Visit the Academy

At the Academy of Natural Sciences, you can wander among towering dinosaur skeletons or discover an indoor tropical butterfly garden. Explore ecosystems from around the world through our historic dioramas or be transported to the great outdoors through our hands-on discovery center for children. Visit our Special Exhibits Gallery for our newest exhibit, or watch scientists at work in Science Live or our Fossil Prep Lab. There’s always something new happening at the Academy—plan your visit today!

scientist and girl check out insect specimens

Museum Activities

Meet live animals, see science in action, or watch us turn the page on Audubon's birds.

Check out our Museum Activities

skeletal mount of Tyrannosaurus in Dinosaur Hall

Signature Exhibits

See how big you are next to Tyrannosaurus rex, walk among live butterflies, or get up close and personal with a polar bear.

Check out our Permanent Exhibits

Events

Academy Summer Camp: Buggin' Out

Thursday, August 16, 2018

9:00 AM-4:00 PM

The Academy of Natural Sciences 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 19103

Everyone

Learn what it takes to be a bug scientist! Start your very own insect collection, learn and test tactics for collecting aquatic invertebrates, and get up-close with live Academy invertebrates!

Invertebrate Husbandry

Thursday, August 16, 2018

9:30 AM-3:30 PM

The Academy of Natural Sciences 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 19103

Everyone

Tap into your inner entomologist during this invertebrate intensive!

Messy Marvelous Mixtures

Saturday, August 18, 2018

1:00 PM-5:00 PM

The Academy of Natural Sciences 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 19103

Everyone

Make a mess with science as you investigate different mixtures. From slimy soap to playdough, we’ll learn about the science behind making these concoctions as we measure, scoop, and stir.

Scientist Saturday: Native Bees

Saturday, August 18, 2018

1:00 PM-4:00 PM

The Academy of Natural Sciences 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 19103

Everyone

Discover current research and meet real scientists at Scientist Saturdays. See hands-on demonstrations of scientists’ exciting research and ask all the questions you want.

Messy Marvelous Mixtures

Sunday, August 19, 2018

1:00 PM-5:00 PM

The Academy of Natural Sciences 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 19103

Everyone

Make a mess with science as you investigate different mixtures. From slimy soap to playdough, we’ll learn about the science behind making these concoctions as we measure, scoop, and stir.

Academy Summer Camp: Dino-mite Discovery

Monday, August 20, 2018

9:00 AM-4:00 PM

The Academy of Natural Sciences 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 1910

Everyone

Calling all paleontologists! Delve deeper into the lives of dinosaurs and their modern-day relatives. Play a round of Tricera-toss, examine dinosaurs from guts to bones to scales, and learn about the giant reptiles that roamed the earth for 165 million years.

Mondays with Marty

Monday, August 20, 2018

1:00 PM-2:00 PM

The Academy of Natural Sciences 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 19103

Everyone

Marty the Moose loves nothing more than a story time spent entertaining the crowds with his terrible jokes and goofy sense of humor. Join Marty and his favorite humans to hear a special story and meet a live animal.

Drexel Insites: Exploring Urban Ecology with The Academy of Natural Sciences

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

6:00 PM-8:00 PM

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 19103

Everyone

Drexel InSites returns in a coast-to-coast celebration of the important difference Drexel makes in the world, and the University's ambitious fundraising campaign to support it. This year's speakers embody the campaign's bold assertion: The Future Is a Place We Make. In some of the nation's most exclusive and inspiring spaces, meet Dragons who are changing their corners of the world to help shape a smarter, more vibrant future.

Dino Drafts: The Academy Beer Garden

Thursday, August 23, 2018

4:00 PM-10:00 PM

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 19103

Everyone

Join 12th St. Catering and the Academy of Natural Sciences for Dino Drafts: The Academy Beer Garden outside on the Parkway during Dinos After Dark.

Dinos After Dark: Bug Edition

Thursday, August 23, 2018

4:00 PM-8:00 PM

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, PA 19103

Everyone

Join us for Dinos After Dark and enjoy pay-what-you-wish admission, family activities and an outdoor beer garden right in front of Philly’s Dinosaur Museum.