Field Museum Celebrates Year of the Fire Horse with Horse Evolution Exhibit

Chicago museum showcases 50 million years of horse history in new exhibit

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Lunar New Year ushers in the Year of the "Fire Horse" for the first time in 60 years. To celebrate, Chicago's Field Museum is hosting an exhibit called "After the Age of Dinosaurs" that showcases 50 million years of horse evolution, with fossils found across North America.

Why it matters

Horses are easier to trace through evolution than many other species, with a rich fossil record that allows the museum to tell the story of how the modern horse came to be. The exhibit provides an opportunity for visitors to learn about this important part of natural history during the auspicious Year of the Fire Horse.

The details

The "After the Age of Dinosaurs" exhibit at the Field Museum features fossils and displays that chart the 50 million year evolution of the horse. According to Adrienne Stroup, a collections assistant at the museum, the fossil record for horses is more complete than for many other species, allowing researchers to better map out how the modern horse developed from its ancient ancestors.

  • The Lunar New Year, marking the Year of the Fire Horse, begins on Tuesday, February 16, 2026.
  • The "After the Age of Dinosaurs" exhibit is currently open at the Field Museum.

The players

Field Museum

A natural history museum located in Chicago, Illinois that is hosting the "After the Age of Dinosaurs" exhibit celebrating the Year of the Fire Horse.

Adrienne Stroup

A collections assistant at the Field Museum who provided insights about the museum's horse evolution exhibit and the completeness of the horse fossil record.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The fossil record is notoriously incomplete. Sometimes we only have one tooth to describe an entire species, but for horses, they evolved in North America. We find them out in the Badlands, the western part of the United States, even in the Midwest, like Nebraska.”

— Adrienne Stroup, Collections Assistant, Field Museum (FOX32 Chicago)

What’s next

Visitors can learn more about the "After the Age of Dinosaurs" exhibit and purchase tickets on the Field Museum's website.

The takeaway

The Field Museum's new exhibit on horse evolution provides a unique opportunity for visitors to explore 50 million years of natural history during the auspicious Year of the Fire Horse, highlighting how the fossil record allows researchers to better understand the development of this iconic animal.