The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

So I took my two kids and their aunt here July 5th and I gotta say this time was really awesome. The woman at intake was so patient with me as I bumbled to find my card and assured me I wasn't holding things up she was so calm and supportive.The staff were out with snakes (shout out to Butter Ball) and critters allowing the kids to touch them (gently!) other staff showed off skulls and beaks! And as were leaving I heard them say over the intercom they were about to start a paleontologist education class on the first floor! The staff really went above and beyond but there was one in particular that made the trip truly memorable her name was Ashli (li not ley which made it easier to remember) My son is really into Arctic foxes right now so because we didn't see any I thought maybe we had missed some I approached this young lady as we were leaving asked if she knew where we could find one sadly she said that they didn't have any on display however they had different breeds foxes... My son seemed bummed and then she said "what about pelts? It's better then the display you get to actually touch it! We have Arctic fox pelts!" He lit up and she rush off to get them she couldn't have been gone for more then a minute And was slightly out of breath she had run to get them because she saw how excited he was and knew we were on our way out. Not only did she bring the Arctic fox but she also brought one pelt showing his summer coat (not pure white like the winter one) AND a red fox pelt to show him how different the coats felt! I was truly moved by the amount of energy she put in to educating the kids about the animals and to see that she stopped what she was doing and went out of her way to make a teachable moment in something that my child had a big interest in it was special. When he got anxiety because all the kids rushed up to see the pelts and hid... She made sure to walk over to him where he was at and give him his own time with the pelts. Thank you academy employees for really making the science animals and little wild minds come to life! This was probably the best time we have ever had here! Sincerely, Ellen Max and Ella

It's a good taxidermy museum I guess. I went for a school trip. It was extremely disorganized. We were forced to wait in the cafeteria for 30 mins, told we could go to the live exhibit. My group went to the live exhibit first. We explained to the younger female employee what the woman downstairs said. So our small group entered. While the older man with the hiss cockroaches was showing our kids an older female came in and started yelling at us to leave. Then she turned around said we had to leave by a certain time. Which I acknowledged and agreed to, it gave us an additional 8 minutes in the exhibit. Two minutes later she started yelling at us to get out. I turned to the kids and told them no, we had 6 minutes left and we weren't leaving until the agreed upon time. She was really unprofessional and rude to the children. The kids finished the museum from the top floor down in under 45 mins. We then attended a show in the auditorium as a whole group. That was probably the highlight of the whole thing. I personally learned a lot, I just wished they had some kind of audio system in there instead of yelling to a school of 100+ kids. We really had nothing to do with the remaining 45 minutes. The kids played in the big dig again, hit the bathrooms and the water fountains. We also were not allowed on the Botany exhibit, the one exhibit I actually wanted to see, because it was "reserved"... Yet no one ever went in or out of, besides the two employees standing at the entrance to keep us out. And quite honestly $2.75 for a can of Mt. Dew is ludicrous. I can say with certainty - I would not go back. To me it wasn't worth the ticket price, the confusion or being yelled at.

Visited on a Friday in the spring for the Dinos after Dark event. Went specifically to see the Botany of the Nations exhibit. I got there easily on the 49 bus and check in was quick, I had purchased a discounted ticket online already. The exhibit was nice and very well presented. It has a good mix of interactive video elements and things to see and read. Very interesting to see the plant pressings and details of Lewis & Clark's expeditions. Dinos after Dark looks like a fun family event, they have many standard kids activities, and some that are more science specific. There is also food and beer for sale although I did not stick around to try it. Gift shop was open, nice stuff in there although quite over-priced. I love this museum but I miss the butterfly exhibit. I spent a little less then an hour there.

From the moment you walk in, you're surrounded by fascinating exhibits that showcase the incredible diversity of life on Earth, from towering dinosaur skeletons and ancient fossils to beautifully preserved specimens. One of the highlights of my visit was the opportunity to speak with museum staff who were actively working with archaeological discoveries. It was fascinating to hear them explain how artifacts are examined, preserved, and studied, and I appreciated being able to ask questions about their work. Those conversations provided a behind-the-scenes look at archaeology that made the experience even more memorable.

Friendly staff, clean facilities and interactive stations for young children. We popped in after another museum and it was something we could fit into two hours before they closed. Decent dinosaur area, small children dig sight and green screen area. Three floors to view.

Went with my two kids ages 9 and 17 and had a great time! My oldest got to talk to the paleontologist got to hold and learn about fossils they were in heaven. My youngest enjoyed every moment of everything. Will definitely go again. Loved the Dino’s after dark event!

A wonderful museum and definitely worth a visit. Very kid-friendly with plenty of interesting exhibits for children. Our family had a great time!

If you love dinosaurs and animals as much as I do. You will definitely appreciate this museum. It's a great place for children to visit and us adults who still get excited like kids!