Mission: The Field Museum was founded in 1893 as the Columbian Museum of Chicago with its purpose being the accumulation and dissemination of knowledge, and the preservation and exhibition of objects illustrating art, archaeology, science and history. The collections form the foundation of the Museum's exhibition, research and education programs, which are further informed by a world-class natural history library of more than 250,000 volumes. As an educational institution the Field Museum offers multiple opportunities for both informal and more structured public learning. Since its founding the Field Museum has been an international leader in evolutionary biology and paleontology, and archaeology and ethnography. (Less)

The Field Museum is a 501(c)(3) organization, with an IRS ruling year of 1945, and donations are tax-deductible.