Burpee Museum of Natural History
Encyclopedia
The Burpee Museum of Natural History is located along the Rock River in downtown Rockford
, Illinois
at 737 North Main Street.
project. The Museum was established in 1941 and opened on May 24, 1942. The current complex is made up of four buildings—the Manny Mansion, the Barnes Mansion, the Solem Wing, and the Water Lab.
The Solem Wing is the public portion of Burpee Museum. Built in the winter of 1998, the Solem Wing houses the Museum's exhibits, meeting rooms, laboratories, gift shop, and the Mahlburg Auditorium. It is named after Robert H. Solem who was a major benefactor, patron, and friend of the Museum.
The Manny Mansion was owned by John P. Manny and was built in 1852. Formerly the Burpee Art Museum, it is now attached to the south side of the Solem Wing and houses Museum classrooms and offices.
Prior to the expansion, the Burpee Museum was housed entirely in the Barnes Mansion. Built in 1893, the mansion was owned by industrialist William Fletcher Barnes. Today, the Barnes Mansion houses meeting rooms and the administrative offices.
The Water Lab (funded by Aqua Aerobic) is a modern lab facility along the Rock River in which students in grades 6 through high school collect water samples from the river and analyze them for various physical, chemical and biological parameters.
Jane
is a renowned juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex
or Nanotyrannus lancensis discovered in the Hell Creek Formation
in southeastern Montana
during the summer of 2001 by Carol Tuck and Bill Harrison, team members of an expedition led by Burpee Museum curator Michael Henderson. "She" is named after Burpee Museum benefactor Jane Solem. After four years of preparation, Jane is now on display as the centerpiece of a new exhibit at Burpee Museum, "Jane: Diary of a Dinosaur".
Visitors are able to discover what happened during the 66 million years she lay buried, visit a re-creation of the expedition’s Montana
base camp, and view her fully restored 21-foot skeleton. She was 11 years old at death, and is half as big as her adult counterpart "Sue
," who is 43 feet long and resides at Chicago's Field Museum.
Jane's weight was probably nearly 1,500 lbs. Her big feet and long powerful legs indicate she was built for speed and could possibly run as fast as 20-30 miles per hour, and her lower jaw has 17 finely curved, serrated, razor-sharp teeth designed to tear into flesh.
Rockford's Jane exhibit also contains several scale casts of other dinosaurs, including a 40-foot Tyrannosaurus rex. To be joining Jane on exhibit is Homer, a subadult Triceratops
fossil
discovered in the Hell Creek Formation
in southern Montana
by Helmuth Redschlag in July 2005.
In July 2006 The Science Channel aired The Mystery Dinosaur, a one-hour documentary on the discovery and continuing scientific argument over whether Jane is a juvenile T. rex or an adult Nanotyrannus lancensis. The Mystery Dinosaur aired on the Discovery Channel in the fall of 2006.
In March 2007, Jane was nominated as one of Illinois' Seven Wonders.
The Carboniferous
State-of-the-art technology is combined to create a two-story tall prehistoric coal forest
, which displays local landscape, insects and amphibians as they existed 300 million years ago
The Ordovician
Fossils and displays relating to life in the midwest as it was found 455 million years ago.
; a 10-foot glacier
model; displays of unusual rocks, gems, and minerals; and information on plate tectonics
, land formations, and others.
. The First People features a full-size wigwam
and tipi
, an American Bison
, and a dugout canoe that you can climb into. Includes two video presentations focused on Native American
lifestyles and archeology.
Focusing on the wildlife
of the Rock River Valley, the Windows to Wilderness exhibit includes live and mounted wildlife
; scale recreations of common landscapes and environments of the Rock River Valley. This exhibit also includes hands-on activities designed to entertain children.
and paleontology
laboratories where specimens are prepared for the Museum's collections and exhibits. Visitors are able to view exhibits and collections pieces as they are prepared and researched before going on exhibit or into the permanent collection. The Burpee Museum of Natural History maintains more than 60 thousand items in its permanent collection.
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
at 737 North Main Street.
Museum History
The Burpee Museum of Natural History was created as a Works Progress AdministrationWorks Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
project. The Museum was established in 1941 and opened on May 24, 1942. The current complex is made up of four buildings—the Manny Mansion, the Barnes Mansion, the Solem Wing, and the Water Lab.
The Solem Wing is the public portion of Burpee Museum. Built in the winter of 1998, the Solem Wing houses the Museum's exhibits, meeting rooms, laboratories, gift shop, and the Mahlburg Auditorium. It is named after Robert H. Solem who was a major benefactor, patron, and friend of the Museum.
The Manny Mansion was owned by John P. Manny and was built in 1852. Formerly the Burpee Art Museum, it is now attached to the south side of the Solem Wing and houses Museum classrooms and offices.
Prior to the expansion, the Burpee Museum was housed entirely in the Barnes Mansion. Built in 1893, the mansion was owned by industrialist William Fletcher Barnes. Today, the Barnes Mansion houses meeting rooms and the administrative offices.
The Water Lab (funded by Aqua Aerobic) is a modern lab facility along the Rock River in which students in grades 6 through high school collect water samples from the river and analyze them for various physical, chemical and biological parameters.
Jane-Diary of a Dinosaur
Jane (dinosaur)
Jane is a fossil specimen of small tyrannosaurid dinosaur , officially known as BMRP 2002.4.1, discovered in the Hell Creek Formation in southern Montana....
is a renowned juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex
Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus meaning "tyrant," and sauros meaning "lizard") is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur. The species Tyrannosaurus rex , commonly abbreviated to T. rex, is a fixture in popular culture. It lived throughout what is now western North America, with a much wider range than other...
or Nanotyrannus lancensis discovered in the Hell Creek Formation
Hell Creek Formation
The Hell Creek Formation is an intensely-studied division of Upper Cretaceous to lower Paleocene rocks in North America, named for exposures studied along Hell Creek, near Jordan, Montana...
in southeastern Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
during the summer of 2001 by Carol Tuck and Bill Harrison, team members of an expedition led by Burpee Museum curator Michael Henderson. "She" is named after Burpee Museum benefactor Jane Solem. After four years of preparation, Jane is now on display as the centerpiece of a new exhibit at Burpee Museum, "Jane: Diary of a Dinosaur".
Visitors are able to discover what happened during the 66 million years she lay buried, visit a re-creation of the expedition’s Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
base camp, and view her fully restored 21-foot skeleton. She was 11 years old at death, and is half as big as her adult counterpart "Sue
Sue (dinosaur)
"Sue" is the nickname given to FMNH PR 2081, which is the largest, most extensive and best preserved Tyrannosaurus rex specimen ever found. It was discovered in the summer of 1990 by Sue Hendrickson, a paleontologist, and was named after her...
," who is 43 feet long and resides at Chicago's Field Museum.
Jane's weight was probably nearly 1,500 lbs. Her big feet and long powerful legs indicate she was built for speed and could possibly run as fast as 20-30 miles per hour, and her lower jaw has 17 finely curved, serrated, razor-sharp teeth designed to tear into flesh.
Triceratops
Triceratops is a genus of herbivorous ceratopsid dinosaur which lived during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period, around 68 to 65 million years ago in what is now North America. It was one of the last dinosaur genera to appear before the great Cretaceous–Paleogene...
fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
discovered in the Hell Creek Formation
Hell Creek Formation
The Hell Creek Formation is an intensely-studied division of Upper Cretaceous to lower Paleocene rocks in North America, named for exposures studied along Hell Creek, near Jordan, Montana...
in southern Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
by Helmuth Redschlag in July 2005.
In July 2006 The Science Channel aired The Mystery Dinosaur, a one-hour documentary on the discovery and continuing scientific argument over whether Jane is a juvenile T. rex or an adult Nanotyrannus lancensis. The Mystery Dinosaur aired on the Discovery Channel in the fall of 2006.
In March 2007, Jane was nominated as one of Illinois' Seven Wonders.
The CarboniferousCarboniferousThe Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Permian Period, about 299.0 ± 0.8 Mya . The name is derived from the Latin word for coal, carbo. Carboniferous means "coal-bearing"...
Coal Forest
State-of-the-art technology is combined to create a two-story tall prehistoric coal forestCoal forest
Coal forests were the vast swathes of wetlands that extended over much of the tropical land areas during late Carboniferous and Permian times. These forests got their name because they accumulated enormous deposits of peat which later changed into coal...
, which displays local landscape, insects and amphibians as they existed 300 million years ago
The OrdovicianOrdovicianThe Ordovician is a geologic period and system, the second of six of the Paleozoic Era, and covers the time between 488.3±1.7 to 443.7±1.5 million years ago . It follows the Cambrian Period and is followed by the Silurian Period...
Sea
Fossils and displays relating to life in the midwest as it was found 455 million years ago.Geoscience
Displays focus how our earth was formed and the forces still at work shaping our planet. Included are exhibits on economic, world and regional geologyGeology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
; a 10-foot glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
model; displays of unusual rocks, gems, and minerals; and information on plate tectonics
Plate tectonics
Plate tectonics is a scientific theory that describes the large scale motions of Earth's lithosphere...
, land formations, and others.
The First People
Displays and exhibits focused on the history of humankind in North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The First People features a full-size wigwam
Wigwam
A wigwam or wickiup is a domed room dwelling used by certain Native American tribes. The term wickiup is generally used to label these kinds of dwellings in American Southwest and West. Wigwam is usually applied to these structures in the American Northeast...
and tipi
Tipi
A tipi is a Lakota name for a conical tent traditionally made of animal skins and wooden poles used by the nomadic tribes and sedentary tribal dwellers of the Great Plains...
, an American Bison
American Bison
The American bison , also commonly known as the American buffalo, is a North American species of bison that once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds...
, and a dugout canoe that you can climb into. Includes two video presentations focused on Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
lifestyles and archeology.
Windows to Wilderness-Exploring nature in the Rock River Valley
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
of the Rock River Valley, the Windows to Wilderness exhibit includes live and mounted wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
; scale recreations of common landscapes and environments of the Rock River Valley. This exhibit also includes hands-on activities designed to entertain children.
The Dean Olson Specimen Viewing Lab
The Dean and Nancy Olson Specimen Viewing Lab is a window into how the Museum works. Located on the lower level, the viewing area's large glass windows reveal the biologyBiology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
and paleontology
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
laboratories where specimens are prepared for the Museum's collections and exhibits. Visitors are able to view exhibits and collections pieces as they are prepared and researched before going on exhibit or into the permanent collection. The Burpee Museum of Natural History maintains more than 60 thousand items in its permanent collection.
External links
- Burpee Museum of Natural History in Rockford, IL
- Burpee Press Release
- Burpee/Rockford Register Star Blog, describing recent events at the museum.