Our Story.

Burpee Museum of Natural History was built on a simple but powerful idea: that science, curiosity, and the natural world should be accessible to everyone.

That idea took shape in the early 20th century through community collections, the work of the Nature Study Society, and exhibits first displayed at the Rockford Public Library. With support from the Works Progress Administration and a trust established by Harry and Della Burpee, those efforts became something more permanent.

In 1942, Burpee opened its doors inside the historic Barnes Mansion, a home built in 1893 that still anchors the museum today.

From those early rooms, filled with hand-built exhibits and foundational collections curated by our first director: Milt Mahlburg, Burpee has grown into a regional center for natural history, education, and scientific discovery.

In a handwritten note, Della Burpee expressed her goal: to inspire future generations to love and care for nature. This vision remains the heart of Burpee’s mission, strengthened by the Board of Trustees’ latest strategic plan.

We believe Harry, Della, and Milt would be proud!

Explore more about our early history and the Barnes Mansion

Burpee’s Growth: The 1990’s Expansion

The new Solem Wing opened in 1998 and featured space for many more exhibits, meeting rooms, labs, a gift shop, and the Mahlburg Auditorium. Named after benefactor Robert H. Solem and his wife Jane, it reflects his major support of the museum.  Jane, the world famous dinosaur now is displayed in the Solemn wing.

A Museum in Motion

Burpee is not a museum frozen in time. It is a museum that continues to build, evolve, and reimagine how people experience science. Since 2017, Burpee has undergone a major period of transformation, with new exhibits, renovated spaces, and expanded learning environments across the museum.

Our Newest Exhibits

• Fossil Lake – A window into the Green River ecosystem, revealing exquisitely preserved fossils from an ancient lake environment (2017)
• SPROUTS Learning Lab  – A space dedicated to early learners and living animal encounters (2018, updated 2025)
• A River of Dinosaurs – A Jurassic exhibit connecting directly to Burpee’s fieldwork at the Hanksville-Burpee Dinosaur Quarry (2021)
• Ice Age Illinois – Exploring the Pleistocene landscape and the massive animals that once lived here (2021)
• Geology Gallery – A hands-on journey through the rock cycle, showing how pressure, heat, and even life itself shape the Earth (2021)
• Nature Nook – A newly reimagined outdoor space for immersive, hands-on exploration (2025)
• Conservation Corridor – A major new initiative connecting visitors to living species and conservation stories (2025)
• Ancient Waterways – Connecting living waterways of today to the ancient waterways of millions of years ago through living specimins (2026)

Major Exhibit Updates

• Ordovician Sea – Reimagined to highlight early marine ecosystems (2021)
• Coal Forest – Bringing the Carboniferous world to life (2021)
• Windows to the Wilderness – Updated to deepen connections with living ecosystems (2025)

Learning & Research Spaces

• Paleontology Lab (Updated 2022) – Redesigned as a modern, research-ready facility
• Biology Lab (Updated 2022) – Updated to support hands-on science and specimen work

What’s Next

• 12,000 Years in the Making (Opening 2026) – A major new exhibit exploring human and environmental history in our region
• Barnes Mansion Revitalization (2026–2027) – A phased restoration reconnecting the museum to its historic roots
• Jane Exhibit Updates (Coming Soon)

Science in Action

Burpee is not just a place to see science: it is a place where science happens.

In 2001, Burpee researchers uncovered Jane, one of the most complete and scientifically important small tyrannosaurs ever discovered. Jane continues to shape research and public understanding of tyrannosaur growth, identity, and evolution.

👉 Learn more about Jane

But discovery at Burpee didn’t stop there.

Burpee’s field program remains active today, including ongoing work at the Hanksville-Burpee Dinosaur Quarry in Utah: one of the most important Jurassic bonebeds in North America. Students, volunteers, and researchers work side by side to uncover fossils that help tell the story of life on Earth.

👉 Learn more about our fieldwork and quarry program

A Place for Experience

Burpee is a place where:

• Children encounter animals up close
• Families explore deep time together
• Students become scientists
• Curiosity turns into something lasting

From fossils and fieldwork to live animals and evolving exhibits, Burpee connects people to the natural world in ways that are immediate, personal, and meaningful.

And like the story it tells, Burpee itself is still evolving.