Field Museum Chicago


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chinookpilot77

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So I am visiting my parents for the holidays up here in Northern IL and my wife and I took a trip to the city today (about a 2 hour drive to downtown chicago). We went to the field museum.

I hadn't been there since I was a little kid, but I gotta tell ya, looking at all the exhibits on ancient american civilizations and indiginous peoples was VERY enlightening, especially when it comes to hunting implements, tools and clothing. Heck, I even got some great ideas on shelter building.

I'd highly recommend a visit to your local museum for some ideas on primitive skills. I have several projects in mind after my visit today.
 
Its been a while since I visited the Field Museum, but I agree that their exhibits of "primitive" societies are quite good. Well worth the trip if you are anywhere near Chicago.
 
They definitely have a pretty cool set up. But I found that I really appreciated some of the exhibits more since I started learning more about bushcraft. I really see a lot of it with a different set of eyes than I did before I started spending time in the woods. I find myself studying many of the objects when I'm there and thinking about how they made many of the items.

As you said, it is very enlightening for people with our interests.
 
We just made a trip there 3 or 4 weeks ago. You can spend a week there and feel like you have not seen it all. You are right on about the primitive living. You get a pretty good feel for what those societies might have been like.
 
I go there every time I'm in Chicago. Been at least a half dozen times. Love it each time still. Great place!
 
We went there and toured the Egyptian exhibit a few years ago. There was a bed that had leather straps for springs; not much different from my rope bed at the cabin, or a camp bed made from 2 poles and burlap bags.
 
Cool. Do they still have the Tsavo maneater exhibit? I would like to see it some day.

Jon.
 
I was there a couple times when I was younger, and thought it was pretty cool, but I think I would enjoy it even more now. Next time I am in Chicago I am going to have to swing by. Thanks for reminding me about it!
 
Jon Foster said:
Cool. Do they still have the Tsavo maneater exhibit? I would like to see it some day.

Jon.
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Yeah, the lions are still there. But they aren't in the best of shape. It is kinda weird to be so close to the remains of two creatures that caused so much fear among so many people.
 
I haven't done it yet but they have these campouts sometimes where you can bring a tent and sleeping bag or cot or whatever you want to sleep on. They give you a night tour and let you roam around.
 
Wonderful place to visit. As nice as the displays are out front the stuff they have in storage and "in the back" would blow your mind. Spend many field trips and adventures between there, Adler Planetarium and Shedd Aquarium when growing up. Always on the list of places to go when back in the area.
 
Pabloturtle said:
As nice as the displays are out front the stuff they have in storage and "in the back" would blow your mind.
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Definitely! I was invited by a friend to a members' night where they allowed people behind closed doors. We were able to visit the library, which includes some incredible maps, offices where researchers showed off "trinkets" (like Roman coins) from their fieldwork, and even got to see up close taxidermists preparing a leopard and snow leopard (which had passed away at local zoos) for display.

There is definitely a lot going on at places like that than what visitors see. Very cool!
 
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