Field Museum

The Field Museum is defined by its massive white marble exterior, designed with sculptural detailing that recalls the architecture of ancient Greece. Originally established to house the vast collection of artifacts from the eighteen ninety-three World’s Columbian Exposition, the institution opened its doors in eighteen ninety-four at the fair’s former Palace of Fine Arts. Businessman Marshall Field provided the initial one million dollar donation that ensured the museum’s permanence, and his support eventually allowed for the construction of this current building on the Chicago lakefront.