Wagner Free Institute of Science — Attraction in Philadelphia

This well-hidden gem is amazing! While at the 22nd Police District, I took the opportunity to visit the Wagner Free Museum. There is no charge, but donations are welcome. I wasn't sure what to expect when I entered, and once inside the room, I was stunned. There were exhibits of so many things that I had never seen before nor imagined existed. All that I could do was shake my head in amazement. It was too much to take in during my lunch break and I plan to return in the future. Just to let you know, parking in the area is horrible. Several SEPTA buses will let you off near the museum. People, there are so many great educational, cultural, and fun attractions in Philly Many of these attractions are free, cost very little, or sometimes just a small donation. While they were growing up, I exposed my two children to as many of Philadelphia's attractions as possible. Take the children and have a great time. I have no small children of my own now, but I try to take a child (usually a neighbor's) or two for a fun cultural and educational experience when possible. Get out and enjoy "Our great City of Philadelphia's wonderful gems....

The Wagner Free Institute of Science was definitely worth the visit. As a lover of the Victorian era, I was excited to see that there was a nearly in-tact, Victorian nature history museum in Philadelphia. The museum is a time machine, and very warm and inviting. There is a lecture hall on the main floor with lovely, old looking chairs (the hall is still used today!) and the museum on the second floor is just so well kept and preserved. The institute has a National Historic Landmark designation as well.

Although you cannot take pictures of the second floor, the experience was really wonderful. There are a lot of animal skeletons, taxidermies, and collections of natural things like shells and rocks. It was very quiet and peaceful when I visited on a weekday in the afternoon, and the staff were really wonderful.

If you are interested in natural history, this place is worth visiting. It is also donation based, and you can register for free tickets on their Eventbrite page to use any time of day. There are also many events that...

We brought our kindergartners here for a class trip. I was searching for somewhere affordable that my dinosaur lovers would find amazing! I was kind of scared to death when I looked online and saw all the glass displays, but we were fine! We got to sit in the theater and had a great hands on dinosaur presentation! Morgan was kind enough to not only answer any questions, but she got engaged with the kids giving them great information. I’m excited that there were so many different displays for my students to check out and open up their minds to more than just dinosaurs. They were in awe at the “real” sponges, glowing rocks, and totally amazed that these are actually “real” things. They loved the scavenger hunt and every three minutes one of them told me it was the best day of their life! They let the kids explore and be kids and Morgan was cool and would offer really great information when she saw the kids wondering and discussing things. This was...