The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year and Thursdays are free admission days, filled with exciting daily programs for the whole family. So gather up the family and get there for free museum days.
NEW MONARCH BUTTERFLY EXHIBITION
The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is honored to present its latest exhibition in partnership with the Consulate General of Mexico and its Mexico 2010 program, Sanctuary: Flight of the Majestic Monarch. Sanctuary transports visitors of all ages on the wings of the Monarch Butterfly through the perspectives of award-winning Mexican artists. Nature inspires the soul as you follow the breathtaking journey of the Monarch Butterfly which connects the extraordinary ecosystems of three nations – Mexico, the United States and Canada. Weighing less than a gram, the Monarch recognizes no borders or human divides on its 2,500-mile flight from Canada through the Midwest United States before it finally finds “sanctuary” in the warm fir forests and beautiful mountains of Michoacán, Mexico.
The relationship of people and nature has been a constant source of inspiration for artists and visionaries illustrating different viewpoints of our world. With Sanctuary, the Nature Museum is excited to immerse visitors in this spectacular natural phenomenon through a captivating exhibition of paintings, photography, multimedia video and sound installations. English, Spanish and French are incorporated in the signage, to reflect the various cultures the species interacts with on its yearly flight.
Complete with permanent exhibitions including a Butterfly Haven, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum became an interactive experience for adults and children alike. Programs below are free unless otherwise noted. The Nature Museum is open every day except New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Museum hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please note, the last admission ticket is sold at 4 p.m. on weekdays and 4:30 p.m. on weekends.
The Chicago Academy of Sciences and its Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum inspire people to learn about and care for nature and the environment. The Academy, founded in 1857, improves the quality of life in Chicago and the region by delivering superior environmental and science education programs to students and teachers, by offering Museum exhibitions and conducting public programs that foster green living, by restoring local ecosystems and advancing scientific knowledge through collections and research. 
During the past 10 years, the Chicago Academy of Sciences has welcomed more than 1.8 million visitors to its Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. The Museum provides hands-on exhibitions and programs to 70,000 students and trains and provides resources for more than 1,700 Chicago teachers in over 430 schools annually. The Museum engages visitors, especially urban dwellers, in new ways to connect with and preserve the natural world through a unique indoor/outdoor experience. It is one of the city’s best
examples of eco-friendly building technology with lush outdoor nature trails and habitat, green roof, rain barrels and solar panels.
Some facts about this wonderful Museum:
Celebrating 150 years of science exploration and education, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is the teaching and learning center of the Chicago Academy of Sciences, founded in 1857.
• The Museum welcomed 194,000 visitors in fiscal year 2007. More than 1.5 million visitors have walked through the doors since opening in 1999.
• The Museum trains and offers resources for more than 2,000 Chicago teachers in over 430 schools providing hands-on exhibits and programs to 65,000 students annually.
• An education innovator, the museum’s Science on the Go! program pairs with more than 150 teachers to enhance science education in classroom and has shown a correlation between the program and improved student test scores.
• The Museum is a working demonstration of green technology with 17,000 square feet of rooftop gardens, solar panels and an eco-friendly water distribution system.
• The Nature Museum recycles more than 37,000 pounds of paper each year.
• In 2006, the Museum received the City of Chicago’s Green Museum Award for Overall Achievement.
• An icon exhibit, the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven delights all who enter with a kaleidoscope of 1,000 butterflies plus tropical birds, flowers, and a waterfall.
• The Museum features more than 150 species of live animals.
• The Academy and its Museum play a lead role in the repopulation of endangered species through its Butterfly Restoration Project.
• The Museum is a leader in citizen science initiatives with scientists and volunteers monitoring, collecting and breeding, raising and studying animals to help ensure their survival.
• The Academy’s collection of 250,000 specimens includes several benchmark specimens used to identify an entire species. Many were gathered more than 100 years ago.
