Burpee Museum of Natural History - Rockford, Illinois

Jeremiah

Great place hiding in plain sight! Great exhibits, friendly staff, lots to look at and do, many activities for kids, face paint, multiple stories tall, A++

Cole O.

Without a doubt, an absolute hidden gem!!!! We spent about two hours here today and had a great time. The staff were so friendly and thoughtful of my 4 year old. He asked a billion questions and got answers to almost all of them. I’m very grateful for the gentleman upstairs where all the snakes and geckos are that took his time educating us!! We will absolutely be back, also Jane the juvenile T-Tex was impeccable to see in person. Everyone was so friendly and inviting. This is an excellent museum for any Dino loving kiddo, big or girl!!!!

N D.

I hadn’t been at the Burpee Museum in almost 5 years, but upon returning this past month, I was delighted by the amount of change that had occurred in various parts of this museum, including some new exhibits that enhanced the quality of the visit. Some of the new expansions that I enjoyed exploring the most were an exhibit about life in Illinois during the ice ages, some scattered new additions to their geology gallery, and an exhibit called ‘Survival of the Smallest’ (which focuses on how some insects and arachnids develop striking adaptations to hunt, defend themselves, mate, reproduce, etc.).

However, my favorite new addition to the Burpee Museum was a gallery displaying fossils from the Hanksville-Burpee Dinosaur Quarry. The fossils on display here are all from the late Jurassic, and specimens from dinosaur species such as Stegosaurus, Camarasaurus, Allosaurus, and a rare dinosaur called Mymoorapelta can be found in this exhibit. The centerpiece of the Jurassic fossil gallery is a massive 60 inch long diplodocus femur, likely from an adult individual of this long necked dinosaur species. The specimen was named Mr. Beast, as the world famous YouTuber was at the site when the bone was being excavated. This fossil is bound to become one of the Burpee Museum’s most renowned icons of dinosaur discovery, just like Jane the T. Rex and Homer the Triceratops have been for decades!

The Burpee Museum of Natural History, though smaller than the Field Museum, is still a must-see for those who love to learn about dinosaurs, paleontology, geology, and other subjects related to natural sciences. The museum displays a stunning array of artifacts and its exhibits are very informative. Some of the older exhibits are dated and need upgrades, but beyond that, you won’t be disappointed with your visit to this iconic tourist attraction in Rockford.

Jim C.

Really surprised at their extensive collection of dinosaurs and fossils. Went down to their lab and one of the interns came out and gave us a great explanation of their process and their sites in Utah and Montana.
Really enjoyed ourselves.

Deb O.

The museum had several levels. We enjoyed the museum. The dinosaur exhibits were great. We liked the rocks and minerals. The taxidermy section was a lot of fun! Each section had facts to pick the right animal. It was something different that we enjoyed! It wasn't super crowded going later in the afternoon.

Tim P.

This is a great natural history museum for a city the size of Rockford. Their staff and programs have helped curate some incredible specimens that are truly worth visiting. The displays are set up well, and the space is easy to navigate.

I did notice a couple of mislabeled spiders in the entomology display, and some of the interactive displays were not working (there were also some that really needed to be wiped down).

Chris N.

Terrific place with lots to learn. We a terrific time with our kids.

Travis P.

Burpee is like Rockford's own mini Field Museum. The museum is deceptively large. I spent 4 hours here and still didn't have enough time to see everything! The first floor has all the dinosaur fossils and features the Jane and Homer exhibits. Jane is the juvenile T-rex skeleton (the first ever discovered), and Homer is the adolescent triceratops. They even have a fossil that was featured in a Mr. Beast video, which was really exciting. For any Mr. Beast fans, this fossil is a must-see. The staff were very friendly, and I ended up having a long conversation with one of the curators about the triceratops skulls. I learned a lot while visiting.