Have you ever attended the world fair? I was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend the 1984 World Fair in New Orleans – I was 13. I remember it being like nothing I’d ever experienced before. When I heard about the Field Museum‘s newest exhibit – Opening the Vaults – Wonders of the 1893 World’s Fair, I was anxious to go.
Surprisingly L was interested too so off we went for a mommy and me date.
Wonders of the 1893 World’s Fair takes visitors back to 1893, to the World’s Columbian Exposition—one of the greatest events in the history of Chicago and the U.S. The exhibition will show what visitors to the Fair saw 120 years ago.
It was interesting to learn that 22 years after the Great Fire of 1871, the opening of the Columbian Exposition was a signal to the world that Chicago was resurrecting and instilled hope in an era filled with financial panic, social turmoil and change.
Opening the Vaults is an exhibition series that showcases objects from the Museum’s collections that have rarely—if ever—been on displayed. Objects in these exhibitions are displayed much like they are stored deep in the Museum’s vaults. The Field Museum has 50,000 objects from the World’s Fair. (The Museum’s entire collection has grown to more than 25 million.)
WOW!
What did we see?
With more than 200 artifacts and specimens from every corner of the Fair’s ground along with large scale murals and video projections and digital interactives to explore the Museum’s collections through new technologies, there is something for everyone of all ages to enjoy.
I was fascinated by the fashion: a skirt made from pine needles, hat made from loofah sponge, copper bangles and copper and pearl necklace both made with copper from Lake Superior. 
L was fascinated by the taxidermied animals that allowed visitors of the fair to see exotic species they would never have encountered otherwise. If you think about the logistics of transporting these animals (they’re huge) in 1983, it truly is incredible.
The projections were our favorite by far (souvenir map above) and the video I took of a fair sign (see below). I had to peel L away from most of these.
1983 World Fair Factoid:
A ticket to the Fair cost 50 cents, 25 cents for children under 12, and admission was free for children 6 and under. However, all of the Midway attractions were ticketed separately, and each could cost as much as the entire Fair’s entrance. Some visitors actually mortgaged their homes in order to experience this once-in-a-lifetime event. Could you imagine mortgaging your home?
Another interesting fair factoid: The Field Museum was founded to commemorate the Fair, however it was NOT part of the World’s Fair. It opened a few months after the Fair ended, in the building that was the Fair’s Palace of Fine Arts (now the Museum of Science and Industry). The Museum moved to its current location and re-opened to the public in 1921.
The Field Museum has developed a new mobile app you can download for iPhone or Android before your visit. Above is an example of the capabilities. 1) description of the exhibit 2) app will unlock additional features like a short video 3) access where exhibit is located in the museum.
Planning Your Visit:
- Download the APP: This was extremely helpful in navigating through the exhibit. Plus it unlocks additional information and features like short video clips.
- Purchase Tickets: The Discovery Pass is required to access the 1893 World’s Fair Exhibit. This includes admission to the Museum’s permanent collection as well. Tickets may be purchased on site at The Field Museum to avoid the online convenience charge or online. Rates: $23 for adults, $16 for children (3-11), and $19 for students and seniors (65+). Chicago residents may receive an additional discount ($20 ticket price for adults) by showing ID, or proof of residency.
- Tips for Kids: When visiting with kids, plan to have lunch at the museum. We arrived around noon, had lunch first then took our time exploring the exhibit. You could also arrive earlier in the morning, tour then have lunch. We ended our visit at the Crown Family PlayLab. It was the perfect end to a perfect mommy and me afternoon.
Hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Last admission for Opening the Vaults: Wonders of the 1893 World’s Fair is at 4:00 p.m. Open every day except Christmas.
Disclosure: I was selected for this opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, however all content and opinions expressed here are my own.
