Pacific Anthropology
at the Field Museum

For more than 40 years, the Regenstein Family and Regenstein Foundation have been important and generous benefactors to the Field Museum.

​

In 1987 Mr. Joseph Regenstein, Jr. and the Regenstein Foundation generously agreed to sponsor the Museum’s permanent exhibitions Traveling the Pacificand Pacific Spirits.  Mr. Regenstein also established a special endowment fund at the Museum for the care and conservation of the Museum’s Pacific collection.  Now known as the Regenstein Oceanic Conservation Fund, this special endowment has provided support to a number of important projects, such as the care of the Maori meeting house Ruatepupuke II.

In 2001 the Regenstein family extended its commitment to the Museum through the creation of a major endowment fund for the care, study, and exhibition of Pacific materials.  This endowment is intended to encourage the Museum to explore new ways to engage the public around our Pacific exhibitions, ensure the safekeeping of the Pacific collection, and support new research on Oceania.

​

Today, the Museum is actively using the legacy provided by the Regenstein Family to teach the public about the rich, fascinating cultures of the Pacific.  Over the next ten years a number of major updates will be taking place in the Museum’s Regenstein Pacific Exhibition Halls. These improvements together with several new digital resources and outreach programs will provide the public with unprecedented access to our Pacific collections.

​

The Museum is extremely grateful to the Regenstein family and Regenstein Foundation for their generous support.