{"id":2121,"date":"2015-08-31T23:10:08","date_gmt":"2015-09-01T03:10:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/?p=2121"},"modified":"2015-09-01T00:01:12","modified_gmt":"2015-09-01T04:01:12","slug":"field-museum-chicago-with-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/field-museum-chicago-with-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Reasons to Check Out the Field Museum in Chicago &#038; How to Visit for FREE!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Every so often, my\u00a0family gets the urge to\u00a0pack up the car and spend a\u00a0few hours or days in Chicago. It&#8217;s a lovely city and a popular tourist destination for people from all over the world. Those of us in the Midwest happen to be lucky enough to live within driving distance.<\/p>\n<p>As an added bonus, the road trip view isn&#8217;t awful.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/xU70n3JLJ-\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"13\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:640px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/xU70n3JLJ-\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\"> View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/xU70n3JLJ-\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\">A post shared by Rachael (@hautehappenings)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Of course one of the hard decisions to make when you visit a big city is what to do and what to skip. Here&#8217;s why the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fieldmuseum.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Field Museum <\/a>in Chicago was on the\u00a0agenda for our last trip.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2372\" src=\"http:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/field-museum-chicago-663x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Why you should check out the Field Museum in Chicago (and how to visit for FREE!) \" width=\"599\" height=\"925\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/field-museum-chicago-663x1024.jpg 663w, https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/field-museum-chicago-194x300.jpg 194w, https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/field-museum-chicago.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 599px) 100vw, 599px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Affiliate links included for your convenience.<\/p>\n<p><strong>SUE, the\u00a0T. Rex.<\/strong> Thanks to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0375849912\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0375849912&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=thepipe-20&amp;linkId=RYFOH5AMREAIECV6&quot;&gt;Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Books 1-28&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http:\/\/ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/ir?t=thepipe-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0375849912&quot; width=&quot;1&quot; height=&quot;1&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; style=&quot;border:none !important; margin:0px !important;&quot; \/&gt;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><em>The Magic Treehouse<\/em> Series<\/a>, my four-year-old loves dinosaurs. And of course kids (and grown ups) who love dinosaurs are fascinated by the legendary Tyrannosaurus Rex.\u00a0The world-famous fossil known as \u201cSUE\u201d is the largest, best-preserved, and most complete <em>Tyrannosaurus rex<\/em> ever found and makes her home at the Field Museum.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The photo ops.<\/strong> If\u00a0you&#8217;re really lucky, you migh get to <strong>meet a SUE lookalike<\/strong>!<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2374\" src=\"http:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/IMG_09121url-684x1024.jpg\" alt=\"7 reasons to take the kids to visit the Chicago Field Museum! \" width=\"641\" height=\"958\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>The other dinosaurs.<\/strong> Sure, the tyrannosaurus\u00a0may get the glory, but the Field Museum is paradise for the future paleontologist. My oldest (who had just turned four at the time of our visit) still talks about the dinosaur we saw that &#8220;chews&#8221; its food using small rocks and stones\u00a0lodged in its stomach.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The magical forest.<\/strong>\u00a0This&#8221;forest&#8221; was officially a part of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fieldmuseum.org\/at-the-field\/exhibitions\/evolving-planet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Evolving Planet exhibit<\/a>, but for my girls it was a magical\/spooky play land that was great for\u00a0imaginative play.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2376 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/IMG_09362url-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"7 Reasons to Visit the Chicago Field Museum with Kids!\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/IMG_09362url-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/IMG_09362url-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/IMG_09362url.jpg 1001w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>The mummies.<\/strong> Both kids and adults love the adventure of exploring an ancient Egyptian tomb and exploring the Egyptian marketplace in the Inside Ancient Egypt exhibit.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2380\" src=\"http:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/IMG_09051url.jpg\" alt=\"7 Reasons to Take the Kids to the Field Museum in Chicago and how to visit for FREE! \" width=\"766\" height=\"510\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/IMG_09051url.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/IMG_09051url-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 766px) 100vw, 766px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>The kids&#8217; area (aka the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fieldmuseum.org\/at-the-field\/exhibitions\/crown-family-playlab\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Crown Family PlayLab<\/a>)<\/strong>. In\u00a0the play lab, my girls colored, hatched baby dinosaurs, dug for fossils in kinetic sand, looked at bugs\u00a0using a digital microscope, and had easy access to a changing room when our potty training tot\u00a0had a peemergency.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2375 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/IMG_10101url-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"7 Reasons to Take the Kids to Visit the Chicago Field Museum \" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/IMG_10101url-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/IMG_10101url-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/IMG_10101url.jpg 1700w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>The price.<\/strong> The Field Musuem participates in the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.astc.org\/passport\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">ASTC Passport Program<\/a>. Since our home museum (the <a href=\"http:\/\/thchildrensmuseum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Terre Haute Children&#8217;s Museum<\/a>) also participates in this program, our family gets\u00a0<em>to <strong>visit the Field Museum Chicago for free! <\/strong><\/em>Current (as of September 2015) details:\u00a0Two adults and their children or grandchildren under the age of 18 living in the same household. Proof of valid membership and photo ID are required to receive complimentary basic admission. Special exhibitions, 3-D Theater tickets and coat check are not included.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2373 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/IMG_09521url-684x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Chicago with Kids: 7 Reasons to Visit the Field Museum of Natural History\" width=\"684\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/IMG_09521url-684x1024.jpg 684w, https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/IMG_09521url-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/IMG_09521url.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 684px) 100vw, 684px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Know before you go:\u00a0<\/strong><br \/>\nThe Chicago Field Museum is open every day of the year except Christmas. Wear\u00a0your walking shoes and bring a stroller if you can&#8211;there&#8217;s a lot of ground to cover.<\/p>\n<p>1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605 (312) 922-9410<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2377\" src=\"http:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/7-reasons-to-take-the-kids-to.jpg\" alt=\"7 reasons to take the kids to the Field Museum in Chicago!\" width=\"853\" height=\"715\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/7-reasons-to-take-the-kids-to.jpg 940w, https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/08\/7-reasons-to-take-the-kids-to-300x251.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Every so often, my\u00a0family gets the urge to\u00a0pack up the car and spend a\u00a0few hours or days in Chicago. It&#8217;s a lovely city and a popular tourist destination for people from all over the world. Those of us in the Midwest happen to be lucky enough to live within driving distance. As an added bonus, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2380,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10,17],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2121"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2121"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2121\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2392,"href":"https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2121\/revisions\/2392"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2380"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nateandrachael.com\/terrehaute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}