The Field Museum Unlocks The Wonders Of The 1893 World's Fair

Opening the Vaults: Wonders of the 1893 World's Fair

The Field Museum
Open daily: 9am-5pm
1400 S Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60605
Exhibit runs now – Sunday, Sep 7, 2014
fieldmuseum.org

Imagine a city a buzz with construction, tourists and wonders of the world being put on display for thousands. Grand structures teleport you to far away places and open your eyes to a world much bigger than the Windy City. You can get a sense of the excitement that was felt during the 1983 Word's Fair with the amazing exhibit at the Field Museum. Opening the Vaults: Wonders of the 1893 World's Fair is currently at The Field Museum through September 7, 2014.

Overview

The extensive collection of artifacts, exhibit relics and treasures from around the world are on display at The Field Museum, 120 years later. The World's Fair was actually the debut of the museum in 1893. Two other important pieces of history were also introduced to the world - Juicy Fruit and the Ferris Wheel. Most of the treasures brought back to view haven't been on display since they were originally during the World's Fair.

Featured Displays

One of the coolest parts of the exhibit for me was the blown up photos of the fairgrounds. Seeing how Chicago was transformed to look like a grand city in Europe with canals, gondolas, massive building structures, statues, the Ferris Wheel - the list goes on. It's hard to imagine where you stand in Chicago today could have been part of the impressive grounds that hosted the Fair for thousands. Check out the Fair map and large-scale photos to get a sense of just how big massive the Fair actually was.

In the front of the exhibit you'll see a small display of original tickets. The tickets themselves were so intricate and detailed, they could have been on display at the fair themselves! Let's just say, they put our Evites to shame.

Taxidermy also had a major role in the World's Fair. Many had never even seen a cat preserved this way let alone exotic animals from around the world. The exhibit features quite a few cases of original animals seen in 1893.

For those that like a more hands on approach to seeing an exhibit there's the Indonesian Gamelan. This ensemble of musical interments was featured at the Fair's Javanese Village. Through interactive touch screens you'll be able to push keys, pull on strings and bang on drums. The original instruments are located right next to the screens so you can see them as they did 120 years ago.

Bus Tour

The Chicago Architecture Foundation has created a way for you to tour the architecture and sites where the original Fair stood. The bus tour will take you from The Field Museum to Jackson Park to see the only building that still stands on the grounds, the Palace of Fine Arts. You'll also see the Wooden Island and the "Golden Lady" statue of the Republic. The bus tour is an hour and 15 minutes and runs from 11:00a.m-1:00p.m. For ticket information, see the The Field Museum's website as dates are limited.

Tickets

Basic Admission entitles you entry into the Museum and all of the permanent exhibitions, like SUE and Inside Ancient Egypt! $18 for adults, $13 for children (3-11), and $15 for students and seniors (65+). The World's Fair Exhibit will require an additional special exhibit pass. All Access and Discovery Passes will get you in to all permanent exhibits as well Opening The Vaults.

Lauren Wulf, CBS Chicago

Lauren Wulf writes about living in Chicago on a budget on her website, A Poor Girl's Guide Chicago.