Welcome to the
Wagner Free Institute of Science
The Wagner Free Institute of Science is a natural history museum and educational institution. Founded by William Wagner in 1855, it is dedicated to free education in science.
Now a National Historic Landmark, the Wagner offers contemporary science programs and a rare experience of a Victorian natural history museum.
Visit the Wagner
The Wagner’s landmark museum is free to visit, open all year round, Tuesday - Friday 9:30 - 4:30pm and on the 1st Saturday of the month from February-June & September-December. Our upstairs exhibit hall houses over 100,000 natural specimens, including ancient fossils, glowing minerals and animals from around the globe! Wander at your own pace or follow the path of one of our themed scavenger hunts. Feel free to pick up pencils and paper and spend some time sketching from the collection.
Accessibility note: The Wagner’s building is a National Historic Landmark. The museum is located on the second floor and requires climbing a flight of stairs to view. Contact us for more information about accessibility.
Upcoming Events
Weeknights at the Wagner:
A Flood of Pictures—Photography Deepens the Waters
Thursday 9/25/2025, 6 - 7:30pm
with Dr. Michael Leja, James and Nan Wagner Farquhar Professor Emeritus of History of Art, University of Pennsylvania
In a contemporary society completely saturated with visual art, advertising, and other media, it is difficult to imagine pictures as a novel way of communicating. At this Weeknights at the Wagner talk, Dr. Michael Leja will take us back to the formative period of this cultural transformation in the U.S. where a flood of images began to permeate everyday life.
October First Saturday Open House—
The Birds, the Bees and the Pawpaw Trees Saturday 10/4/2025 12 - 4pm
Join us as we unveil the Wagner's new native plant pollinator gardens and learn all about the birds, the bees and our Pawpaw trees!
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