Christine Danowsky remembers sleeping next to the Tiger diorama as a six-year-old Girl Scout. She thought Overnights at the Academy were so much fun that she kept coming back, and coming back … five times! Several (we’re not counting) decades later, she’s an Academy superfan. And she has found the perfect outlet for her obsession: running camps, scout programs, birthday parties, and (yes) Overnights at the Academy.
This year, for the second time, the Academy will host an Overnight for Adults. Danowsky will be there, and she’s excited about how much fun everyone will have.
The night will center around cryptozoology, the study of and search for animals and especially legendary animals (such as Sasquatch) usually in order to evaluate the possibility of their existence. Bigfoot, Chupacabra, and the Jersey Devil will take center stage for a creepy twist on animal mythology. You can collect clues and use your Scooby-Doo skills to solve a mystery, navigate the underbelly of the Academy on behind-the-scenes tours, meet live animals, and see some of the real skeletons in our collection. When you finally get tired, you can curl up under the T. rex, next to a diorama, or in a quiet corner of the museum to get some shut-eye.
This event is truly adults-only—the kids have to stay at home while the grownups (21+) hang out with the dinosaurs.
The best part? All you have to do is sign up and maybe find a babysitter, and we’ll take care of the rest, including dinner, your drinks, breakfast (with another drink), and admission to the museum all day Sunday. Not convinced yet? Here are some of the highlights of what you can expect during your experience:
-Take behind-the-scenes tours to see some of the Academy’s 18 million specimens
-Solve a cryptozoology mystery on a scavenger hunt
-Mythbust the tales of mermaids, Bigfoot, Cyclops, and others
-Watch a sci-fi flick at midnight in our auditorium
-Sleep in Dinosaur Hall
-Enjoy two free drinks with the opportunity to purchase more
-Enjoy hot dinner and hot breakfast (with a mimosa!) courtesy of 12th Street Catering
-Get free full-day admission on Sunday
Itinerary:
6:30 p.m. Check-in and Happy Hour
7 p.m. Time to explore: Behind-the-scenes tours, animal encounters, games
8–9 p.m. Fajita dinner
9–11 p.m. More time to explore
11 p.m. Live animal show
12 a.m. Midnight Movie
7–8 a.m. Oatmeal bar and mimosas
9 a.m. Your gear has to go, but you get admission to the museum all day
The event isn’t cheap ($190 nonmembers/$165 member discount), but with dinner, breakfast, drinks, museum admission, tours, live entertainment, and a bunch of activities, we promise you’ll have an experience you won’t forget. Just check out the photos below and then come see for yourself.
Our first Adult Overnight in March 2015 was a huge success! Click here for our pictures on Facebook. Or here for photos from Geekadelphia. Or here to read about “What it’s like at a 100-person boozy sleepover at the Academy of Natural Sciences” from the City Paper. Or here to see our original Adult Overnight photo blog.
Looking for something more family friendly? Check out our Family Safari Overnights, where you can sleep under the T. rex, meet live animals, make crafts, and more!