Self-guided Visits
Take your students on an exciting exploration of the natural world. Our three floors of exhibits, ranging from dinosaurs and dioramas to hands-on interactive stations, are sure to make your field trip to the Academy the highlight of the school year.
Special Exhibits
Bugs... Outside the Box
October 22, 2011 – January 16, 2012
This world-premiere exhibit features an array of enormous and scientifically accurate insect sculptures by noted Italian artist Lorenzo Possenti. Paired with live bugs and colorful specimens from the Academys world-renowned invertebrate collection, Bugs Outside the Box provides a surprising and rarely seen look at these amazing creatures.
The Academy at 200: The Nature of Discovery
Opens March 21, 2012
We are especially excited for you and your students to learn about the Academys past, present, and future through our spectacular new exhibit, The Academy at 200: The Nature of Discovery, opening March 24, 2012!
Permanent Exhibits
Art of Science
This new gallery features changing displays of artwork that explore the interplay between science and art.
Butterflies!
Stroll among beautiful live butterflies and moths from around the world in our year-round tropical garden. Watch colorful adults emerge from their pupae and discover other forms of metamorphosis.
Basic + Butterflies! Admission (is required for entry into Butterflies! (more)
Reservations required, 20 minute per session
Dinosaur Hall
Explore the exciting world of paleontology, stroll beneath towering fossil skeletons, and examine dinosaur anatomy up close. Stop by the Fossil Preparation Lab to talk with staff as they clean and prepare real fossils.
Diorama of Africa, Asia, and North America
Travel the globe without leaving the museum! Our ever-popular dioramas let students get nose-to-nose with gorillas from Africa, pandas from Asia, and bison from North America.
Science at the Academy
Find out what Academy scientists are up to these days in this multimedia exhibit. Watch video footage from research expeditions, see recently collected specimens, and find out about our latest scientific discoveries.
The Florence R. Foerderer Live Animal Center
Watch animal care staff tend to the more than 100 live animals that call the Academy home while learning about each species at interactive stations.
Programs
Naturalist Presentations
Join our staff as they explore natural history in these informal presentations involving live animals and/or museum specimens. Naturalist Shows are presented daily at 2:30 pm and run for 20 minutes.
Nature Videos
Take a break from the exhibit galleries. Sit back and enjoy a 20-minute nature video from the award-winning series “Secret Life of Gardens.”
Science Live
Watch our scientist and archivists at work from 1–3 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.