Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

Biology and collections: our scientists have been dedicated to developing a deeper understanding of regional plant and animal species, identifying environmental threats, and working to conserve and restore threatened populations, including baltimore checkerspot butterflies, blanding's turtles, monarch butterflies, regal fritillary butterflies, rusty patched bumble bees, smooth greensnakes, and wood frogs.the Chicago conservation corps (c3) empowers chicagoans to complete neighborhood sustainability and environmental projects that impact and engage communities across The city. We partner with more than 20 "green professors", experts from organizations such as The citizens utility board, The metropolitan water reclamation district of Chicago, The friends of The Chicago river, and The metropolitan planning council, who present at The twice-yearly eight-week c3 training classes. After training, c3 leaders develop and implement their own projects with support and professional guidance from Nature Museum staff. All c3 projects have a measurable environmental impact, educational components, and a community-based team of peers in planning and completing The project. C3 leaders completed 17 projects in calendar 2022, reaching 99 project team members and impacting 7,087 community members. In addition to these 17 completed projects, numerous c3 projects started in 2022 (and prior) are continuing in 2023 throughout Chicago, impacting thousands more community members as well.as of The end of The 2023 fiscal year, collections staff have added over 2,100 new catalog records since The beginning of The imls grant that was awarded for botany cataloging. In total, over 3,900 specimens have been processed (this includes specimens that were assigned catalog numbers prior to The grant period, but were not fully processed, i.e., identified, labeled, and/or integrated). Additionally, 6,300 specimens have been scanned, with over 3,300 images documenting specimens from Illinois. This grant has also provided mentorship to 6 university interns, who have documented their progress through blog posts.

Exhibits and guest experience & engagement: in fy23, The Nature Museum opened The new hawver and lacy families Nature playspace, an interactive permanent experience that connects our youngest guests to Nature in new ways. Children up to age 7 can explore a variety of nature-themed sections and stimulate their senses with over 25 fun interactives. Construction for The sustainability center has been under way this past year at The Nature Museum and opened in september of 2023. This new, permanent exhibit and resource center serves as a community hub for guests to discover up-to-date sustainability practices and technologies. Many exhibits continue to be Museum favorites, such as The judy istock butterfly haven, mysteries of The marsh, birds of Chicago, and more. Additionally, multiple exciting temporary exhibits were featured through The Museum. These exhibits included cultivating The dutch tradition in The 21st century: jane jones' hyperrealist floral paintings, natural consequences: The geoscience embroideries of bonnie peterson, double take photography (foil flowers and currents & tides) by david weinberg, without a trace, and The secret forest. The Nature Museum received a state of Illinois capital grant contract in 2022 for $750,000 for installation of solar panels and upgrades to The electrical systems throughout The Museum. Additionally, through a grant from The Illinois department of natural resources, The Nature Museum completed much needed hvac building control upgrades. This important work was completed in fy23 and is a great step toward reducing The Museum's carbon footprint.

Education: cas/pnnm is dedicated to educating Chicago area teachers and students about Nature and science, and provides more hours of immersive teaching in The Chicago public and archdiocese schools than any other Museum in Chicago. Cas/pnnm education programs enhance stem education by combining science content and educational best practices and transforming student and teacher attitudes towards science. Fy23 student programs included: 715 field trip workshops (at pnnm), 316 summer campers, 324 winter campers, 68 Nature on The go (in communities) workshops, 10 after school science club schools, 4 overnight events. Fy23 multi-touchpoint school partnerships with teacher professional development programs included: 190 science on The go classrooms, 4 whole school science partnership schools, and 32 science teaching network teachers. Fy23 teens & young adults programs included: 5 cohorts (90 teens) in teens (after school matters/ usfs), 1 quarter-long course environmental education theory and practice for depaul university undergraduates, and 20 seasonal teen/ young adult staff and interns. Fy23 community partnership programs included: 11 Chicago park district park voyagers (165 students), ost community partnership with 27 community groups, and il department of natural resources entice educator partnership workshops with 55 educators. Fy23 multi-touchpoint ongoing school partnership programs with teacher training and in-school supports included: 340 teachers, 60 schools, and 8,500 students. Fy23 field trips education programming included 21,500 students. Fy23 out of school time and community engagement programs included 3,200 participants.