Field Museum of Natural History
Why it's listed
Overlooking Lake Michigan where South Lake Shore Drive divides at Roosevelt Road, this Chicago museum building measures 350 feet by 700 feet. It has load-bearing brick walls faced in Georgia white marble, three floors over a basement, and two monumental entrances with Ionic columns and caryatid porches. A continuous two-story Ionic colonnade wraps the facades, and a central nave 70 by 280 feet and 76 feet high runs north to south beneath a skylit ceiling. The collections originated with the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Marshall Field pledged $4 million in 1904, and his brother Stanley took over planning after Marshall's death in 1905. Daniel H. Burnham and Edward R. Graham led the design, modeled on the Erechtheum in Athens at Field's request. Sculptor Henry Hering made the sculpture. The museum opened in 1921. Its listing rests on its scale, classical design, grand interior hall and prominent lakefront siting, which the nomination ranks among the finest of Chicago's classical buildings.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the largest and possibly the finest of Chicago's monumental classical buildings from the era of scholarly historical revival. Its great hall is one of the grandest interior spaces in the city, and its siting at the southern focus of Lake Shore Drive through Grant Park is praised. The museum is also described as one of the world's most prestigious, named for benefactor Marshall Field.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 75000647, listed September 5, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | E. Roosevelt Rd. at S. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | September 5, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000647 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1906-21 |
| Architect / builder | Daniel H. Burnham & Co. et al; Graham, Burnham and Co.; Graham, Anderson, Probst & White; chief designers Daniel H. Burnham and Edward R. Graham; sculptor Henry Hering |
| Architectural style | Neo-Classical Revival (Greek Classic style) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a museum; the form lists it as occupied, with only minor alterations in the 1960s. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.86631, -87.61709 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 75000647.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q1122595
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.