The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University — Attraction in Philadelphia

FASCINATING! Could easily fill up an entire afternoon studying these dioramas and displays. The information is really well-written and exhibited in riveting ways. Some of these dioramas are almost 100 YEARS OLD! And yet the fur, the poses, the eyes, the seamless blending of hardscape with backdrop is so well-maintained, lifelike, dramatic, fierce, and realistic!

One of the most mind-blowing facts of nature I learned about on my visit here was about this Devonian-era creature called a Tiktaalik, which is one of the earliest ancestors of tetrapods (4-legged animals), looks almost like a cross between an ENORMOUS mudskipper and a salamander, and is believed to be one of the earliest animals to leave the water and come up on land. The time elapse between this creature and the dawn of our own species - 380 million years! - is just boggling.

And that was only ONE of the things I learned about at this marvelous place! The glacial and yet unstoppable evolution of species is astounding, and the diversity of life on our amazing planet is staggering. The museum really does a good job of making you FEEL this wonder by integrating the beautiful preservation of thousands of specimens, astute spotlighting, ambient sounds, fact-laden placards, and visually pleasing arrangements, all housed in a sumptuous, marbled, jewel box of classical architecture.

Make sure you advance-order tickets online for a $2 discount off each. Coupon codes are not difficult to find either! So a visit here is very reasonable - about $22 per adult, and well worth it. Lot parking is abysmal, of course (not associated with Drexel are two lots just a few hundred feet behind the building); be prepared to pay $20 for a 2-hour spot if you don't want a long hike. Two minor flaws are that the gift shop could have more artifact-style souvenirs for adults and maybe fewer clothes and drinking vessels, and the lady at the front desk check-in had a bit of an attitude.

Otherwise, we had a blast, and all the other museum workers we encountered at the museum were lovely and helpful and excited to share their knowledge.

Museums like this do not exist in my area, so I guess I'll have to be content with (gladly) funding this Philadelphia institution for...

I had not visited the Academy of Natural Sciences in decades. I grew up in the Philadelphia area and volunteered there in high school & college. However, I have lived further away in central Pennsylvania since the late 1970s. I treated myself to a day trip by Amtrak to see how the Academy has evolved to address changing times. It is now part of Drexel University, so I wanted to see what effect that would have, too. I went on a Thursday morning in late May. The Academy is on Logan Circle in downtown Philadelphia, a short walk from either 30th Street Station or Suburban Station. There is nearby parking, but is expensive. The Academy has been in the same building for over 50 years. They have done a good job of renovating to make the building accessible. The layout is somewhat confusing, but they have frequent directional signs and multiple elevators. The collections and displays are quite family friendly, a creative mix of heritage displays and interactive educational areas. The dioramas of moose and polar bears are still there, but now accompanied by a video that shows the detailed scientific work needed to produce a diorama. The former library reading room now contains exhibits about evolution and taxonomy. The light-filled room's huge windows give attractive views of center-city rooftops. The Academy is also a serious research organization, doing basic science not usually open to public view. The Patrick Center for Environmental Preservation is only one of many sections of the Academy doing "hard science" literally behind the scenes in this building. Take your kids to the Academy to learn from all kinds of kid-friendly exhibits, from hanging dinosaur skeletons to live insect colonies. From a chart of geology to a life-size bronze tortoise to sit on. There is a lunchroom with a small cafe (not open the day I was there), a gift shop and ample restrooms. There is an accessible main entrance at the side of the building away from Logan Circle. There are food trucks & restaurants nearby. If you bring a picnic, Logan Circle has a small green space suitable for eating outdoors...

I've had some great times at this museum in the past, but noticed a lot of missed opportunities in my visit today. For this review, I'll focus just on the dioramas. (But side note: the live butterfly exhibit is sadly gone).

It's a fairly small museum but about two floors of it are taken up by dioramas. There's even a small exhibit on how the dioramas were made in the 1950s, which finally convinced me this all needs to get updated.

I understand the dioramas are historical at this point, but they're static, washed out, and not at all interactive or engaging. And I'm not sure of what they're teaching me. As another reviewer said, they're museums of the museum.

Ironically, I watched a documentary when I got home about these same animals and it was an incredible contrast to see the full color, living, breathing fauna of the Serengeti in their habitat. And I learned so much more in a short video than I ever could by looking at their taxidermied bodies in diorama.

If you think about it, it's a very antiquated approach to learning that is far surpassed by modern knowledge and technologies. We know what these animals look like, but what about the current stressors in their habitat, the evolutionary DNA/family tree connections between species, how they're being impacted by climate change, etc. The topics could be informed by what the museum scientists are working on, but the displays don't even provide the scientific names of the species. The maps are hard to read. It's hard to even find the common names of the species on display.

I'm sure they're aware of all this and it likely comes down to a cost issue, but there must be some creative solutions or grants available to bring this place up to date. I work in the science field and am a huge proponent of science education, especially for young children. I truly hope some fresh ideas and energy can be infused into this...