Chicago: The Field Museum

Yesterday morning I enjoyed my last made-to-order omelet.  How I will miss the Embassy Suites.  Then we packed up, checked out, and called for our car.  

I dedicate this picture of a Chicago hotel revolving door to my dad and my brother Andy.

David was very sad we were leaving, and he told me he wanted to stay in Chicago for five days more.  We hoped to cheer him up with the long-awaited visit to the dinosaur museum (aka "The Field").

Mary's self-appointed mission in Chicago became a search for "bubbles"--her definition including fountains, rivers, pools, and giant metal beans.  Here she is excitedly pointing to this fountain near Soldier Field and exclaiming, "Bubble!"

This is Sue!  She is the tallest, longest, most complete, and best quality T. rex  in the world.  She's awesome.
(By the way, I've decided that instead of a road, scholarship, or new hospital wing, I'd rather have a huge T. rex fossil named after me.  That would be cool.  Sue was named for Sue Hendrickson, the woman who discovered her.  I guess if I want a T. rex named for me I'd better start digging.)

Somehow in the mile between our hotel and front steps of the Field Museum, David's gleeful mood had turned to one of crankiness...and never ending whining.  But we'd been talking about "the dinosaur museum" all week, so, in spite of his insistence to "go home," we were pressing forward, by golly.

The really good thing about the Field is that you walk through the Evolving Planet exhibit to reach the dinosaur fossils.  It's a fascinating walk that begins in Precambrian time.  It wasn't just the fancy-pants bells and whistles that so many museums have these days.  It was interesting and in-depth and truly educational.

The really bad part about the Field is that you walk through the Evolving Planet exhibit to reach the dinosaur fossils.  It's a long walk before you ever get to the Mesozoic Era.  David was grouchy to being with, and he wasn't too keen on what Earth was like in the Precambrian time (all the volcanoes and meteors), which only added to his bad attitude.  But we pushed ahead to the dinosaurs.  

It was worth the whining!

I learned that a Brontosaurus is really an Apatosaurus.  The confusion between the two was cleared up in 1903.  Yes, 1903.  What kind of science textbook were we using in my third grade class?!  One published in 1897?

Here is an Apatosaurus (not a Brontosaurus):
And a few other dinosaur fossils:


As well as some cool Ice Age animals:
By the time we had walked through the Evolving Planet exhibit, our ears had grown accustomed to the constant whine, so Greg and I figured we might as well check out another exhibit.  So we walked through the new Ancient Americas exhibit.  Very interesting.  I wish we could have taken more time.  What a great museum!

Oh, and for Mary, who likes looking at animals (dead or alive), we paused to look at some mammals of Asia and some woodland birds.  (She was especially excited to see the birds, as "bird" is one of her new favorite signs.)

Eventually the whining beat us down, and we left.  But Greg and I had had a great time.  (And, yet again, we'd had free admission!!--so we didn't feel too bad for not staying long.)

We skipped the must-see Shedd Aquarium.  Oh well.  Their best exhibits are closed right now for renovation, so we didn't feel too bad.  And sometimes it's just time get in the car and go home, you know.

I leave you (for now) with this classic picture.  It's Mary running into the road outside the Field Museum, and David chasing after her, and Greg chasing both of them.