PHILADELPHIA, September 26, 2012

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University is closing out its yearlong bicentennial celebration this winter by returning to its roots—dinosaurs.

The nation’s oldest natural history museum, which was the first in the world to display a full dinosaur skeleton, is planning the best ever Paleopalooza festival, special behind-the-scenes tours of its world-renowned Vertebrate Paleontology Collection, and a fresh look at a favorite dinosaur from New Jersey, Hadrosaurus foulkii. Founded in 1812, the Academy launched a year of special programming on March 24, 2012. This March 24 is the last chance to see the bicentennial exhibit, The Academy at 200: The Nature of Discovery, and this winter is the last chance to take in the tours and enjoy 2-for-1 admission on the 21st of each month.

Visit and enjoy the following exhibits and programs, which are all free with museum admission, except where noted. Check ansp.org for frequent updates.

 Special Bicentennial Exhibit
THE ACADEMY AT 200: THE NATURE OF DISCOVERY
March 24, 2012–March 24, 2013

See specimens ranging from a toothy Freshwater Vampire Fish skull and a Burmese python to the 215-million-year-old jaw of an ancient crocodile-like reptile in The Academy at 200: The Nature of Discovery, a one-of-a-kind exhibit at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. The Academy’s collections contain more than 18 million items, and the institution has jam-packed the highlights into an 80-foot-long wall that showcases these beautiful, weird, scary and rarely seen marvels. Experience science as you never have before by dressing up like a scientist, assembling a skeleton in the bone lab, and learning about climate change. Step into a scientist’s shoes and experience the nation’s oldest natural history museum in a whole new way. Free with museum admission.

Art of Science Gallery Exhibit
JAMES PROSEK: OCEAN FISHES
October 13, 2012–January 21, 2013

Dubbed “the Audubon of the fishing world” by The New York Times, Connecticut artist James Prosek is known for his detailed and arresting watercolor paintings, mostly of fish and other ocean creatures. In this Art of Science Gallery Exhibit at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, he showcases his personal impressions of marine beauties, such as a 15-foot-long Blue Marlin, through life-size paintings from his new book, Ocean Fishes (Rizzoli New York, October 2012). Through direct observation and imagination, Prosek reveals the subtle colors and forms of fishes often hidden from view beneath the water’s surface. Free with museum admission.

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University is celebrating its Bicentennial and offering limited-time, behind-the-scenes tours of its world-renowned collections—normally open only to researchers. The Botany Collection contains almost 1.5 million specimens, including algae, fungi, mosses, lichens, vascular plants, and fossils from North America and around the world. See the specimen-mounting and curation lab and watch a demonstration of specimen scanning to create digital images. View dried and pressed specimens of plants, including a cacao bean plant (the source of chocolate), and plants important to medicine. Fee: Purchase tickets at the front desk on day of tour. Members $5, nonmembers $7.50. Ages 8 and up.

FRIENDS AND FAMILY SAFARI OVERNIGHT
Saturday, January 12, 6:30 p.m.–Sunday, January 13, 9 a.m.

Experience the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University after dark! Bring your 7- to 14-year-old children to enjoy a night of interactive activities and encounters with live animals. Socialize and enjoy refreshments, then sleep next to the lions, tigers or Tyrannosaurus rex. Awaken to a light breakfast and more exploration. Each child receives a participation patch. Open to the general public and scout groups. For information and to register, call 215-299-1060. Members $40, nonmembers $45.

 Bicentennial Town Square Keynote Event
OUR WATER, OUR HEALTH: ARE WE IN DANGER? WITH SANDRA STEINGRABER
Tuesday, January 15, 6:30 p.m.

The Center for Environmental Policy of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University invites you to join noted biologist, environmental advocate, and author Sandra Steingraber as she explores the links between human health and environmental toxins, especially those found in our water. Steingraber, who is also a cancer survivor, skillfully weaves her narrative with hard science as she describes how environmental toxins have intruded into our bodies, homes and daily lives. She suggests that the connections between environmental toxins and cancer are particularly relevant given the increasing threat of new toxins being introduced into our drinking water through hydraulic fracking. Registration required. Members $10, nonmembers $15, Drexel students free with ID. Visit ansp.org/get-involved/cep/ for more information.

BOTANY DISCOVERY WEEKEND

Saturday–Monday, January 19–21, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Join the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University for a three-day celebration of plants. The Academy’s Botany Collection contains almost 1.5 million specimens, including algae, fungi, mosses, lichens, vascular plants, and fossils from around the world. Meet the botanists, ask questions, and view actual specimens from the collection. Participate in hands-on activities and demonstrations and get a special take home.

2-FOR-1 ADMISSION DAY

Monday, January 21, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University is celebrating its 200th anniversary by offering 2-for-1 general admission on the 21st of every month through March. January’s 2-for-1 admission day takes place during Botany Discovery Weekend, where you can participate in hands-on activities and demonstrations, get a special take home, meet botanists and view scientific specimens. 2-for-1 admission offer valid for one admission of equal or lesser value and includes all museum exhibits.

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University is celebrating its Bicentennial and offering limited-time, behind-the-scenes tours of its world-renowned collections—normally open only to researchers. The Academy’s Vertebrate Paleontology Collection of 22,000 unique fossil specimens includes the Thomas Jefferson Fossil Collection and extensive collections of prominent 19th-century scientists Joseph Leidy and Edward Drinker Cope. See Ice Age mastodons and giant ground sloths; Devonian-age fossils recently collected in Pennsylvania; new species of fossil fish from the Nunavut Territory of Arctic Canada; and Hadrosaurus foulkii, the first dinosaur to be mounted and displayed to the public—right at the Academy. Fee: Purchase tickets at the front desk on day of tour. Members $5, nonmembers $7.50. Ages 8 and up.

Art of Science Gallery Exhibit
DRAWN TO DINOSAURS: HADROSAURUS FOULKII
February 2–June 9

The Academy of Natural Sciences was the first in the world to create a mounted dinosaur skeleton for display, and to this day the Academy is known as “the dinosaur museum.” Drawn to Dinosaurs: Hadrosaurus foulkii is an intimate exhibit that reveals the science and art of visualizing a living animal based on fragmentary fossils. The centerpiece is a full cast of the plant-eating duckbill dinosaur Hadrosaurus foulkii, discovered in 1858 in Haddonfield, N.J., by an Academy member and later reconstructed by the artist Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins based on Academy research. Free with museum admission.

 TINY TOT EXPLORERS
Wednesdays, February 6, 13, 20 and 27 and March 6, 13 and 20, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.

Young children and their favorite adults can explore nature through games, crafts, songs and museum explorations at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. Tiny Tot Explorers (ages 3–4) meet from 11 a.m.–12 p.m. on Wednesdays. An appropriate snack is provided. A single session or the entire series may be reserved.

Fee: Members $20 per adult/child pair per session, $130 per adult/child pair for all seven sessions; nonmembers $25 per adult/child pair per session, $170 per adult/child pair for all seven sessions. For information and to register, call 215-299-1060.

FRIENDS AND FAMILY SAFARI OVERNIGHT
Friday, February 8, 6:30 p.m.–Saturday, February 9, 9 a.m.

Experience the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University after dark! Bring your 7- to 14-year-old children to enjoy a night of interactive activities and encounters with live animals. Socialize and enjoy refreshments, then sleep next to the lions, tigers or Tyrannosaurus rex. Awaken to a light breakfast and more exploration. Each child receives a participation patch. Open to the general public and scout groups. For information and to register, call 215-299-1060. Members $40, nonmembers $45.

PALEOPALOOZA
Saturday and Sunday, February 16 and 17, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Paleopalooza, a two-day festival of gigantic proportions, features rarely seen specimens from the world-famous fossil collection of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. See real dinosaur fossils, meet Academy scientists and members of the Delaware Valley Paleontological Society, and learn what it’s like to reconstruct the past using fossils, imagination and sound science. Enjoy hands-on activities, crafts, guest speakers and interactive presentations. Free with museum admission.

2-FOR-1 ADMISSION DAY

Thursday, February 21

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University is celebrating its 200th anniversary by offering 2-for-1 general admission on the 21st of every month through March. In February, celebrate paleontology (the study of fossils) by seeing scientific specimens and visiting Dinosaur Hall and the Fossil Prep Lab. 2-for-1 admission offer valid for one admission of equal or lesser value and includes all museum exhibits.

 FRIENDS AND FAMILY SAFARI OVERNIGHT
Saturday, March 16, 6:30 p.m.–Sunday, March 17, 9 a.m.

Experience the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University after dark! Bring your 7- to 14-year-old children to enjoy a night of interactive activities and encounters with live animals. Socialize and enjoy refreshments, then sleep next to the lions, tigers or Tyrannosaurus rex. Awaken to a light breakfast and more exploration. Each child receives a participation patch. Open to the general public and scout groups. For information and to register, call 215-299-1060. Members $40, nonmembers $45.

 ACADEMY EXPLORERS CAMP
Wednesday, March 20–Tuesday, April 2, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Looking for a way to entertain the kids during spring break? The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University will host a fun and educational day camp for children ages 5 to 12. Each day includes a teacher-naturalist presentation, exhibit exploration, games, crafts, and other interactive activities. Each camp runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with optional before- and after-care. Days may be reserved individually or as part of a longer experience.

Topics and Dates

March 20 and 26: Crazy Critters

March 21 and 27: Stupefying Science

March 22 and 28, April 2: Discovering Dinos

March 25 and April 1: Interesting Insects  

March 29: Wild Water

Fee: Members $55 per day, $50 for each additional day; nonmembers $60 per day, $55 for each additional day.  Before- and after-care additional fee. To register, call 215-299-1060.

2-FOR-1 ADMISSION DAY

Thursday, March 21

This is the last day to take advantage of the special bicentennial 2-for-1 general admission to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. The Academy’s yearlong 200th anniversary celebration ends Sunday, March 24, which is also the last day to see the special exhibit, The Academy at 200: The Nature of Discovery.  This exhibit showcases breathtaking items from the institution’s world-renowned collections and its research of the past, present and future. 2-for-1 admission offer valid for one admission of equal or lesser value and includes all museum exhibits.

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