The Academy of Natural Sciences

search

skip to content

You are in: Home > Activities > Behind-the-Scenes-Tours

Behind-the-Scenes Tours

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia offers special Behind-the-Scenes tours of our collections and research facilities. Academy collection managers and curators will dazzle you with our treasure trove of more than 17 million birds, insects, plants, fish, fossils, shells and more. These stunning specimens have been used over the last 200 years by Academy scientists and colleagues the world over to identify and document the earth’s biodiversity and understand the evolutionary history of life.

Experiential Tour Packages

• Exploring with Lewis & Clark
  The year was 1804 and Thomas Jefferson had just dispatched Lewis and Clark on a journey across North America. Although, it has been more than 200 years since the trip secured the two a place in history, the museum has brought the expedition back to life with real artifacts that Lewis and Clark gathered and brought back from their adventures. This experience includes a guided tour with behind-the-scenes access hosted by an Academy scientist.
  
• Dinosaurs Unearthed
  Who doesn't love dinosaurs? During this guided museum tour you will enjoy special behind-the-scenes access to exhibits. Millions of years of history are just steps away. In fact, the first complete dinosaur skeleton, which was found in nearby Haddonfield, NJ, resides at The Academy of Natural Sciences.
• Current Expeditions
  Learn about the work of scientists and experts at the Academy who continue to travel the world to uncover the wonders of nature and unlock its secrets. You will meet one-on-one with an Academy scientist who will provide you with an insider’s view of the Academy’s current expeditions and findings.
• Customize Your Own Tour
  Behind-the-Scene Tours can also be customized to match your interests. The Academy is either the birthplace or an early center for Botany, Entomology, Herpetology, Ichthyology, Malacology, Mammology, Ornithology and Paleontology in America. Consequently, our collections & research departments house some of the nation's most scientifically and historically important natural history collections. (See Collections & Research Areas below.)
  

Behind-the-Scene Tours are for groups of 10 or more people and are appropriate for people ages 10 or above. They are usually available weekdays between 10 am and 4 pm but specific tours and times may vary based on the availability of the collection staff. Behind-the-Scenes Tours are 45 - 60 minutes long and cost $19 per person. This price includes General Admission to the museum. Special weekend tours (depending on the availability of the collection staff) can also be arranged. Additional fees will apply for tours with less than 10 people.

top of page

Collection & Research Areas

Botany (plants)

The herbarium in the Botany Department has about 1.5 million specimens and plays a vital role as a resource for research on plants and on the history of American botany. Some of the specimens, such as those collected by Benjamin Smith Barton, Henry Muhlenberg, Thomas Nuttall and those from the Lewis & Clark Expedition, date back to the 18th and early 19th centuries. The collection has greatly expanded over the years in terms of both geography and biodiversity; flowering plants, gymnosperms, ferns, lichen, fungi, bryophytes and fossil plants are extensively represented. (See Botany Department for more information.) [go back]

Entomology (insects)

Entomology, the study of insects, has been an active area of research at the Academy since its founding in 1812. Thomas Say, Titian Peale and Ezra Cresson are three of the more famous 19th century entomologists who worked at the Academy. Currently, the collection houses more than 3,500,000 specimens. (See Entomology Department for more information.) [go back]

Herpetology (amphibians & reptiles)

Although modest in comparison to our other collections (there are a mere 40,000 specimens), Herpetology at the Academy is historically significant. John Holbrook, considered the "Father of American Herpetology" worked at the Academy during the early and mid-19th century. Moreover, about 3,000 specimens from the personal collection of Edward D. Cope, best known for his participation in the Marsh-Cope Bone Wars of the 1870s but also one of the most important herpetologist of the 19th century, are housed at the Academy. (See Herpetology for more information.) [go back]

Ichthyology (fish)

The Academy's fish collection is one of the top Ichthyology collections in North America. There are almost 1.2 million specimens representing a wide diversity of marine and freshwater species. In particular, the collection contains an exceptional assortment of eels, characiforms and catfishes. Many notable ichthyologists, including Edward Drinker Cope, John Holbrook, Henry Weed Fowler, James E. Böhlke, William Saul, William Smith-Vaniz, Scott Schaefer and John Lundberg can contributed to this impressive collection. (See Ichthyology Department for more information.) [go back]

Malacology (clams, snails and other shells)

Malacology has been an important part of Academy research since its founding in 1812, and the ranks of notable scientists who contributed to the collection include Thomas Say, Isaac Lea, Samuel Haldeman, Henry Pilsbry and Robert Robertson. With about 12 million specimens, the collection is exceptionally large. Indeed, it ranks as the second largest curated collection in the world. (See Malacology Department for more information.) [go back]

Mammology (mammals)

The Academy's mammal collection is one of the oldest mammology collections in the Americas. Charles Bonaparte, Joseph Leidy and E. D. Cope were among the early Academy collectors and scientists. Although it's not large (about 22,600 specimens) relative to those in some of the largest museums, the collection is exceptional for its wealth of type specimens (specimens used to taxonomically define species) and for its geographic scope. Carnivores, primates, antelopes, buffalos and elephants are well represented. (See Mammology for more information.) [go back]

Ornithology (birds)

With over 200,000 specimens the Academy's bird collection is one of top ornithology collections in the world. It's exceptional in both its taxonomic and geographic scope. Alexander Wilson, considered "The Father of American Ornithology", helped establish the collection during the earliest days of the Academy. Many other notable ornithologists and naturalists, including John James Audubon, William Bartram, Thomas Nuttall, John Gould, Witmer Stone, Rudolphe Meyer de Schauensee, James Bond and Frank Gill enriched the collections. (See Ornithology Department for more information.) [go back]

Paleontology (fossils)

The beginnings of American paleontology are well represented at the Academy. The Thomas Jefferson Fossil Collection is housed here. The fossils studied by Joseph Leidy, who is considered the "Father of American Vertebrate Paleontology" are part of the collection. Among them is Hadrosaurus, the first dinosaur skeleton ever discovered. Dinosaur remains collected by Dr. Peter Dodson and Late Devonian fossils collected by Dr. Ted Daeschler are more recent additions. A variety of fossil invertebrates and plants are also housed at the Academy. (See Vertebrate Paleontology, Invertebrate Paleontology, Paleobotany, Thomas Jefferson Fossil Collection and Joseph Leidy's Paleontology for more information.) [go back]

Check out the Academy's Experiential Tours and other Experiential Tours at the
Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau's website: www.philadelphiausa.travel .

top of page