Visiting The Academy of Natural Sciences

Visiting Information

Location: We're at the corner of 19th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia.; Go to Getting Here to get directions and parking information.
Hours: 10:00 am - 4:30 pm Monday - Friday; 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Weekends & Holidays; Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day & New Year's Day
Admission: Go to Tickets and Times to find out about General Admission, Group Discounts and Other Discounts.
Dining: The Ecology Café, located on the Ground Floor, provides a variety of snacks and meals.
Shopping: The Academy Shop, which is located to the left as you enter the the museum, features a wide range of gifts and collectibles.
Families with Small Children: Go to For Families to learn more about attractions and ammenities of interest to families with small children.
Visitors with Disabilities: Go to Accessibility for information useful for visitors with vision or mobility impairments.

Exhibits and Activities

Butterflies!: Butterflies! features live butterflies from Central and South America, East Africa and Southeast Asia.
Changing Exhibits: Our new changing exhibit,
"Gregor Mendel: Planting the Seeds of Genetics"
will open May 24 and run through September 28, 2008
Dinosaurs: Dinosaur Hall features a variety of dinosaurs and other Mesozoic reptiles. Visitors can dig for dinosaur bones in The Big Dig or talk with paleontologist preparing dinosaur fossils in the Fossil Prep Lab.
Library Treasures: An exhibit featuring the treasures from the Academy's Library.
Outside-In: Outside-In, our Children's Nature Museum, features hands-on activites and the opportunity to meet a variety of live animals.
Other Exhibits: View our Dioramas, visit our Live Animal Center and see More Exhibits.
Town Square: Town Square, our Science for Citizens Public Program, features guest speakers, forums and panel discussions covering Environmental Issues, Evolution, and other Science Topics.
Wild Weekends: Wild Weekends are special events featuring everything from fossils to butterflies to shells.
Other Activities: Several kid-oriented activites are offered. Be part of a Safari Overnight sleepover. Toddlers (3 and 4 years old) can attend Tiny Tot Explores. Scouts can attend day workshops or scout-only Safari Overnights. The Academy also hosts Birthday Parties and provides workshops for Home School students.; Opportunities for older visitors include Behind-the-Scene Tours and Facility Rentals.

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