The Chicago Academy of Sciences /Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum invites visitors to “Flutter into Fall” and experience the return of its popular exhibit Weather to Climate: Our Changing World on Sept. 12.
The Museum returns to regular full-time hours of operation 7 days per week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting Tuesday, Sept. 7. The museum partially reopened last month for the first time in over a year for ‘Summer Hours’ of operation. The Museum is excited to welcome guests to come wonder again at the Museum and visit their favorite animals and exhibits including the internationally renowned signature Judy Istock Butterfly Haven, a 2,700-square-foot greenhouse home to more than 1,000 free-flying butterflies.
“I am excited to share the much-anticipated news of our return to full hours of operation and the return of one of the Museum’s most popular exhibits Weather to Climate: Our Changing World,” said Deb Lahey, President & CEO of the Chicago Academy of Sciences/Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. “Over the past year and a half, we creatively shifted to offering our existing educational and family-focused programs virtually, and after a successful partial reopening of ‘Summer Hours,’ our staff is eager to offer new experiences and the return of fan favorites.”
Flutter into Fall –A Day-Long Celebration of Butterflies and Pollinators on Sept. 12
Following the return to regular hours, visitors can “Flutter into Fall” at the Nature Museum on Sunday, Sept. 12 with a day-long celebration of beloved butterflies, bees, and other pollinators and join scientists as they tag and release local monarch butterflies to track their annual migration to Mexico. Monarch tagging and release demonstrations will take place at 10am, 12pm and 1pm.
Guests can also participate in guided plant walks around the Museum grounds to learn about important native plants and the role they play in the lives of local pollinators. There will be multiple butterfly releases in the Museum’s Judy Istock Butterfly Haven, a special butterfly-themed storytime with Open Books, family yoga demonstrations and more. Illinois residents can enjoy free admission or support the day’s events with a suggested donation of $10/household.
Experience the Award-Winning Exhibit: Weather to Climate: Our Changing World – Opening Sept. 12
Also on Sunday, Sept. 12, the Nature Museum announces the return of its award-winning exhibit, Weather to Climate: Our Changing World. This interactive experience presents the fundamentals of weather and climate and explains how the two phenomena are connected through engaging, age-appropriate and entertaining content.
“As one of the most defining issues of our time, climate change affects all aspects of daily life including food supplies, health, energy, water and our cities and communities,” said Lahey. “Our focus in designing this exhibit five years ago was to provide a fact-based entry into the topic while being accessible and engaging to a wide variety of audiences, and with the current effects of climate change that we’re seeing across the globe, the return of this exhibit is as important as ever.”
Visitors of all ages and learning styles can dive into the science behind global climate change, exploring how it affects human and animal communities worldwide, and learning what steps they can take to combat climate change. Inside the exhibit, guests can pretend to be a meteorologist, play games, and more while discovering the critical distinction between weather and climate.
“We want this exhibit to inspire and motivate our visitors to take actions in their own lives to mitigate the impact of climate change,” Lahey said.
Nature Museum members are invited to a morning of exclusive before-hours access to the Weather to Climate: Our Changing World exhibit from 9-10am, registration is available through Eventbrite. The exhibit opens to all guests at 10 a.m.
Additional information on reopening guidelines can be found at https://naturemuseum.org/reopening/.
About the Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Do you ever wonder how a butterfly gets its colors? Or how turtles hibernate? For over 160 years, the Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum has served a unique role in the city of Chicago connecting children of all ages to nature and science through immersive exhibits, fun family events, important conservation research and in-depth education programs, inspiring the wonder in all of us. For more information please visit www.naturemuseum.org.
