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Museum Hours:Wednesday–Saturday, 10am–5pm
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COLLECTIONS BLOG

Live from Philadelphia, It’s the History of Science!

Celebrating 15,000 historical works in our digital collections.

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A colorful firework display with a person using a stick to ignite them, illustrating the history of fireworks.A colorful firework display with a person using a stick to ignite them, illustrating the history of fireworks.
EVENTS

Philly Fair 250

Join us in Fairmount Park for Wawa Welcome America’s multiday extravaganza featuring a pop-up museum and historic fireworks.

Saturday, June 20 | 2-10pm
Sunday, June 21 | 2-9pm

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Two people in silhouette in front of a museum exhibit, a large detail of the Declaration of Independence blown up on the wall behindTwo people in silhouette in front of a museum exhibit, a large detail of the Declaration of Independence blown up on the wall behind
DISTILLATIONS MAGAZINE

The Freedom Plane

At a fragile moment in U.S. history, a flying roadshow looks to the past.

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EXHIBITIONS

First-Class Flora: A Stamp Collection of Medicinal Plants

This outdoor exhibition presents a unique historical intersection between professional science and a personal hobby.

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Flash! Bang! Boom!
A History of Fireworks

Part of America’s 250th birthday celebration, this sparkling new exhibition explores the origins of and the science behind fireworks. 

On view through July 31, 2027

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Featured

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CONFERENCE CENTER

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Group & School Tours
Portrait of Joseph Priestley
SCIENTIFIC BIOGRAPHIES

Joseph Priestley
Acetate film negative containing X-ray diffraction images of DNA
Collections

History of Molecular Biology Collection
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EVENTS

From Our Forefathers: Climate Crisis in Chemistry History
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Research

Schedule a Library Visit

Collect. Preserve. Interpret. Share.

Through research, storytelling, public programming, and educational outreach, we reveal how science is embedded in our daily lives.

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Museum
rare books

Library
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Stories
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Education
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Collections
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Research

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