Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, founded in 1812, is the oldest natural history museum in the Americas and sits on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway near the art museum. Its private event program rents out several of its permanent exhibit halls after hours, including Dinosaur Hall and its mezzanine, the auditorium, the North American Hall, the African Hall, and the smaller Darwin Room, each holding a different scale of reception, seated dinner, or theater-style program. Guests can walk among full dinosaur skeletons and taxidermy dioramas during a booked event rather than in a converted ballroom. The academy provides in-house tables and chairs, an accessible entrance and elevators to every floor, and event-day security and custodial staff as part of the rental, and books exclusively with 12th Street Catering rather than allowing outside food service. Outside alcohol is not permitted either. The Darwin Room includes a built-in screen for presentations, and the auditorium has large-screen, high-definition video capability for bigger programs.