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 […]
Anna Pedersen Kummer
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 […]
Elizabeth Emerson Atwater
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 […]
Welcome to Founders Week!
The Chicago Academy of Sciences was officially founded on January 13, 1857. That means we’re celebrating our 164th birthday this week! While we can’t celebrate this milestone in person with all […]
Playing Detective: Reconstructing the Beecher Manuscript Collection
In late 2019, the archive of the Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (CAS/PNNM) received a donation of Dr. William J. Beecher’s (1914-2002) large manuscript collection. In […]
Wallace Atwood and the Atwood Celestial Sphere
The Atwood Celestial Sphere opened at the Academy in June of 1913. What set it apart from other planetariums of the period was its ability to rotate around visitors as they stood inside it. Atwood, who served on the Academy’s Board and briefly as Acting Director of the museum, designed the incredible apparatus and it helped usher in a new age of planetariums.
Remembering Dr. William J. Beecher – Part 2
Read the second of a two-part series remembering Dr. William Beecher, Director of the Chicago Academy of Sciences from 1958-1982.
Remembering Dr. William J. Beecher – Part 1
Read the first of a two-part series remembering Dr. William Beecher, Director of the Chicago Academy of Sciences from 1958-1982.
Remembering Alfred M. Bailey
If you’re familiar with the Chicago Academy Sciences and our history, then chances are good that you’ve heard the name Alfred M. Bailey before. For just shy of a decade, Bailey was Director of the Academy, and added some invaluable specimens to our ornithology collection
The Work of William Stimpson
Although February 14 is recognized as Valentine’s Day, it’s a special day to the Nature Museum for another reason. It’s also the birthday of William Stimpson, a major force in the creation and establishment of the Chicago Academy of Sciences.
Do you ever wonder how a butterfly gets its colors? Or how turtles hibernate? Do you wonder how birds know where to migrate each year? For over 160 years, the Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum has served a unique role in the city of Chicago connecting children of all ages to nature and science through immersive exhibits, fun family events, important conservation research and in-depth education programs, inspiring the wonder in all of us.