Top quark physics: From a few to a few millions

As the heaviest known fundamental particle, the top quark has taken a central role in the study of fundamental interactions. The top quark mass is a fundamental parameter of the standard model which places constraints on the Higgs boson mass and electroweak symmetry breaking. Observations of the relative rates and kinematics of top quark final states may provide constraints for new physics processes. Past and current experimental measurements are presented with a critical view, and a look at the future prospects.