Academy of Natural Sciences Hosts First Overnight for Adults

Participants in the Academy of Natural Sciences adult overnight get ready for bed in Dinosaur Hall. Photo by Mike Servedio.

Ever stroll up to a fossilized T. rex and say, “This is great, but I wish I had my jammies on?”

Well, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University provided that unique experience at its first Overnight for Adults March 7.

Timshel Purdum, the Academy’s director of education and lifelong learning, described it as one of the best events she’s ever experienced in more than a decade working at the museum.

“I had a blast,” she said.  “The participants were awesome. They were having such a great time and the staff had a great time with them.”

Among the activities the group of 90 took part in was a behind-the-scenes tour of the Ichthyology, Entomology and Mammalogy departments,  creating pictures by dipping cockroaches and maggots in paint and letting them walk across a paper, and a special diorama ghost tour, which Purdum led.

“I got to do diorama tours where I told weird stories about the explorers, artists and animals involved in each scene,” she said. “Our guests were allowed to draw on the diorama glass with special paint pens that we could wipe off later. We had too much fun.”

After a drink or two and a bedtime story, everyone got ready for bed, bunking wherever they chose, whether beside a dinosaur or near a bison diorama.

Purdum said she got great feedback from everyone who took part, so the Academy plans to do another adult sleepover Oct. 3.

Check out more photos of the inaugural sleepover for adults below.