Guide to the Field Museum

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Founded in 1893, Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History initially held items from the World's Columbian Exposition. Today the Museum houses more than 20 million objects, from Egyptian mummies and Chinese jade carvings to Tyrannosaurus rex bones and Martian meteorites. This lively and beautifully illustrated guidebook provides an excellent starting point from which to explore the Museum, yet holds plenty of surprises for the veteran museum-goer. For instance, among the sixty objects described in this book is the skeleton of Parasaurolophus cyrtocristatus. Excavated in 1923, this specimen was not really "discovered" until the 1950s, when a visiting scientist realized that it represented a previously unknown species. Other entries relate fascinating archeological mysteries or give behind-the-scenes glimpses into how the Museum's exhibits are created. Each of the sixty objects discussed is keyed to both a floor plan of the Museum and a map of the world. An excellent gift for visitors to Chicago and a must for anyone planning to tour this world-class museum.