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
SCIENCE ON TAP
What Shapes Sleep: Biology, Culture, or Both?
Monday, May 12th at 6 pm at National Mechanics
How much of our sleep is hardwired—and how much is shaped by the world around us? Join internationally recognized pediatric sleep expert Dr. Jodi Mindell for a fascinating talk that explores this question through a global lens.
This is a Science on Tap - Philadelphia event. Science on Tap (SOT) promotes public discussion on engaging science and history of science topics in a fun, spirited, and accessible way with science programming on the second Monday of every month at National Mechanics. SOT is sponsored by a consortium of six Philadelphia institutions, including the Wagner.
WESTBROOK LECTURE
Beyond the Binaries: The New Science of Sex and Gender
Thursday, May 29th at 6 pm
Recent legislation has focused on questions about the nature of biological sex and gender expression and claimed a scientific consensus regarding their binary nature. But what does science actually show? Far from affirming a simple binary, the past two decades of sex and gender research, in humans and other animals, has revealed a striking amount of diversity, adaptability and variation in the approach to sex and gender.
Join us for an in-depth conversation, led by anthropologist Mallika Sarma (University of Pennsylvania), with evolutionary anthropologist Agustín Fuentes (Princeton University) and biologist Nathan H. Lents (John Jay College, CUNY) about the nature, origin, and purpose of sex and gender diversity in humans and other animals.
In what will be a wide-ranging, lively and surprising discussion, these three prominent scientists will explore the latest science of sex and gender. A book signing and reception with the speakers will follow the talk.
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