Celebrate all things ecology with a whole weekend of family fun as we say goodbye to Backyard Adventures!

You can make a cool backyard or window birdfeeder, check out special shows featuring live animals that are found right here in Philadelphia, and even learn how your backyard would be different if you lived in Australia, Africa, or Asia. Try your hand at "citizen science," and discover why science starts with you, right in your own backyard or park!

Auditorium Show: Animals of Philadelphia
11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

We humans aren't the only ones who call Philadelphia home. Learn all about the animals you might see in a backyard right here in the city and their adaptations, habitats, similarities, and differences. Meet some furry, feathery, and scaly Academy ambassadors!

Auditorium Show: Backyard Bugs
1 p.m.

Did you know that bugs outnumber humans 200 million to 1? Check out some awesome arachnids or cool cockroaches in this technology-enabled show featuring the live invertebrate collection of the Academy. Compare these bugs to the ones you see in your own backyard!

Backyards Around the World

How would your backyard be different if you were growing up in Australia? How about the Arctic Circle? What if you lived in the rainforest or the desert? Check out Academy specimens and touchable biofacts from around the world. Think about how the plants and animals you find most ordinary might be very exotic to someone from far away!

Backyard Adventures
Through September 10

Leap into a garden of wonders, where you can experience the magic of a special backyard world. As you ride the bee bike, collect nectar, check out a food web pond, copy critter calls, and even dress up like living creatures, you'll uncover surprising details about how organisms live and interact in their environments. You can even become a mechanic or engineer by learning the feats of construction that go into building a shed, solving the paver puzzle, and playing garden mini-golf. Figure out how to turn your own garden into a mini-exhibit—you'll discover more science in your backyard than you'll ever imagine! $5; $3 for members; Family Plus level members and above see it free!

Birdfeeder Craft

Make and take a birdfeeder for your backyard, windowsill, or park. Learn how you can reuse and recycle everyday objects to create a rest stop for local birds.

Backyard Adventures Microscope Cart

There's so much science to discover right in your own playground, park, or backyard! Science starts with you at this engaging, hands-on microscope station. Practice plant and animal identification, check out slides from local species, and even get down and dirty looking at soil samples.