Saturday, October 7, 2023
Noon - 4pm at the Wagner

October’s special theme is FlightFest: All About Birds! This Open House falls in the middle of the annual migration of birds south for the winter, and Philadelphia is perfectly in the path of the Atlantic Flyway. Learn about migratory birds and the challenges they face on their travels. Bird Safe Philly will demonstrate ways to protect native and migrating birds from collisions with buildings, a major cause of bird fatalities.

Thursday, October 19, 2023
6 - 7:30pm at the Wagner

Celebrate Archives Month Philly at the Wagner as we showcase glass lantern slides from our own collection as well as the special collections of: the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, the American Philosophical Society, The Historical Society of Frankford, the Penn Museum, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

Saturday, November 4, 2023
Noon - 4pm at the Wagner

November’s special theme is The Chemistry of Clean: Art & Science of Soap Making! What does pH balanced mean? Why are there shells in my soap? Join Dr. Thomas Twardowski from Thomas Jefferson University will share his vast knowledge of suds and surfactants. Everyone will have a chance to make (and take) their own soap, too!

Saturday, December 2, 2023
Noon - 4pm at the Wagner

A Peek into the Archives - Teaching What the Eye Can’t See. This Open House will feature early teaching materials from our archives, including examples of ink and watercolor teaching charts made by Joseph Leidy of microscopic organisms and lantern slide photomicrograph used to teach Botany, Mineralogy, and Entomology in the 1890s and early 1900s. There will also be a historic microscope on view with slides in the Lecture Hall.

Wednesday, December 6, 2023
5:30 - 7:30pm at the Wagner

Explore the Wagner’s rich collection of specimens on a whole new level, with pencil, paper, and a cocktail - to get your creative juices flowing! This evening series invites participants to experience the collection through art a guest artist, whose own work explores science and nature, leads attendees in sketching from the museum specimens, accompanied by light refreshments and a seasonal cocktail provided by the Wagner.

Saturday, February 3, 2024
Noon - 4pm at the Wagner

In honor of the 50th Anniversary of the Endangered Species Act this year, February’s First Saturday theme is Endangered Animals. We will be joined by acclaimed artist and author Allen Crawford, whose most recent book, A Wild Promise, beautifully represents in lavish full-color illustrations eighty animals that embody the spirit and commitment of the Endangered Species Act. He will give short talks about his art and process to create the book as well as his abiding passion for nature and for preserving the habitats - oceans, mountains, deserts, prairies, and forests - where animals live.

Thursday March 14, 2024
6:000 - 7:30 pm at the Wagner

In his latest book, Glad to the Brink of Fear: A Portrait of Ralph Waldo Emerson, James Marcus explores the complex life of philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), known as the leader of the Transcendentalist movement. He will be joined by author and essayist Robert Sullivan for a sweeping conversation that explores the many facets of Emerson, beginning with his early interest in science to his evolution as an abolitionist, activist, and one of the most influential thinkers of 19th century America.

Saturday, April 6, 2024
12:00pm - 5:30pm

There is a lot of misinformation about reproduction that is passing for science, and it often finds its way into some of society’s most contentious debates. Dr. Scott F. Gilbert, the Howard A. Schneiderman Professor of Biology (emeritus) at Swarthmore College, leads this year’s Westbrook Lecture, Let's Talk About the Birds and the Bees: Science and Myths of Human Reproduction, on a journey into these controversial subjects and more.

Monday, April 8, 2024
12:30pm - 4:30pm
(Eclipse from 2:08pm - 4:35pm)

Caused by the shadow of the Moon lining up to temporarily blot out the Sun, solar eclipses have fascinated people for centuries. While eclipses actually occur somewhat frequently, they are not always viewable, making the times when people do get to see them all the more significant. Philadelphia is expected to see 90% coverage of the Sun, and won’t see an event like this again until 2078, so this is one celestial celebration you won’t want to miss!

Saturday, May 4, 2024
12:00pm - 4:00pm

Space Rocks! May the Fourth be the day you visit the Wagner! We’re looking to the stars for May’s First Saturday to celebrate the ways space can be even more fascinating than in science fiction. At 1:00 and 3:00, hear from Dr. Alexandra Krull Davatzes from Temple University about on her work as a part of the HiRISE Camera Team. HiRISE is taking photos of the surface of Mars to understand major flooding events. If you’re ready to head to space yourself, get ready for stomp rockets, a Mars Rover design challenge, solar observation, and more!

Saturday, June 1, 2024
Noon - 4pm at the Wagner

Meet the Turtles! with faculty and students from Saint Joseph's University Biology department. This special Open House will feature talks by Dr. Scott McRobert on the loss of biodiversity on our planet and possible solutions. Throughout the day, partners from St. Joe’s will lead live demonstrations and activities including opportunities to interact with exotic animals who live in the Biodiversity Lab, a conservation site for the study and management of endangered species. There will also be information about science research opportunities available across the city for budding scientists!

Saturday, October 5th, 2024

12PM - 4PM

From quartzite to kyanite to garnets—Philadelphia is home to a vast array of regional minerals. Join us on Saturday, October 5th as geologist Bruce Mitchell from the Philadelphia Mineralogical Society engages visitors of all ages in learning about Philadelphia’s rich geological landscape. Bruce will share facts about, and images of, minerals collected by the Philadelphia Mineralogical Society. Featured specimens include some collected a few weeks ago and others collected over a hundred years ago!

Thursday, October 10, 2024
6 - 7:30pm at the Wagner

Celebrate Archives Month Philly at the Wagner Free Institute of Science as representatives from seven different regional cultural institutions showcase lantern slides from their special collections. Sit back and enjoy as we travel over and around the Swiss Alps; explore Palestine through the eyes of Khalil Raad, “Palestine’s first Arab photographer”; view hand-colored images of Philadelphia gardens while learning about the pioneering women who created them; survey early twentieth century insects of the Western United States; and so much more!

Saturday, November 2, 2024
Noon - 4pm

Flexibility is a kind of strength! A tree bends in the hurricane but does not break. A snake slithers through a branch and does not fall. A crab scuttles to safety under a rock. Learn how we can harness bendy ideas from nature. Join the Wagner Free Institute of Science, in partnership with Thomas Jefferson University Chemistry Professor, Dr. Thomas Twardowski, for an afternoon exploring the ways flexibility occurs in nature.

Saturday, December 7, 2024
Noon - 4pm

Shelter from the cold this December during the Wagner's First Saturday Open House! Happening on Saturday, December 7th from 12pm - 4pm, visitors will dig up and identify different types of shark teeth, craft paper snowflakes, and learn about the history of the Wagner. Covering the life of William Wagner, founding of the Institute, and the architecture of our building, the history of the Wagner talk will be given at 1pm and again at 3pm.

Saturday, February 1, 2025
Noon - 4pm

Explore deep time and evolution at Wagner's February First Saturday Open House! Contemplate the nature of time among the museum's vast fossil collection and learn about the evolution of hearing through a special musical performance by paleontologist Matthew Bonnan. His captivating pop/rock song cycle, Once Upon Deep Time, tells the story of how we came to perceive sound based on what is known from the fossil record and the living world around us.

Saturday, March 1, 2024
Noon - 4pm

Spring is almost here—get ready to forage by learning all about mushrooms during our March First Saturday Open House! The Wagner will be open from 12 to 4 pm for an afternoon packed with hands-on activities, museum exploration, and fun for all ages in our Victorian natural history museum. As part of the program, Sam Bucciarelli, President of the Philadelphia Mycology Club, will present "Introduction to Mushrooms," an overview of everything you want to know about the kingdom of fungi.

Saturday, April 5, 2024
Noon - 4pm

Join the Wagner Museum and our community partners, The Discovery Center, The Land Health Institute, and the Sanctuary Farm, in spotting the different signs of spring! The Wagner will have binoculars, magnifying glasses, natural identification guides, and friendly staff on hand to help visitors learn from the different natural resources in our yard.