February First Saturday Open House - Once Upon Deep Time

Explore deep time and evolution at Wagner's February First Saturday Open House!

Contemplate the nature of time among the museum's vast fossil collection and learn about the evolution of hearing through a special musical performance by paleontologist Matthew Bonnan. His captivating pop/rock song cycle, Once Upon Deep Time, tells the story of how we came to perceive sound based on what is known from the fossil record and the living world around us. Illustrated by animated videos, Matthew Bonnan and his bandmates will perform a selection of songs in our Lecture Hall at 2pm, with Q & A to follow.

Dr. Matthew Bonnan is a unique blend of dinosaur paleontologist and singer/songwriter. A professor at Stockton University, he has co-discovered three new Jurassic dinosaur species and explores how the movement of modern mammals, reptiles, and birds sheds light on the locomotion of their prehistoric counterparts. A self-taught musician and producer, Bonnan has produced two albums, Once Upon Deep Time and An Ode to Everything, that explore themes of science and the human connection.

Joining him for the performance will be Dr. Michael Lague and Dr. Sam Giancarli. Dr. Michael Lague is a paleontologist at Stockton University whose research focuses on the postcranial skeleton of early hominins (humans). Dr. Lague plays bass in the Stockton University rock band Monsters of Academia. Dr. Samantha Giancarli is a post-doc at Drexel University where she studies the evolutionary biology and genomics of urban and rural house mice. A former Stockton University undergrad and mentee of Dr. Bonnan, she loves singing and music and plays saxophone for the Once Upon Deep Time show.

The Exhibit Hall will be open for self-guided exploration of the natural history collection throughout the day. Explore our 100,000 natural history specimens, including ancient fossils, glowing minerals and animals from around the globe. Wander at your own pace or follow the path of one of our themed scavenger hunts. You can also pick up pencils and paper to draw from the specimens on display!

• Walk-in visitors are welcome. Advance registration is appreciated and will speed up your entry to the museum.

• There is no coat check or place to stow personal items – please travel light.

• The museum is located on the second floor of the building. There are 5 steps at the entryway and a flight of stairs to access the museum. It is not wheelchair accessible.

• To protect the specimens and our historic interiors, photography is not allowed in the museum. Open containers of food and drink are not permitted in the building.

•The Institute does not have a parking lot. Street parking on Montgomery Avenue and 17th Street is free. There is 2-hour free parking on Bouvier Street and on many blocks near the Wagner and metered parking on Cecil B. Moore Avenue. The nearest parking garage is at the Liacouras Center on 15th Street and Montgomery Avenue.

A dream that keeps growing…

In 1855, William Wagner had a dream of providing free science education to anyone who wanted to learn, regardless of background or ability to pay. Today, the Wagner offers more programs to more people than ever before! Your support helps us provide free education, not only through the museum, but through a wide range of courses, lectures, field trips, and children’s science programs. Donations also assist us in caring for the museum and library collections and in preserving our wonderful building, which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1990. To learn more about what we do please visit our website.

In keeping with its original charter, admission is FREE—donations are suggested to ensure the future and quality of Wagner's free education programs and to preserve its National Landmark building and collections.

Suggested Donations

$25/Family

$10/adult

$5/student

For any questions, please email [email protected] or call 215-763-6529 x17.

If you would like to check your membership status or become a member, please email [email protected] or call 215-763-6529 x11.

Host or Publisher Wagner Free Institute of Science