Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia

Science division - Academy scientists conduct research around The world, collecting samples that help them document biodiversity, trace evolution and track environmental changes over time. For over 200 years, Academy scientists have preserved, curated, and studied what is now a world-class collection of an estimated 19 million biological specimens that documents The history of life on earth. The Academy's environmental work includes a focus on understanding and managing The varied impacts of environmental conditions on diverse human communities. Funding for research comes from federal, state, and local governmental agencies and foundations. Through festivals (such as our popular bug fest), members' night, behind-the-scenes tours, popular publications, and public programs (including The Academy town squares and conversations), scientists share their discoveries, enabling colleagues, visitors, and members to gain further insight into earth's environmental processes and how to maintain a sustainable future. Academy scientists continue to produce scientific publications and cultivate our collections, which are utilized by scientists around The world, by traveling on field trips and expeditions for research. The Academy and Drexel University's joint program biodiversity, earth and environmental science (bees) has grown with many new projects on The horizon as we continue to be The epicenter of discovery. Digitizing The collections, searching for genetic clues to biodiversity, and understanding environmental changes in local wetlands and watersheds, Academy scientists continue to be The leading researchers in Natural Sciences.

Library and archives - The Academy's library and archives is internationally recognized for its rare and historic collection of more than 250,000 titles that span five centuries, as well as over a million items, including manuscripts, correspondence, field notebooks, films, journals, photographs, and works of art. The library and archives provides services to both a wide range of scholarly users and The general public. The department frequently hosts research appointments, special class tours, and sessions with The Drexel academic community, and together with csbe and Drexel's dept. of history, convenes The specimen-special collections, ideas, and materialities of The environment reading group. Its holdings and services are regularly used by Academy scientists, collections experts, and external researchers. It also plays a key role in The Academy's efforts to make its collections and associated data more widely accessible. Its staff actively contribute to The conception and implementation of Academy exhibitions and programs, and its materials continue to be popularly featured in The museum's offerings and digital outreach. Library & archives is a member of The consortium for The history of science, technology, and medicine (together with Drexel University libraries and The legacy center); a participating contributor of The biodiversity heritage library; and an active partner in pacscl - The Philadelphia area consortium of special collections libraries.

Public education - The Academy brings Natural science to life through three floors of engaging permanent exhibits that include our historic dioramas and dinosaur hall as well as The children's nature discovery center, outside in, that facilitates hands-on experiences with live animals. While visitation to The Academy is still rebounding from The effects of The global covid-19 pandemic, we welcomed more than 80,000 visitors in The fiscal year 2023. This past summer, The number of group visits for summer camps continued to increase, and The attendees in The Academy's popular explorers camp rose significantly. The Academy continues to offer exciting new initiatives aimed at taking our visitor experience to The next level. In fiscal year 2023, we continued to collaborate with Drexel faculty on The museum innovation fund, a project that inspires experimentation with The Academy as a space for new approaches to museums and public engagement. For biodiversity year 2023, The Academy presented two exhibitions in The william b. dietrich gallery. Micrcosculpture: The insect portraits of levon biss presented visitors with astounding large-scale prints of The microphotography of insects to highlight their evolutionary traits and generate awareness of threats to alarming insect biodiversity loss. We also presented two in-house developed exhibitions on The observation of birds. While conversations with birds in our special exhibition gallery highlighted The role of citizen science in advancing both The public and scientific understanding and stewardship of birds; illuminating birds: drawing as a way of knowing in The dietrich gallery highlighted The role of illustration in The history of ornithology as a field and its continued importance in The appreciation and advancement of knowledge of our avian companions. We also presented The beautifully conceived and designed exhibition skin: living armor, evolving identity from The California Academy of Sciences on The fascinating organ skin and its function across a diversity of animals humans included. Public programming such as The Academy town square series; speaker series; dinos after dark and festivals such as The beloved bug fest animated The public experience throughout The year. The community learning division continues to create community-centered initiatives that mobilize environmental justice leaders and civically minded individuals. Partnering with communities across The city, The Academy provide science-infused curriculum to schools and educators, support professional development within a network of educators, and create programs for students that promote environmental justice. The newly formed department of community science works in partnership with Drexel's environmental collaboratory to identify and deliver funded projects in which individuals and communities' partner with scientists to answer and address real-world environmental questions. Drawing on The Academy's unique attributes - including its scientists, collections, and relationship with Drexel, The education learning and development department creates programs and curricula in support of lifelong learning. The Academy's center for steam equity works in partnership with Drexel (in particular The school of education) to address social inequity through steam teaching and learning by conducting, catalyzing and supporting community-based research. Among these efforts, The nationally recognized and award-winning women in Natural Sciences (wins) program, The longest-running of its kind in The region, continues to deliver after-school and summer enrichment program for young women, introducing hundreds of high-school students to future careers in science. Our engineering wins program infuses wins lessons with engineering content and continues to connect students with scientists who serve as mentors.