Burpee Museum of Natural History | Rockford

The Burpee Museum of Natural History, located at 737 North Main Street in Rockford, Illinois, is a well-regarded natural history museum known especially for its paleontology exhibits. Since its founding in 1942, the museum has combined educational programming with hands-on exhibits and scientific research.

Overview

The museum is situated along the Rock River in downtown Rockford as part of the Riverfront Museum Park campus, which it shares with the Discovery Center Museum and the Rockford Art Museum. The Burpee Museum emphasizes earth science, paleontology, regional ecosystems, and Native American history. It attracts students, families, and researchers from across the Midwest.

Permanent Exhibits

Jane: Diary of a Dinosaur
This exhibit features Jane, one of the most complete and well-preserved juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex specimens in the world. Discovered in Montana in 2001, Jane's skeleton provides rare insight into the life of young tyrannosaurs. The exhibit includes a full-size skeleton, detailed reconstructions, and documentation of the excavation and preparation process.

Homer’s Odyssey
This exhibit centers on Homer, a subadult Triceratops also discovered in Montana. Visitors learn about the anatomy, environment, and behavior of Triceratops through skeletal reconstructions, fossil displays, and interpretive panels.

Carboniferous Coal Forest
A two-story immersive exhibit recreates a lush, swampy coal forest from approximately 300 million years ago. The diorama includes life-sized plants, giant insects, and early amphibians. It educates visitors about the carbon-rich environments that eventually formed the Midwest’s coal deposits.

The Ordovician Sea
This exhibit explores the marine environment that covered much of the Midwest over 400 million years ago. It features fossils of trilobites, crinoids, brachiopods, and ancient mollusks, with explanations of the area's geological history.

Geoscience
A comprehensive display of Earth sciences, this exhibit includes information about rock formation, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, and mineral identification. It features a wide array of rocks, gems, and meteorites from around the world.

The First People
This exhibit focuses on the indigenous peoples who inhabited the Great Lakes region over the past 12,000 years. It includes authentic artifacts such as pottery, tools, and clothing, along with full-scale replicas of a wigwam, a tipi, and a dugout canoe.

Windows to Wilderness
Focusing on the ecology of the Rock River Valley, this exhibit displays native plants and animals, both live and mounted. It highlights the changes in the local landscape and ecosystems from the Ice Age to the present. There are interactive stations for children to explore animal tracks, pelts, and habitats.

Family and Interactive Spaces

Sprouts Learning Lab
This space is designed for children under 10 years old. It features a fossil dig pit, interactive exhibits about animals and plants, and live reptiles. It introduces basic concepts of geology and paleontology through play-based learning.

Fossil Preparation Laboratory
Visitors can watch staff and volunteers work on real fossils through a glass viewing window. Interpretive signage explains the cleaning and preservation process and updates are provided on field discoveries and active digs.

Educational Programs

The museum offers a variety of programs for schools, homeschool groups, and scouts. Public programs include guest lectures, workshops, family science days, and summer camps. Some programs offer the opportunity to work alongside paleontologists during field digs.

Annual Events

PaleoFest
A major paleontology event held annually in late winter. It features public lectures, scientific symposia, children’s activities, and opportunities to interact with scientists from around the world. It is one of the only events of its kind in the Midwest.

Holocene Holiday
Held during the winter holiday season, this event focuses on Ice Age animals, glacial history, and the Holocene epoch. It features crafts, storytelling, and hands-on science activities.

Hours and Admission

Open daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Closed on some major holidays

Admission:

Adults (13 and over): $10

Children (ages 3–12): $9

Children under 3: Free

Memberships available for individuals and families

Group rates and discounts for seniors and military

Nearby Attractions

The museum is part of a museum campus that includes:

Discovery Center Museum (children’s science and learning center)

Rockford Art Museum

Nearby parks and attractions such as Nicholas Conservatory and Anderson Japanese Gardens

Summary

The Burpee Museum offers a rich combination of scientific research, educational outreach, and engaging exhibits. It is particularly well known for its paleontology collections, especially the juvenile T. rex "Jane" and the Triceratops "Homer." With family-friendly programs and in-depth scientific content, it provides value for both casual visitors and serious science enthusiasts.