The Wagner Free Institute of Science is a hidden, lesser-known tourist destination lost in a city steeped in loads of history, writes Tom Gralish for The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

The Wagner Institute was founded and opened in North Philadelphia in 1865 by Philadelphia merchant, philanthropist, and amateur scientist William Wagner. 

The institute functions as not only a natural history museum, but also a library and lecture hall.

Its public courses in science represent the oldest program devoted to free adult education in the United States.

The Wagner Institute differentiates itself from other museums in multiple ways.

While other museums strive to keep up to date with modern, interactive games, Wagner’s 100,000-item collection features fossils, preserved insects, taxidermy displays, mounted skeletons, rocks, and minerals, and more.

In December 1990, the institute was designated a National Historic Landmark by the United States Department of the Interior.

Read more about what to expect during a visit to the Wagner Free Institute of Science at The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

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