Since our target here at Scientific Chicago is for the curious minded Chicagoan, it would be hard to ignore WBEZ’s series Curious City, where reporters explore questions Chicagoans have always had about their city. And it just so happens that the latest investigation delves into the world of science.

James Kowalski asked how large the Field Museum’s collection is and what percent of that is on display. Turns out that the museum is something of an iceberg; we only see the tip of the whole, with most of the mass dwelling below.

So what’s sitting underneath those lovely marble floors where thousands walk each year? “One of the best research collections in the world for all types of biological and cultural diversity,” according to Dr. John Bates, the Field’s Associate Curator of Birds.

Take a look: