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Nature opens up to the world
story and photos by Brenna McLaughlin
Staff Photographer
The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, located in Lincoln Park, opened its doors to the public on Saturday, Oct. 23. It is named in honor of Peggy Notebaert due to her continued service as a dedicated member of Chicago’s philanthropic community.
Peggy Notebaert and the president of the Chicago Academy of Sciences welcomed Mayor Daley and the public to the museum’s grand opening. The site of the museum, which is on Fullerton Drive and Cannon Parkway, was selected for its “natural landscape of park and pond.” The museum was designed to enhance the natural habitats around the location. The designers and landscape artists went to great lengths to bring the environment back to its natural state. They returned over 10,000 plants and 140 trees to the landscape. Landscape artist Carol Yetken replicated four Midwestern ecosystems for the museum. It is the only museum that is dedicated to the Midwestern environment.
The exhibits include the Butterfly Haven, which allows you to view dozens of monarchs and moths, the City Science exhibit, which gives a new perspective on nature, and Environmental Central where you can participate in making decisions on challenging aspects of our
environment. The Water Lab is the place to learn how our system of rivers and lakes affects daily life. The Wilderness Walk focuses on a variety of different ecosystems, and the Children’s Gallery is a hands-on look at the wetland and prairie environment. The museum’s largest exhibit is the area outside that surrounds the Nature Museum. The Outdoor Exhibit, including North Pond, supplies various opportunities for outdoor programming. The museum’s exhibits cover all areas in nature and provide a fun and educational atmosphere.
The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum winter hours are: Sunday-Tuesday, Thursday 10:00a.m.-5:00p.m. and Wednesday from 10:00a.m.-8:00p.m. The cost of admission is: $6 adults, $4 seniors, $3 children/student, free for members. For more information or to become a member call: (773) 549-0606 ext. 2057.
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