Academy of Natural Sciences

Logan Square & Fairmount


You'll find plenty of kid-pleasing exhibits at the country's oldest natural-history museum, including a hot and humid butterfly room with live specimens, and a terrific dinosaur exhibition where you can dig for fossils and bones. You can also watch scientists extracting fossils from surrounding stone.

The museum was founded in 1812 and has been in this building since 1868. It's now part of Drexel University.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Logan Square & Fairmount attractions

1. Logan Square

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One of the original squares from William Penn's town plan, this public space (named in honor of James Logan an 18th-century major) is centered on the…

3. Franklin Institute

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5. Parkway Central Library

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6. Comcast Center

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7. Barnes Foundation

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8. JFK Plaza

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Taking its nickname from Robert Indiana's LOVE sculpture, this public space was revamped in 2018 during which the iconic sculpture, a city landmark, also…