For over 160 years, the Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum has served a unique role connecting children of all ages to nature and science, inspiring the wonder in all of us.
The Museum provides award-winning exhibitions and programs to 70,000 students annually and trains and provides resources for more than 2,000 Chicago teachers. The Nature Museum is one of the city’s best examples of eco-friendly building technology, including a green roof, solar panels, natural light sources and native landscaping. The Academy and its Museum are engaged in important conservation and research work, such as its Butterfly Restoration Project. Admission
Adults: $9
Students: $7
Seniors: $7
Children: $6 (Age 3 and under are free!)
Thursdays are suggested donation days. Our members always get in FREE!
Operating as usual
Register for free! Join us virtually this Friday, May 7, for the 23rd Annual Butterfly Ball supporting all the educational outreach initiatives of the Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.
Join us for Butterfly Ball 2021.
Let the Nature Museum help your Girl Scout troop earn badges! Register your troop for a fun and interactive Virtual Field Trip Workshop. Explore our upcoming workshops or explore custom options for your troop.
Let the Nature Museum help your Girl Scout troop earn badges. Register your troop for a fun and interactive Virtual Field Trip Workshop. Explore our upcoming workshops below.
We're so excited to virtually welcome Tykee James as the first speaker in our 2021 Compelling Voice in Birding & Conservation series! Register for free at the link below to join us, Chicago Audubon Society, and Chicago Ornithological Society for this special presentation.
Join us for the first lecture of the 2021 Compelling Voices in Birding and Conservation series.
We're toad-ally excited for some warm spring weather! How about you? What is your favorite part of spring?
In this special Earth Day edition of Curious By Nature, Seth is answering all of your burning questions about prescribed burns!🔥
We're so excited to offer hybrid Summer Camp 2021! This year, campers ages 5 to 8 years old can join us for week-long hybrid camp sessions. Campers will kick the week off with three days of in-person camp, featuring nature exploration, child-led outdoor play, Museum spotlights, and more. Then, campers will close out the week with two mornings of virtual camp, featuring game time, show and share time, and optional family activities, and more. Register today: https://bit.ly/3dHInlT
We're so excited to offer hybrid Summer Camp 2021! This year, campers ages 5 to 8 years old can join us for week-long hybrid camp sessions. Campers will kick the week off with three days of in-person camp, featuring nature exploration, child-led outdoor play, Museum spotlights, and more. Then, campers will close out the week with two mornings of virtual camp, featuring game time, show and share time, and optional family activities, and more. Register today: https://bit.ly/3dHInlT
Happy Volunteer Recognition Day! We are pleased to recognize our volunteers – past and present – who have contributed to our institution. Since the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum building opened in 1998, over 200,000 volunteer hours have been donated towards helping advance our mission. Those hours represent a true commitment to creating positive relationships between people and nature and to making sustainability and urban ecology relevant in people’s everyday lives. We couldn’t do it without you!
Happy Volunteer Recognition Day! We are pleased to recognize our volunteers – past and present – who have contributed to our institution. Since the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum building opened in 1998, over 200,000 volunteer hours have been donated towards helping advance our mission. Those hours represent a true commitment to creating positive relationships between people and nature and to making sustainability and urban ecology relevant in people’s everyday lives. We couldn’t do it without you!
Are you ready for Summer Camp? Campers ages 5 to 8 years old can join us for fun and interactive week-long hybrid camp sessions. bit.ly/3lCsOxS
Are you ready for Summer Camp? Campers ages 5 to 8 years old can join us for fun and interactive week-long hybrid camp sessions. bit.ly/3lCsOxS
Join us for our weekly nature walks! Starting April 29, we'll lead your group on a 20-minute nature walk through the museum’s outdoor exhibits! Space is limited. Register today!
Join us for seasonal nature walks through the Nature Museum grounds!
Our Plants for Pollinators Garden Sale is back! Choose from our collection of horticulturist-selected annuals and perennials to kickstart your own pollinator garden. Thank you to our sponsor Rose Pest Solutions!
We've selected our best selling Nature Museum merchandise and items for contactless shopping and we're taking every step we can to keep everyone safe.
Earth Week meets Community Science Month! Join us on Monday for this special panel featuring Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum staff discussing how community members contribute to important environmental initiatives. Register for free here: https://bit.ly/3wSczCc
Earth Week meets Community Science Month! Join us on Monday for this special panel featuring Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum staff discussing how community members contribute to important environmental initiatives. Register for free here: https://bit.ly/3wSczCc
Learn more about the endangered animals in our living collections! Register your young scientist for our Curiosity Club: Earth Day Special. Learn about spotted turtles, salamanders and more in this free virtual workshop.
Virtually connect with your favorite critters during this special Earth Day program!
Thank you again to Trillium Native Landscapes for helping us conduct a successful prescribed burn on our grounds! What questions do you have about controlled or prescribed burns? Drop them in the comments and we'll try to answer them all in an upcoming special episode of Curious By Nature!
Thank you again to Trillium Native Landscapes for helping us conduct a successful prescribed burn on our grounds! What questions do you have about controlled or prescribed burns? Drop them in the comments and we'll try to answer them all in an upcoming special episode of Curious By Nature!
If you noticed some smoke coming from our grounds this morning, don't worry! As a scheduled part of the care and conservation of the prairie and savanna portions of our outdoor Nature Trails exhibit, today a professional crew is conducting a prescribed burn on our grounds. Fire is a natural and essential part of the ecosystem and an important conservation tool. It is essential to the long-term health of our plants and the animals that depend on them. The prescribed burn recycles nutrients, promotes seed germination, clears the ground for new seedlings, and clears out non-native species. The prairie grounds will look charred initially but the fire ultimately leads the prairie to green up quicker. A huge thank you to Trillium Native Landscapes for assisting us in this burn.
If you noticed some smoke coming from our grounds this morning, don't worry! As a scheduled part of the care and conservation of the prairie and savanna portions of our outdoor Nature Trails exhibit, today a professional crew is conducting a prescribed burn on our grounds. Fire is a natural and essential part of the ecosystem and an important conservation tool. It is essential to the long-term health of our plants and the animals that depend on them. The prescribed burn recycles nutrients, promotes seed germination, clears the ground for new seedlings, and clears out non-native species. The prairie grounds will look charred initially but the fire ultimately leads the prairie to green up quicker. A huge thank you to Trillium Native Landscapes for assisting us in this burn.
Learn how to capture the intricacies of your favorite mammals in our drawing workshop on May 8! Scientific illustrator Alex Boersma will be using our museum collections as inspiration for this virtual workshop.
Join scientific illustrator and graphic designer Alex Boersma for an afternoon drawing mammals using Nature Museum specimens!
We're thrilled to announce the 2021 Compelling Voices in Birding and Conservation series in partnership with Chicago Ornithological Society and Chicago Audubon Society! Join us virtually on May 27 for a special presentation from Tykee James.
Join us for the first lecture of the 2021 Compelling Voices in Birding and Conservation series.
A mosaic of monarch wings? It's just one of the beautiful pieces of art by Amy Perlmutter featured in one of our previous exhibits - Wings Transformed. We're revisiting this beautiful exhibit over on our blog: https://bit.ly/2OZEzCf
A mosaic of monarch wings? It's just one of the beautiful pieces of art by Amy Perlmutter featured in one of our previous exhibits - Wings Transformed. We're revisiting this beautiful exhibit over on our blog: https://bit.ly/2OZEzCf
Strike a pose! North Pond's resident turtles have really been loving the spring temps! Have you spotted any turtles basking during your nature walks?
Strike a pose! North Pond's resident turtles have really been loving the spring temps! Have you spotted any turtles basking during your nature walks?
Join us one week from today for this free, high-flying, virtual program!
Join us as we explore the daily lives of raptors up close!
Curious about all things related to squirrels? You're in luck! Join Marjorie as she speaks with squirrel expert Dr. Joel Brown about what these amazing critters eat, why they bury their food, where they live, and more!
Learn how to capture the intricacies of your favorite tiny critters in our insect drawing workshop! Scientific illustrator Alex Boersma will be teaching this virtual workshop on May 1.
Join scientific illustrator and graphic designer Alex Boersma for an afternoon drawing insects featuring Nature Museum specimens!
Registration for Summer Camp is now open! Explore our sessions for 5 to 8 year olds over on our website: https://bit.ly/3lCsOxS
Registration for Summer Camp is now open! Explore our sessions for 5 to 8 year olds over on our website: https://bit.ly/3lCsOxS
We're so excited to host Little Miss Ann for a virtual spring break concert! Register your family now for this free performance on March 31.
Join the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and Little Miss Ann (Ann Torralba) an award-winning Chicago Family Musician to celebrate spring!
We're practicing our art skills in today's episode of Curious By Nature. Join Nicole as she teaches you how to paint...with ice cubes!
We're excited to welcome back Kiki Queens for a virtual spring story time! This free program will be on Saturday, March 27. Register your household today!
Enjoy some of our favorite stories with Kiki Queens!
We are excited to offer Summer Camp again this year! The camp team is planning fun and interactive week-long hybrid camp sessions for campers ages 5 to 8 years old. We’ll be in-person Monday through Wednesday and virtual on Thursday and Friday. Registration opens March 22. Check out our camp website to learn more! https://bit.ly/3aAHV5e
We are excited to offer Summer Camp again this year! The camp team is planning fun and interactive week-long hybrid camp sessions for campers ages 5 to 8 years old. We’ll be in-person Monday through Wednesday and virtual on Thursday and Friday. Registration opens March 22. Check out our camp website to learn more! https://bit.ly/3aAHV5e
We're learning all about weather and climate in today's episode of Curious By Nature!
Community science apps from this episode:
Nature's Notebook: https://bit.ly/3tjwE1P
GLOBE Observer: https://bit.ly/3qGeQft
We're gearing up for a Spring Break filled with virtual and in-person programming! Click here to check out all of our free offerings!
Celebrate the Spring Break with the Nature Museum through virtual and in-person programs.
As we mark the year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, we wanted to bring special attention to our most recent art show, Without a Trace. Featuring a selection of works by photojournalist Zbigniew Bzdak and the Chicago Tribune, the exhibit aims to provide a space for healing and reflection for everyone who has been impacted by the consequences of a worldwide health crisis. Over the summer, we sat down with Zbigniew to discuss the incredible imagery of this exhibit and explore the larger themes and feelings that it evokes.
In honor of International Womens Day, we're highlighting pioneering naturalist Elizabeth Emerson Atwater over on our blog.
In honor of Women’s History Month, we're taking a closer look at the life and work of some of the women who were important figures in the history of the Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Today, we're taking a look at Elizabeth Emerson Atwater (1812-1878).
We're talking all about peregrine falcons over on our blog! Learn how these beautiful birds have established a home in Chicago here: https://bit.ly/3c8qFpx
Photo of a male peregrine falcon with chicks by Stephanie Ware.
We're talking all about peregrine falcons over on our blog! Learn how these beautiful birds have established a home in Chicago here: https://bit.ly/3c8qFpx
Photo of a male peregrine falcon with chicks by Stephanie Ware.
Happy World Wildlife Day! We celebrate wildlife all year long, whether it's through our virtual programming or our conservation work. Want to learn more about some local wildlife? Head on over to our most recent blog post to check out our state species and symbols!
You don’t have to travel far to see wildlife. Have you seen any of these Illinois state species out in the wild? Many can be found on the Nature Museum’s grounds or in parks or forest preserves throughout Chicagoland.
Without a Trace, presents a selection of works by photojournalist Zbigniew Bzdak and the Chicago Tribune. Bzdak's photography showcases Chicago at the beginning of shelter-in-place, highlighting recognizable landmarks with few or no people in sight. You can experience it virtually on our site.
In response to the reopening of Chicago institutions affected by the COVID-19 crisis, Without a Trace features a selection of photographs by photojournalist Zbigniew Bzdak. These works were first published […]
Looks like Patsy was all smiles on this sunny Monday! Actually, what do you notice about Patsy's smile? Do you see any teeth? Believe it or not turtles, including alligator snapping turtles, don't have teeth! Instead, they use their beaks to tear their food into more manageable bites that they swallow whole. What do you wonder about alligator snapping turtles? 🐢
Looks like Patsy was all smiles on this sunny Monday! Actually, what do you notice about Patsy's smile? Do you see any teeth? Believe it or not turtles, including alligator snapping turtles, don't have teeth! Instead, they use their beaks to tear their food into more manageable bites that they swallow whole. What do you wonder about alligator snapping turtles? 🐢
Everyone loves Story Time, including Bob the Blanding's turtle! Want to learn more about Blanding's turtles? Check out this video that takes a closer look at the head-start program: https://bit.ly/3oErfzq
2430 North Cannon Drive
Chicago, IL
60614
The Nature Museum is accessible by CTA bus routes #76, #151 and #156. The closest Divvy Bike station is located in front of the Nature Museum on Cannon Drive.
The Chicago Academy of Sciences was founded in 1857 as Chicago’s first museum, dedicated to the preservation and display of native specimens. Today the Academy’s collection, due to its age and type, places it among the most important in the world. In 1999, the Academy opened the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Lincoln Park. It has welcomed more than 1.5 million visitors and is a unique venue for the public, especially urban dwellers, to find new ways to reconnect with the natural world. The institution has been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums since 1978.
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For 160 years, the Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum has worked to connect the citizens of Chicago to nature and science through immersive exhibits, family events, and in-depth education programs. Founded in 1857 to give scientists and nature aficionados a place to study and share the specimens they collected, the Chicago Academy of Sciences developed a national and international reputation for its leadership in conservation, its collection and citizen science. Dubbed the first Museum in the West, the Academy's collection has expanded to 390,000 artifacts and specimens, making it the definitive collection of our region's natural history and a valuable resource for researchers. Ongoing research, restoration, and conservation initiatives directly benefit local ecology. Admission Adults: $9 Students: $7 Seniors: $7 Children: $6 (Age 3 and under are free!) Thursdays are suggested donation days for Illinois residents. Our members always get in FREE!
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