Read the first of a two-part series remembering Dr. William Beecher, Director of the Chicago Academy of Sciences from 1958-1982.
Fire in the Metropolitan Block
Years before the Chicago Academy of Sciences called the Matthew Laflin Memorial Building home, it resided in the Metropolitan Block located in downtown Chicago. Though the Academy was still very […]
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.
Taking a Closer Look at Howard K. Gloyd
Herpetologist Howard K. Gloyd served as Director of the Chicago Academy of Sciences from 1936-1958. Born in DeSoto, Kansas, Gloyd taught at Ottawa University, the Agricultural College of Kansas State […]
The Office That Started It All: A Closer Look at Dr. Edmund Andrews
Last week we celebrated our 158th birthday, this week we’re recognizing one of the founder who made it all possible. Dr. Edmund Andrews died on this day in 1904. Andrews was […]
Founder’s Week Celebration 2015
We are having a party this week! The Chicago Academy of Sciences was founded on January 13, 1857 and was the first science museum in Chicago. Our collections served as […]
Who is Matthew Laflin?
Before the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum building was built, the Chicago Academy of Sciences made its home in the Matthew Laflin Memorial Building. 211 years ago, on December 16, 1803, […]
Cataloging the Zoology of Illinois with Robert Kennicott
One hundred seventy-nine years ago today, one of the most important figures in the history of the Chicago Academy of Sciences and its Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum was born – Robert Kennicott. His work lives on through the Nature Museum, but did you know that even before the birth of the Academy, his work helped naturalists and biologists better understand the zoology of Illinois as a whole?
Motion Film Collection Highlight: William J. Beecher (1914-2002)
This is the third blog post from a series titled: Motion Film Collection Highlight. William J. Beecher served as the Director of the Chicago Academy of Sciences from 1958 to 1982. […]