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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

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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

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What's happening nearby...

PaleoFest 2026 at Burpee Museum of Natural History

Burpee Museum of Natural History  •  Mar 06 – Mar 08

Join Burpee Museum for PaleoFest 2026, March 6–8—three days of discovery with leading paleontologists, hands-on science, and fun for all ages.

Read more about PaleoFest 2026 at Burpee Museum of Natural History

Sock Monkey Madness

Midway Village Museum •  Mar 07 @ 9AM

Sock Monkey Madness returns to Midway Village Museum with a 1950s-inspired Sock Hop celebrating Rockford’s iconic creation. Enjoy crafts, music, family fun, and hands-on history as…

Read more about Sock Monkey Madness

Rockford Saint Patrick's Day Parade

Mar 14 @ 3PM

The Irish Marching Society presents the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Read more about Rockford Saint Patrick's Day Parade

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