Field Museum partners with Native American community, scholars for Native North American Hall renovation

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago's Field Museum announced Monday that it is renovating its Native North American Hall in partnership with the Native American community.

The museum said it is working with scholars and museum professionals across the U.S. from different tribes and nations to renovate the hall, which includes displays that have been largely unchanged since the 1950s.

The new hall, which will open in 2021, will feature material from the Field's collections as well as pieces from modern Native communities, and will have spaces for rotating displays.

"The exhibits will always be co-curated by Native American scholars and community members, so visitors will encounter unique perspectives and learn from multiple knowledge streams about the history of Native Americans and contemporary concerns and ways of life," said Jaap Hoogstraten, director of exhibitions.

"Visitors will gain a deeper understanding of Native peoples, histories, and contemporary life within the Chicagoland region," said Eli Suzukovich, Field Museum research scientist and descendant of the Little Shell Band of Chippewa-Cree. "The voice, narratives, and perspectives of Native peoples and Indigenous nations that call this region home will serve as anchors for the new hall."

Museum officials said work on the exhibition will be ongoing until its completion, and the hall will remain partially open to visitors through the renovation.