12022-04-07T13:50:54+00:00Chicago Academy of Sciences / The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum1plain2022-04-07T13:50:54+00:002016 The Chicago Academy of Sciences was founded in 1857 from a desire to understand nature and science. To further this exploration, the study of real specimens was imperative. The institution’s founding members gathered their personal collections together, forming the basis of the museum collection and providing the foundation for scientific research at the Academy. Learn more here.