The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

The Urban Gateway to Nature and Science

For 160 years, the Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum has connected Chicagoans with the natural world that surrounds us. Experience the awe-inspiring wonder of thousands of fluttering butterflies, get hands-on with an animal critter, and learn about our region’s unique ecology all at the urban gateway to nature and science.

Located in the heart of Lincoln Park, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is just off Fullerton Parkway on Cannon Drive, and is accessible via several public transit routes as well as biking and walking paths.

Free parking is available on Cannon and Stockton Drive. A flat-rate lot maintained by the Chicago Park District is located directly across Cannon drive from the Museum. Bus routes #76, #151 and #156 stop at or near the Nature Museum.

• Immerse yourself in the world renowned Judy Istock Butterfly Haven
• Splash your way through RiverWorks and learn about the region's waterways
• Hike through the Nature Trails that surround the Nature Museum teeming with native flora and fauna
• View more than 40 species of live animals in the Istock Family Look-in Lab
• Participate in our daily programs: butterfly releases, critter connections, animal feedings, story time and more!