or any third party;
  • Transmit any virus or malicious code, program, or file designed or known to disable interrupt, or limit the functionality or any computer hardware, software, or equipment or facilities; or
  • Remove, disable, circumvent, damage, or otherwise interfere with the security related features of the Website or any features that restrict use or access to the Website or that enforce limitations on use of the Website.

3. Submissions

Any User Content—excluding personally identifiable information which is governed by the Privacy Statement—you supply to Museum by any means will be treated as non-confidential and non-proprietary and may be used by the Museum or its affiliates as described in these Terms and in the Copyright Statement.

4. Public Posting

If you post information, images, or other materials to the Website, you agree that you will comply with all requirements and procedures for posting on the Website that may be given. The Museum does not endorse any opinions or recommendations posted or transmitted by you or others. Any materials posted to or transmitted using the Website are the responsibility of the person or persons posting the materials. The Museum shall have the right, but not the obligation, to inspect, remove, refuse or delete any content for any reason whatsoever.

The Museum is under no obligation to monitor or review discussions, chats, postings, transmissions, bulletin boards, or other similar materials on the Website or on its official social media accounts and assumes no responsibility or liability arising from such content or materials or for any error, defamation, libel, slander, harassment, omission, falsehood, obscenity, pornography, danger, or inaccuracy contained in content posted by third parties to the Website or to official Museum social media accounts. Users may request the removal of any material that appears inappropriate or in violation of these Terms by contacting webmaster@fieldmuseum.org. Notices regarding potentially infringing postings or Content must be submitted using the Museum’s DMCA Procedure.

5. Third Party Sites

Some Museum web pages contain links to third party websites. The linked sites are not under the control of the Museum and the Museum is not responsible for the contents of any linked website. These links are provided as a convenience only and should not be construed as an endorsement of, sponsorship of, or affiliation with the linked website by the Museum. Under no circumstances shall the Museum be held responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any loss or damages caused or alleged to have been caused by use of or reliance on any content, goods or services available on such sites, or as a result of use of any information you provide to such sites. Any concerns regarding any external link should be directed to its respective site administrator or webmaster.

6. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE USE OF THIS WEBSITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE WEBSITE IS PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS. THE MUSEUM EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND WITH RESPECT TO THE WEBSITE, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. THE MUSEUM ASSUMES NO LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THE CONTENT OF THE WEBSITE. THE MUSEUM EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACTION OF ANY THIRD PARTY USER USING THE WEBSITE. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES, SO THE PRECEDING MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. THE MUSEUM MAKES NO WARRANTY OR ASSURANCE THAT THE WEBSITE WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS, OR WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, TIMELY, COMPLETE, AND ERROR-FREE. YOU UNDERSTAND AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOUR SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY WITH RESPECT TO ANY DEFECT IN OR DISSATISFACTION WITH THE WEBSITE IS TO CEASE TO USE THE WEBSITE.

The Museum further reserves the right to withdraw any Content from the Website at its sole discretion at any time. The Museum assumes no liability for any damages or losses that may occur to you or any third party based on its actions or your use of the Website. In the event that the Website is unavailable, either on a temporary or permanent basis, the Museum assumes no liability for any losses that may occur to you or any third party arising out of the unavailability of the Website. The Museum assumes no responsibility, and shall not be liable for, any damages to, or viruses that may infect, your computer equipment or other property related to your use of the Website or your downloading of any materials from the Website.

7. Limitation on Liabilities

THE FIELD MUSEUM, ITS AFFILIATES, TRUSTEES, DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AND OTHER AGENTS AND REPRESENTATIVES SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, COMPENSATORY, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES (EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS WEBSITE. YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK.

8. Severance and Waiver

You acknowledge and agree that if any provision of these Terms shall be unlawful, void, or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable from these Terms and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions. Furthermore, if any provision of these Terms is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, the parties nevertheless agree that the court should endeavor to give effect to the parties' intentions as reflected in the provision. The Museum 's failure to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision unless acknowledged and agreed to in writing by the Museum.

9. Choice of Law

The Website is controlled by the Museum from its offices within the State of Illinois. Users choosing to access the Website do so at their own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws. Any claim relating to the Website must be filed within one year after the claim or cause of action arose and shall be governed by the laws of the State of Illinois without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Each party hereby irrevocably consents to exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Cook County, Illinois.

Last updated on May 22, 2018