Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia

Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia
Name	Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia
Established	1812
Location	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Type	Natural history museum
Director	H. Alexander "Alex" Pyron

Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia is a research institution and museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1812 by a group of naturalists including William Bartram, Thomas Cooper, Charles N. Ritner and George Ord, and later associated with figures such as John James Audubon, Alexander Wilson, Thomas Say and Charles Lucien Bonaparte. The institution has played roles in major expeditions like the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the United States Exploring Expedition, the Hassler Expedition and collaborations with organizations such as the Smithsonian Institution, the American Philosophical Society and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. It houses collections, conducts research, and operates public exhibits that connect to networks including the American Museum of Natural History, the Field Museum, the Natural History Museum, London and the Museum of Comparative Zoology.

History

Founded in 1812 during the era of James Madison and the War of 1812, the Academy grew under leaders like Caspar Wistar, William Maclure, Titian Ramsay Peale and Benjamin Rush and engaged with institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania, the College of Physicians of Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Throughout the 19th century the Academy hosted expeditions and corresponded with Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace, Joseph Hooker and Louis Agassiz, while curators like Edward Drinker Cope and Samuel G. Morton expanded paleontological, botanical and zoological holdings. In the 20th century the Academy partnered with entities such as the United States National Museum, the Carnegie Institution for Science and the American Museum of Natural History and weathered challenges including the Great Depression, World Wars that engaged institutions like the United States Army and the Office of Strategic Services, and modernizations influenced by figures like E. O. Wilson, Stephen Jay Gould and Rachel Carson.

Collections and Research

The Academy's collections encompass specimens linked to explorers and collectors such as Lewis and Clark Expedition, John James Audubon, William Bartram, Alexander von Humboldt, Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace and Thomas Say, and include holdings comparable to those at the Natural History Museum, London, the Smithsonian Institution and the Field Museum. Research programs connect to projects like the National Science Foundation grants, collaborations with Drexel University, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University and Yale University, and initiatives involving genomic centers such as the Broad Institute, the Sanger Institute and the National Center for Biotechnology Information. The Academy maintains type specimens and collections documented alongside names like Edward Drinker Cope, Othniel Charles Marsh, Charles Lucien Bonaparte and John Cassin, and contributes to databases used by organizations such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, Integrated Taxonomic Information System and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Exhibits and Public Programs

Exhibits have featured displays on paleontology referencing Tyrannosaurus rex, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Mosasaurus and collections comparable to exhibits at the American Museum of Natural History, the Field Museum and the Natural History Museum, London, and thematic programs tied to figures like Audubon, Alexander von Humboldt, Louis Agassiz and John James Audubon. Public programs include lectures and events with scholars affiliated with Drexel University, University of Pennsylvania, Rutgers University, Princeton University and Temple University and partnerships with cultural institutions such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Franklin Institute, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. Traveling exhibitions have toured with museums like the Smithsonian Institution, the Museum of Science (Boston), the California Academy of Sciences and the Field Museum.

Education and Outreach

Educational initiatives link to school systems including the School District of Philadelphia, partnerships with higher education institutions such as Drexel University, University of Pennsylvania, Temple University and Rutgers University, and programs modeled after curricula from organizations like the National Science Teachers Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Outreach efforts coordinate with civic organizations including the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the Fairmount Park Conservancy, the Philadelphia Zoo and public libraries in the Free Library of Philadelphia system, while internship and fellowship programs attract students funded by entities like the National Science Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Kresge Foundation.

Facilities and Architecture

The Academy's campus in Logan Square, Philadelphia features architecture influenced by periods that involved architects and firms comparable to those who worked on buildings such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Masonic Temple (Philadelphia), and the Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company Building, and sits near landmarks like City Hall, Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Fairmount Park. Facilities include exhibition halls, research laboratories, the historic library collections akin to those at the American Philosophical Society and specimen repositories comparable to facilities at the Smithsonian Institution and the Natural History Museum, London, supporting conservation standards used by the American Alliance of Museums and accrediting bodies like the Association of Science-Technology Centers.

Governance and Funding

Governance has involved trustees, directors and presidents connected with institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, the American Philosophical Society and philanthropic networks including the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Funding sources have included grants from the National Science Foundation, contracts with agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and collaborations with corporations and foundations similar to partners of the Smithsonian Institution and the American Museum of Natural History, along with membership support and philanthropic gifts tied to civic donors such as the Peale family and local benefactors associated with Philadelphia cultural institutions.

Category:Museums in Philadelphia