▁tal ented ▁staff ▁of ▁verte br ate ▁foss il ▁prepar ators ▁and ▁scient ists ▁who ▁restore ▁and ▁cur ate ▁spec im ens ▁collected ▁at ▁the ▁museum ' s ▁dig ▁sites ▁abroad , ▁including ▁Mont ana , ▁Ut ah , ▁and ▁Wy oming . ▁ ▁Loc ated ▁on ▁the ▁lower ▁level , ▁the ▁view ing ▁area ' s ▁large ▁glass ▁windows ▁reve al ▁the ▁bi ology ▁and ▁pale ont ology ▁labor ator ies ▁where ▁spec im ens ▁are ▁prepared ▁for ▁the ▁museum ' s ▁collections ▁and ▁exhib its . ▁Vis itors ▁are ▁able ▁to ▁view ▁exhib its ▁and ▁collections ▁pieces ▁as ▁they ▁are ▁prepared ▁and ▁research ed ▁before ▁going ▁on ▁exhib it ▁or ▁into ▁the ▁permanent ▁collection . ▁The ▁Bur pe e ▁Museum ▁of ▁Natural ▁History ▁maintain s ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 0 0 ▁thousand ▁items ▁in ▁its ▁permanent ▁collection . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁H anks ville - B ur pe e ▁Qu ar ry ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁ ▁Bur pe e ▁Museum ▁of ▁Natural ▁History ▁ ▁Bur pe e ▁press ▁release ▁ ▁Bur pe e / R ock ford ▁Register ▁Star ▁B log , ▁describing ▁recent ▁events ▁at ▁the ▁museum . ▁ ▁Category : Build ings ▁and ▁structures ▁in ▁Rock ford , ▁Illinois ▁Category : M useum s ▁in ▁Win ne b ago ▁County , ▁Illinois ▁Category : N atural ▁history ▁museum s ▁in ▁Illinois ▁Category : D in osa ur ▁museum s ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Category : T our ist ▁attra ctions ▁in ▁Rock ford , ▁Illinois ▁Category :