Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

What Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum does

The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum of the Chicago Academy of Sciences is a private nonprofit natural history museum founded in 1857 in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, operating as the city's oldest museum and a hybrid science-education-conservation institution. Its core physical product is an immersive exhibit portfolio anchored by the 2,700-square-foot Judy Istock Butterfly Haven (housing 40+ exotic butterfly species and ~1,000 butterflies at any time), the Beecher Collections Laboratory (live curatorial demonstration space), the Sustainability Center (interactive gallery on food, water, energy, and economy), the 3,000+ sq ft Hawver and Lacy Families Nature's PlaySpace, and the 1/3-mile Deb Lahey Nature Trails with native Illinois habitats. Underlying assets include preserved scientific collections at the off-site Ravenswood Collections Facility, a 30-year longitudinal butterfly monitoring dataset, and American Alliance of Museums accreditation held continuously since 1978.

The museum operates six diversified revenue streams: general admission and special exhibit tickets, recurring annual memberships, tax-deductible donations and corporate sponsorships, private event hosting (weddings, corporate events, birthdays at $975+ per package, museum buyouts), fee-based education programs (field trips reaching 150 schools and 400+ classrooms annually, scout workshops at $175/session, teacher professional development at $250-$350/hour), and $150 photography permits. A new $5 Butterfly Haven add-on launches for non-members in February 2026, signaling tiered pricing experimentation. Go-to-market is event- and community-led: K-12 schools, scout troops, community science volunteers (100+ in the Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network), corporate event clients, and donors each represent distinct acquisition channels with separate program offerings.

The customer base spans five primary segments — educational institutions, scout groups, event hosts (individuals and enterprises), donors/members, and community science volunteers — with no single segment dominating. Distribution is direct and regional, concentrated in the Chicago metro and broader Illinois/Midwest markets. The museum was led by President & CEO Erin Amico from July 2022 (the first African American CEO of the institution), succeeding Deborah Lahey who retired after growing the museum to the 6th most visited in Chicago.

Name

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

Legal name

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum of the Chicago Academy of Sciences

Website

https://naturemuseum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1857

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is Chicago's oldest museum, operating since 1857 as a nonprofit natural history institution offering immersive exhibits, K-12 education programs, community science initiatives, and private event hosting for schools, families, scout groups, and corporate clients in the Chicago metro area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural History Museum

NAICS

Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural History Museums (THAJADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Interpretation & Education Centers (Visitor Centers, Museums) (THAAAFAG), Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

Keywords

• Natural history exhibits
• Museum education programs
• Community science initiatives
• Conservation research
• Butterfly conservatory

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Museum Admissions: Ticket sales for general museum admission and special exhibits like the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven
2. Memberships: Annual membership programs offering free admission and benefits to members
3. Donations: Tax-deductible gifts to the Annual Fund supporting exhibits, field trips, and conservation research
4. Event Hosting: Revenue from hosting weddings, birthday parties, corporate events, social events, and museum buyouts
5. Education Programs: Fees for field trips, scout workshops, teacher professional development, and Science on the Go classroom programs
6. Photography Permits: Fees for professional photography sessions on museum grounds

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum of the Chicago Academy of Sciences operates a natural history museum offering immersive indoor and outdoor exhibits (including the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven and Deb Lahey Nature Trails), K-12 education programs, community science initiatives, conservation research, and private event hosting at its Lincoln Park, Chicago facility. The institution sells admissions, memberships, educational programs, and event venue rentals to families, schools, scouts, and corporate clients.

Product overview

The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum of the Chicago Academy of Sciences is a natural history museum and science education institution offering immersive exhibits, community science programs, and educator resources. Its physical products include permanent exhibitions such as the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven (a 2,700 sq ft greenhouse with over 40 exotic butterfly species and the Dr. Doug Taron Chrysalis Lab), the Beecher Collections Laboratory (where visitors observe specimen preparation and taxidermy), the Sustainability Center (interactive gallery on sustainable living), the Deb Lahey Nature Trails (1/3 mile outdoor trail network through native Illinois habitats), and the Woody Wickham Butterfly Garden. The museum's digital products include Nature-Inspired Digital Games and the Art Gallery Submissions program. Supplementary offerings encompass education programs (field trips, Science on the Go outreach, Teacher Leadership Center Loan Program, Teacher Professional Development, Science Teaching Network, Partner Teacher Conference, Parent & Caregiver Workshops, Scout Workshops), community science initiatives (Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network, Project Passenger Pigeon), and event hosting (birthday parties, weddings, corporate events, museum buyouts, film/photography sessions). The Chicago Conservation Corps (C3) drives grassroots climate action. Tickets and memberships are primarily distributed through the institution's website at naturemuseum.org.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Judy Istock Butterfly Haven A 2,700 square-foot greenhouse housing over 40 species of exotic, free-flying butterflies and several bird species from the Southern hemisphere. Includes the Dr. Doug Taron Chrysalis Lab where visitors can observe butterfly metamorphosis from pupa to adult. A $5 add-on for non-members beginning February 2026; free for members.
• Beecher Collections Laboratory An exhibit on Level 2 where visitors observe curatorial work including specimen preparation, taxidermy, insect pinning, and botanical preparation, staffed by Collections staff and volunteers.
• Sustainability Center An interactive gallery making sustainability approachable for Illinois residents through interactives and resources covering food, water, economy and culture, and energy. Features a digital library and resources from the Lincoln Park Branch of Chicago Public Library, with interactive screens designed by a DePaul University User Experience Design Capstone Class (class of 2025).
• Deb Lahey Nature Trails Award-winning outdoor trails spanning 1/3 mile that highlight native Illinois habitats through restored vignettes, gardens, and habitats including Woody Wickham Butterfly Garden, Bird Garden, Elizabeth Plotnick Tallgrass Prairie, Pickerelweed Pond, Bur Oak Savanna, Urban Vegetable Garden, Black Oak Sand Savanna, and North Pond Observation Pier.
• Woody Wickham Butterfly Garden Outdoor butterfly garden featuring clusters of colorful flowers planted to attract butterflies and pollinators, with host plants for egg-laying, signage in English, Spanish, and Polish, and year-round butterfly presence.
• Event Hosting Services Venue rental and event planning services for birthday parties (children ages 2 to 7, starting at $975), weddings, social events, corporate and nonprofit conferences, museum buyouts, and film and photography sessions. Preferred caterers include Food for Thought, Limelight Catering, and Paramount Events.
• Nature-Inspired Digital Games Computer games inspired by local animals and monarch butterflies, developed to engage students in nature and science learning through interactive digital experiences.
• Chicago Conservation Corps (C3) A grassroots community organization and climate action program that trains everyday Chicagoans to launch their own sustainability projects, acting as a force multiplier for communities seeking lasting environmental change.
• Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network A volunteer community science network founded by Dr. Doug Taron in 1987 that monitors butterfly populations across Illinois nature preserves. Over 100 volunteers contribute data annually to inform conservation strategies.
• Scout Workshop Program Hands-on science and nature workshops for Boy Scout and Girl Scout groups of 10 or more scouts at $175 per workshop. Includes free field trip admission for scouts and chaperones, supporting badge programming.
• Teacher Professional Development Professional development workshops for science educators at $250/hour for up to 30 teachers or $350/hour for 30 to 60 teachers. Minimum 2-hour sessions.
• Science on the Go Classroom-based outreach program bringing nature and science education directly to schools that cannot visit the museum. Reaches 400+ classrooms and 150 schools annually.
• Teacher Leadership Center Loan Program Resource kits available to educators through a partnership with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, providing themed materials for classroom use.
• Photography Permits $150 permit fee plus general admission for the day, enabling professional photography sessions on museum grounds including family, engagement, wedding, and graduation photos.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reaches over 400 classrooms and 150 schools annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, preferred and supporting.

• DePaul University User Experience Design Capstone ClasscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Designed and developed the interactive screens in the Sustainability Center gallery, with students from the class of 2025 working on Water, Economy & Culture, Energy, Food, and Library sections
• Food for ThoughtpreferredOthersPreferred caterer for wedding and event hosting at the Nature Museum
• Limelight CateringpreferredOthersPreferred caterer for wedding and event hosting at the Nature Museum
• Paramount EventspreferredOthersPreferred caterer for wedding and event hosting at the Nature Museum
• Chicago Public Library - Lincoln Park BranchsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing sustainability resources from the library's digital collection for the Sustainability Center
• Illinois Department of Natural ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-provider of themed resource kits through the Teacher Leadership Center Loan Program
• Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing educational resource kits for the Teacher Leadership Center loan program
• Turner & Townsend HeerysupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExhibit development partner for the Sustainability Center
• Luci CreativesupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExhibit development partner for the Sustainability Center
• Norcon, Inc.supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExhibit development partner for the Sustainability Center
• Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB)supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExhibit development partner for the Sustainability Center
• Wheaton & AssociatesupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExhibit development partner for the Sustainability Center
• Balance StudiossupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExhibit development partner for the Sustainability Center
• Candid (Guidestar)supportingOthersFinancial transparency platform where the museum's profile can be accessed for organizational financial stability information
• Charity NavigatorsupportingOthersCharity rating organization providing information on the museum's financial health and accountability

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Museum of Science and Industry: Large Chicago science museum competing for family visitors, K-12 field trips, and STEM education spend with overlapping program types.
• Carnegie Museum of Natural History: Mid-sized natural history museum with live animal exhibits, scientific collections, and K-12 education programming of comparable scope and scale.
• Cleveland Museum of Natural History: Comparable natural history museum balancing collections, research, and education, with similar revenue mix of admissions, memberships, and donations.
• Field Museum: Chicago-based natural history museum with similar exhibit, conservation research, and education mission; the primary direct competitor for visitors and donor attention in the same metro.

Regional players

• Shedd Aquarium: Chicago-based aquarium and animal-focused institution overlapping on live animal collections and family/school audiences within the same metropolitan market.
• Lincoln Park Zoo: Free Chicago zoo adjacent to the Nature Museum that competes for family visitors and conservation education funding in the same neighborhood.
• Chicago Botanic Garden: Regional nature institution offering exhibits and education programs targeting families and schools across the Chicago metro.

Emerging players

• Cincinnati Museum Center: Mid-size regional science/natural history complex with strong education programming and a hybrid admissions + education revenue model.
• Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University: Older U.S. natural history institution pairing scientific collections with public-facing exhibits and education, comparable in mission and scale.

Broad incumbents

• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: National-scale natural history museum that dominates aspirational benchmarks for collections, research output, and visitor base; relevant as the upper-bound incumbent in this category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/naturemuseum
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/naturemuseum
• Facebookfacebook.com/thenaturemuseum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/peggy-notebaert-nature-museum
• Instagraminstagram.com/naturemuseum

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum