March First Saturday Open House - Mushroom Madness!

Spring is almost here - get ready to forage by learning all about mushrooms during our March First Open House! The Wagner will be open from 12 to 4 pm for an afternoon packed with hands-on activities, museum exploration, and fun for all ages in our Victorian natural history museum.

As part of the program, Sam Bucciarelli, President of the Philadelphia Mycology Club, will present "Introduction to Mushrooms," an overview of everything you want to know about the kingdom of fungi. This presentation will cover the important role fungi play in our ecosystems, and some ways that you—yes—you! can get involved in observing and conserving fungi in Philadelphia. The talk will be given at 1pm and again at 3 pm in the Lecture Hall.

The Philadelphia Mycology Club is a registered 501c3 non-profit with a mission to study, collect, and document fungi; to foster accessibility, diversity, and inclusivity through educating the community on fungi; and to steward the land and advocate for fungal conservation.

Throughout the day, there'll be hands-on activities in the Museum plus you can view our special exhibition of mushroom models created by the French anatomist and naturalist Dr. Louis Auzoux in the 1860s. The set of 32 papier-mâché models was created to help teach foragers which mushrooms are poisonous and which are safe to eat. These larger-than-life models can be taken apart to show interior structures of the mushrooms as well as the beauty of their exterior forms.

As always, 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 are a group leader and wish to bring a group of 10 or more to the program, please email our museum educator, [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