Skip to main content
Shedd Aquarium

Burpee Museum of Natural History

737 N. Main St., Rockford, IL 61103

Museums

See award-winning exhibits such as T. rex Jane: Diary of a Dinosaur, and Homer, a sub-adult or "teen-age" Triceratops. Four floors of exhibits include Windows to Wilderness, a woolly mammoth skeletal cast, Pennsylvanian coal forest, a Native American exhibit, Geoscience, and a viewing lab.

Come explore Burpee Museum and its award-winning exhibits such as Jane: Diary of a Dinosaur, and explore the history of the young T. rex skeleton found by Burpee Museum researchers in the badlands of Montana, called one of the ten most important dinosaur discoveries in the past 100 years. Burpee Museum also features Homer, a sub-adult or "teen-age" Triceratops! Homer was found in the Montana Badlands by Burpee volunteers, just like Jane. Visitors can view his skull and see Burpee staff members working on his bones in the lab. In addition to Jane and Homer, families can also experience four floors of engaging exhibits. Windows to Wilderness focuses on the nature of the Rock River Valley, and Burpee's Green Roof is the first rooftop garden in Rockford. Other exhibits include a Woolly Mammoth skeletal cast, Pennsylvanian coal forest with simulated thunderstorms, Native American exhibit with full-sized dwellings, Geoscience, and a viewing lab where visitors can watch Burpee Museum staff work on specimens from the museum’s collections and recent dinosaur discoveries. Don't miss Burpee Museum's annual PaleoFest in March.

Images

More Information

  • Mon: Closed
  • Tue: 10:00am – 5:00pm
  • Wed: 10:00am – 5:00pm
  • Thu: 10:00am – 5:00pm
  • Fri: 10:00am – 5:00pm
  • Sat: 10:00am – 5:00pm
  • Sun: 10:00am – 5:00pm

Adults 13 and older: $10, Children age 3 through 12: $9, Children up to age 3: Free, Members: Free, Contact museum for information about donation day

How to find us?

Back to Listings

What's happening nearby...

REO Speedwagon live at the BMO Center

BMO Center •  Nov 22 @ 7:30PM

Legendary rock band REO Speedwagon is set to bring their iconic sound to the BMO Center in Rockford for an unforgettable night of classic hits!

Read more about REO Speedwagon live at the BMO Center

All Aglow

Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens •  Nov 30 – Jan 06

The outdoor gardens at Nicholas Conservatory are filled with sparkling holiday lights.

Read more about All Aglow

Dasher Dash 5K Race

Beattie Park •  Nov 30 @ 12noon

Dash through downtown Rockford in holiday style at the Dasher Dash 5K! Open to all ages, this festive race offers medals, race shirts, and awards. Enter…

Read more about Dasher Dash 5K Race

You might also be interested...

Ethnic Heritage Museum

Rockford

The museum features a room for each ethnic group it represents: African American, Irish, Italian, Lithuanian, Polish, and Hispanic.

Read more about Ethnic Heritage Museum

Erlander Home Museum

Rockford

The cultural centerpiece of Rockford's Swedish-ancestry community, Erlander Home Museum is located in Rockford's first brick home, built by John and IngaStina Erlander family in 1871.

Read more about Erlander Home Museum

Frank Lloyd Wright's Laurent House

Rockford

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Laurent House in Rockford, Illinois is the only building ever designed by the famed architect for a person with a disability.

Read more about Frank Lloyd Wright's Laurent House

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get inspired by top travel stories, gain access to exclusive promotions and contests, and discover even more reasons to #EnjoyIllinois.