A Sip of Science
A Sip of Science is our signature soirée, bringing together science and history enthusiasts, community leaders, and Wagner supporters for an evening of celebration amid our sublime natural history collection.
Weeknights at the Wagner: In Conversation with Judith Schaechter: Art, Science, and the “Super/Natural”
Acclaimed stained glass artist Judith Schaechter will discuss her immersive installation "Super/Natural"—a luminous, three-tiered cosmos rendered in glass. The work draws on her residency at the Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics, incorporating insights from biophilic design and the rich history of women’s contributions to botanical art. "Super/Natural" reimagines nature as a space of awe and contemplation, inviting viewers into a renewed sense of wonder and connection with the living world.
Admission is free to everyone and donations are accepted to support our mission.
November First Saturday Open House: Spooky Creature Feature—Bats!
Did you know Pennsylvania is home to nine different species of bats? Learn why bats are important animals in our ecosystem, how humans can help protect them, and how they’re not as scary as they may seem during our November Open House! A special presentation from The Pennsylvania Bat Rescue and Rehabilitation Center will be given at 1pm where brave participants will get to meet and greet some of the center's live ambassador bats!
Visitors can also view skeletons, spiders, and other spooky specimens in our collection, decorate paper bat masks, and try their luck at a blind touch table and guess a specimen by feel. Scavenger hunts and sketching supplies will be available to those looking for deeper engagement with our collection. Adults & children are encouraged to come in costume!
2025 Philadelphia Lantern Slide Salon
Celebrate Archives Month Philly in the Wagner's historic lecture hall as we view glass lantern slides from local special collections!
Collecting Insects in Brightest Africa (Fall Course)
FALL COURSE: ZOOLOGY SERIES with Professor Greg Cowper at the Parkway Central Library.
Collecting Insects in Brightest Africa will chronicle the adventures of hunting ‘small’ game in Africa.
October First Saturday Open House: The Birds, the Bees and the Pawpaw Trees
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!
Weeknights at the Wagner—A Flood of Pictures—Photography Deepens the Waters
Learn how illustrations, photographs and other visual communications came to permeate everyday lives and experiences in the United States.
History of Cartography: Depicting Time and Space (Fall Course)
This class is sold out. Join the waiting list HERE.
Over six weeks, this course will look at some important aspects of maps to understand how maps function. By putting them into their specific social and cartographic contexts, the course will examine how they represent and convey ideas about the world we live in.
September First Saturday Open House
Explore the Wagner museum during our Back to School Open House!
Dive deeper into the Wagner’s history and collections with a guided tour at 1 and 2:30 pm. Held in collaboration with Girard College, visitors can also stop by Founders Hall Museum to learn more about the connections between William Wagner, Stephen Girard, and their lasting legacies of supporting education.
Summer Fridays in the Field!
Explore your local ecosystem this summer at the Wagner's Fridays in the Field! Beginning June 20th, the Wagner Teaching Garden will be open for independent educational exploration every Friday from 1 - 3:30pm.
Summer Fridays in the Field!
Explore your local ecosystem this summer at the Wagner's Fridays in the Field! Beginning June 20th, the Wagner Teaching Garden will be open for independent educational exploration every Friday from 1 - 3:30pm.
Summer Fridays in the Field!
Explore your local ecosystem this summer at the Wagner's Fridays in the Field! Beginning June 20th, the Wagner Teaching Garden will be open for independent educational exploration every Friday from 1 - 3:30pm.
North Philadelphia History Festival: Return of the Freedom Library
Discover the heart and soul of North Philadelphia this July with the North Philadelphia History Festival! Join Scribe Video Center along with other North Philadelphia partners as the Wagner's Teaching Garden is transformed into a reimagined Freedom Library. Current and former neighbors will share their lived experiences, elder jazz musicians will recount legendary stories, and community members will explore what it means to protect Black Historic Districts.
Summer Fridays in the Field!
Explore your local ecosystem this summer at the Wagner's Fridays in the Field! Beginning June 20th, the Wagner Teaching Garden will be open for independent educational exploration every Friday from 1 - 3:30pm.