The Field Museum

Founded to house the biological and anthropological collections assembled for the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 and situated on the Museum Campus right next door to the Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium, this massive natural history museum still packs ’em in with more than 30 permanent exhibitions covering 300,000 square feet. Inside the permanent displays, you can see glowering dinos, marvel at ancient artifacts from a royal Egyptian tomb, undergo a lesson in cannibalism in the “Pacific Spirits” gallery or take a stroll through the newly rehabbed Halls of Gems and Jade. But for sure the first thing you'll notice is the museum's mascot through the ages, the largest, most complete T Rex skeleton to ever be discovered, Sue. After you stop gaping at her in the front hall, you'll realize there's way more to the museum, like "Ancient Eqypt," filled with over 14,000 mummies and artefacts from Cleopatra's time, "Evolving Planet," which walks you through Earth's pre- and post-dino world, and the Crown Family PLayLab, always good for hands-on activities that bring the exhibits even more into focus for little minds.