Exhibit on cats, from domestic to wild and ferocious, set to open at Field Museum
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Beginning Friday, the Field Museum of Natural History will be featuring an exhibit all about cats—those that meow and purr, those that roar, and everything in between.
"Cats: Predators to Pets" opens at the Field Museum on Friday, Nov. 29. The Field Museum says the exhibit showcases the world of cats, their physiology, and how they shaped history and culture worldwide—with videos and open-air taxidermy specimens.
The exhibit was created by the Museum national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris. It explores the 38 species of wild cats and their past, present, and uncertain future. It features items from the permanent collection at the Field Museum itself, the Paris museum, and other specimens from partnering museums.
"It shows the Museum's cats in a different way, moving many out of their normal locations in the museum and places them in a different context." project manager Lauren Boegen said in a news release. "When they're on permanent display, visitors get to see these cats with a specific story. This exhibition provides an opportunity to be part of a different story, and to feature cats and the taxidermy from a different perspective."
The exhibit also examines the history of cats' relationships with humans—beginning with the origin of the domestic cat in southwest Asia and northeast Africa.
"The most fascinating aspect of this section of the exhibition is the breadth of human experience we try to cover, and how our story overlaps with the story of felines," curator Bill Parkinson said in the release. "Up to this point in the exhibition, visitors will have only seen biological and natural content related to cats, but being able to answer the question, 'How did felines become such a big part of our lives?' feels the most valuable."
Conservation is also a focus of the exhibit, with information on what threatens wild cat populations and how everyone can help.
There is also a bonus for cat lovers. Each month while the "Cats" exhibit is open, cat owners can exhibit themed images of their cats—with 10 finalists appearing on the exhibition wall. The winner among those finalists gets four All-Access Passes to the exhibit.