Chicagobusiness.com: Field Musuem Needs to Evolve

Museum Campus is an integral part of our neighborhood and it appears that the Field Museum is struggling according to chicagobusiness.com:

As recently as 2006, the Field Museum was the city's top tourist attraction,
drawing more than 2 million visitors with “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the
Pharaohs.” Last year, with attendance down by nearly 1 million, it was No. 11.

One of Chicago's premier cultural institutions, the Field Museum is struggling to stay relevant as attendance slumps and public support wanes in an era of high-tech distractions and budget-cutting.

The slump puts President and CEO John McCarter, 73, in the toughest spot since he took over 15 years ago. He's already slashed employment by a third since 2007, to 431 full-timers, and curtailed programs. With no blockbuster exhibitions on the
horizon and an aged structure in need of repair, Mr. Carter could be forced into
more cutbacks.

Although we understand the facts and some of the issues the museum faces, it's still an institution that is near and dear to many Chicagoans. Hopefully things get better. Ironically we just received a PR release about their new "Whales: Giants of the Deep" exhibit that opens on Friday (5/20):