Burpee Museum of Natural History

The Burpee Museum of Natural History occupies four connected buildings along the Rock River and houses exhibits on dinosaurs, prehistoric ecosystems, and regional natural history specimens. The galleries combine fossils, skeletal remains, and scientific displays that document life from different geological periods.

The museum was established in 1941 as a Works Progress Administration project and opened to the public in May 1942. This timing meant the institution was built during a period of economic recovery when public museums served important community roles.

The First People section displays full-sized traditional dwellings and artifacts from archaeological sites across North America. You can walk through and see how indigenous communities organized their living spaces and what objects shaped their everyday lives.

The museum sits in downtown Rockford and is easily accessible on foot from the surrounding area. The four buildings are connected, allowing you to move between exhibits without stepping outside.

The museum houses Jane, a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton that ranks among the most complete specimens of this species ever found. This fossil was discovered in Montana and draws visitors who want to see such a rare example up close.