The Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

The mission of the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum of the Chicago Academy of Sciences is to create positive relationships between people and nature to grow our region’s connection to the world of nature and science. For over 167 years, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum of the Chicago Academy of Sciences has served a unique role in the city of Chicago connecting people 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.

The Nature Museum welcomes 120,000 visitors each year to its building, and its education programs reach over 50,000 students, 1,700 teachers and 500 schools each year with hands-on programming and experiential learning focused on local urban nature. These education programs leverage the museum’s current, real-world science at their core —including preserved specimens from the museum's 165 year old collection, live animals, outdoor nature trails of Illinois native habitats, and the museum's scientists’ conservation work.

Through in- and out-of-school time (OST) learning opportunities for students, caregivers/parents, and educators throughout Chicago, museum educators work alongside our audiences with whole-child learning approaches that build knowledge, skills, interest, and enthusiasm for locally-based STEM topics. Education programs are founded in a student-driven and inquiry-based approach to connecting people to authentically interdisciplinary nature and science phenomena. These approaches are founded in cooperative learning models that support positive social and emotional learning, building STEM identities, and fostering a sense of belonging in science.