The Field Museum in Chicago has launched its highly anticipated ‘Reptiles Alive!’ exhibit, coinciding with the end of a camp program that has been a cherished family tradition for many.
Robert Ruch, 68, reminisced about his childhood weekends spent exploring the museum with his father and sister. Now, he is sharing that experience with his granddaughter, who aspires to become a herpetologist. Ruch considers the exhibit’s opening an unexpected bonus for their visit to the museum’s camp program.
Ruch dropped his granddaughter off at the camp and took the opportunity to explore the impressive new exhibit, which features 20 live reptiles, including a majestic 14-foot reticulated python and a Cuban rock iguana on loan from Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland.
The ‘Reptiles Alive!’ exhibit runs until April 2026, with tickets priced at $10 for adults and $8 for children, in addition to separate admission from the main museum. For those looking to experience more, an all-access pass to the reptile exhibit along with an Africa Fashion exhibit is available for $43.
Michael Lovely, 46, traveled two hours from Rensselaer, Indiana, accompanied by his nephew. They were pleasantly surprised to stumble upon the opening of the exhibit when Lovely learned of it just the night before. He expressed delight in the timing, stating that his nephew, who has a deep passion for reptiles, was especially thrilled.
The dynamic exhibit allows visitors to interact with a baby American alligator named Thanos, among numerous other live reptiles. Life-like models and specimens of various species are also on display, including the spider-tailed horned viper, the only specimen of its kind currently exhibited in the United States. Furthermore, the exhibit sheds light on reptile conservation and the significant impact humans have on reptile habitats.
Diana Morales Mijares, a 22-year-old doctoral student from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, was part of a field trip when she visited the museum. She shared her excitement about returning to a familiar place while also discovering new exhibits she had not seen before.
Mijares expressed curiosity about the reptiles, recognizing the complex feelings they can invoke. “Reptiles are a little creepy, but the more you know, the more understanding you have of them,” she noted.
Sara Ruane, the associate curator of herpetology and director of core laboratories at the Field Museum, spearheaded the development of the exhibit’s content. She expressed hopes that visitors will appreciate the interactive aspects and representations within the exhibit.
Dedicated to Karl Patterson Schmidt, a former Field Museum curator who tragically lost his life due to a snake bite while conducting fieldwork in 1957, Ruane aims for the exhibit to foster a deeper appreciation for reptiles.
Ruane concluded, “I really hope that when people leave, whether or not they are in love with reptiles, they have a little bit more appreciation for just how amazing and cool they are and how successful they are as a group all around the world.”
image source from：chicago
