Chicago Academy Of Sciences

THE MISSION OF CAS/PNNM IS TO CREATE A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PEOPLE AND NATURE THROUGH COLLABORATIONS, EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND COLLECTIONS, EXHIBITS AND PUBLIC FORUMS THAT FOSTER URBAN CONNECTIONS TO OUR REGION'S NATURE AND SCIENCE.

BIOLOGY AND COLLECTIONS: THE CHICAGO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES/PEGGY NOTEBAERT NATURE MUSEUM ("CAS/PNNM") BIOLOGY AND COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENTS CONTINUE THE 164 YEAR LEGACY OF THE CHICAGO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES BY PROVIDING RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION INITIATIVES WITH BOTH LOCAL AND NATIONAL IMPACT. CAS/PNNM WORKS TO PROTECT AND RESTORE NATIVE HABITATS AND IMPERILED SPECIES THROUGHOUT ILLINOIS, INCLUDING THE BLANDING'S TURTLE AND SEVERAL BUTTERFLY SPECIES. THROUGH COMMUNITY SCIENCE PROGRAMS SUCH THE ILLINOIS BUTTERFLY MONITORING NETWORK, ODONATE SURVEY, AND CALLING FROG SURVEY, CAS/PNNM BIOLOGISTS INSPIRE PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH NATURE AND BECOME BETTER STEWARDS OF LOCAL ECOLOGY. THE BIOLOGY AND COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENTS ALSO MAINTAIN AND OVERSEE CAS/PNNM'S COLLECTION OF MORE THAN 390,000 SPECIMENS.

EDUCATION: CAS/PNNM IS DEDICATED TO EDUCATING CHICAGO AREA TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ABOUT NATURE AND SCIENCE, AND PROVIDES MORE HOURS OF IMMERSIVE TEACHING IN THE CHICAGO PUBLIC AND ARCHDIOCESE SCHOOLS THAN ANY OTHER MUSEUM IN CHICAGO. CAS/PNNM EDUCATION PROGRAMS ENHANCE STEM EDUCATION BY COMBINING SCIENCE CONTENT AND EDUCATIONAL BEST PRACTICES AND TRANSFORMING STUDENT AND TEACHER ATTITUDES TOWARDS SCIENCE. IN FISCAL YEAR 2021, CAS/PNNM EDUCATION PROGRAMS PROVIDED INTERACTIVE SCIENCE EDUCATION TO 21,000 STUDENTS AND 1,000 TEACHERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE INTENSIVE TRAINING AND RESOURCES THROUGH ONGOING PARTNERSHIPS WITH MORE THAN 280 CLASSROOMS IN SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT CHICAGO. DURING THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR, CAS/PNNM EDUCATORS ALSO TAUGHT 565 INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS TO MORE THAN 14,000 STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS.

EXHIBITS AND GUEST EXPERIENCE & ENGAGEMENT: IN FY 21, THE NATURE MUSEUM REAFFIRMED ITS COMMITMENT TO DEEP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, BY DEVELOPING A NEW VISION STATEMENT FOR THE INSTITUTION. THE VISION STATEMENT STATES: WE BELIEVE THAT NATURE SHOULD AND CAN BE ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE; WE ENVISION COMMUNITIES THAT, IN EVERYDAY LIFE, CONNECT WITH, VALUE AND EMBRACE NATURE; AND WE WILL BE A SPARK THAT IGNITES AND FOSTERS A SENSE OF WONDER FOR NATURE, AN UNDERSTANDING OF SCIENCE, AND PROTECTION OF THE NATURAL WORLD. LIVING OUT THIS VISION TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO NATURE BECAME MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER DURING THE PANDEMIC, WHEN THE PUBLIC CRAVED STRONGER CONNECTIONS TO NATURE. TO RESPOND TO THESE NEEDS, THE NATURE MUSEUM QUICKLY SHIFTED ITS PROGRAMMING TO ENGAGE PEOPLE THROUGH INTERACTIVE EXPLORATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD. THE NATURE MUSEUM STAFF SEAMLESSLY PROVIDED FAMILY PROGRAMS, INTERACTIVE STUDENT AND TEACHER WORKSHOPS, AND ENGAGING COMMUNITY EVENTS TO REACH DIVERSE AUDIENCES WHILE THE BUILDING WAS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC. THE MUSEUM DELIVERED RICH CONTENT IN PRINT AND VIDEO, LAUNCHED A YOUTUBE CHANNEL CURIOUS BY NATURE, AND BECAME THE GO-TO MUSEUM IN CHICAGO FOR VIRTUAL IN-CLASSROOM SCIENCE CLASS SUPPORT. AUDIENCES RESPONDED BY MAKING THE NATURE MUSEUM THE NUMBER ONE CHICAGO MUSEUM FOR DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT AS IT REACHED OVER 552,000 HOMES, INDIVIDUALS, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN THE CHICAGO REGION AND BEYOND.