The institution was founded in 1812 by a group of amateur naturalists and is the oldest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.
The collection includes the holotype of the first nearly complete dinosaur skeleton ever mounted for public exhibition, the Hadrosaurus foulkii.
The museum holds a massive collection of dried plant specimens, some dating back to the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
The Academy houses one of the largest malacology (mollusk) collections in the world.
The museum's research department conducts significant environmental studies on the health of local rivers and aquatic ecosystems.
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University is the oldest natural history research institution in the Americas, founded in 1812. It houses a collection of more than 19 million biological and geological specimens used for ongoing scientific research. The museum is best known for its Dinosaur Hall, featuring a massive Tyrannosaurus rex and various reconstructed skeletons. The Butterflies! exhibit provides an enclosed tropical environment where visitors can walk among hundreds of live butterflies. The museum emphasizes paleontology, malacology, and ornithology through interactive displays and long-term research projects. It is a research-intensive museum integrated with Drexel University, focusing on biodiversity and environmental science. Visitors can view the research preparation labs where experts work on specimen preservation.
Under the massive Giganotosaurus skeleton in the main Dinosaur Hall.
Visit the 'Outside In' area if you have younger children, as it is designed specifically for sensory play and hands-on discovery.
Check the museum's digital calendar for 'Behind the Scenes' tours to see specimens not on public display.
The Academy is part of the reciprocal membership program for many other science centers in the United States.
Do not rush through the Dinosaur Hall; the placards contain significant historical information about the site's unique fossil discoveries.
Closed on certain Mondays during the off-season; check the website for specific holiday closures.
