GENERAL GUIDE TO THE COLLECTIONS 
Introduction 
This handbook is designed to serve as a general guide 
to the collections in the Museum. 
Field Museum of Natural History was established in 
1893, at the close of the World’s Columbian Exposition. 
The founding of an institution of this importance and charac- 
ter was made possible by Marshall Field, who, in addition 
to a gift of $1,000,000, bequeathed on his death in January, 
1906, a further sum of $8,000,000, of which $4,000,000 was 
allotted for the erection of a building, and $4,000,000 for en- 
dowment. 
The Museum is incorporated under State Law, and its 
active control rests in the Board of Trustees, with Presi- 
dent, Secretary and Treasurer. The executive of the Mu- 
seum is the Director, under whom there are five Curators 
and a number of divisional associate and Assistant Curators, 
Preparators, etc. 
The Museum building is 700 feet long, 350 feet wide, 
90 feet high, and covers an area of about 11 acres. The 
main central hall rises to the entire height of the building; 
the rest of the structure being divided into four floors. Of 
these, two, and a portion of the third, are devoted to exhibi- 
tion purposes; the remainder serving as working space 
for the administrative and scientific staffs and maintenance 
force. The exterior, which is of white Georgia marble, is 
treated in a mounmental manner based on Greek architecture 
of the Ionic order. The principal fronts are divided into a 
large pedimented central pavilion, with two long wings termi- 
nated by a smaller pavilion at each end. A notable feature 
is the terrace, which is sixty feet wide, and completely 
surrounds the building at a height of six feet above the 
surrounding level. 
In this structure, the architects, D. H. Burnham and Co., 
and Graham, Anderson, Probst and White, have given to the 
City of Chicago and the country a masterpiece of monu- 
mental building possessing distinction and dignity commen- 
surate with its purpose and origin. 
The main hall, which is dedicated to Mr. Stanley Field, 
President of the Institution, contains four statues, designed 
by Mr. Henry Hering, which symbolize the aims and pur- 
poses of the Museum. The figures flanking the north arch- 
way represent Natural Science and the Dissemination of 
Knowledge, while those at the south archway typify Re- 
search and Record. 
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