Wagner Free Institute of Science
United States historic place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Built 1865. Added to the National Register in 1989, and a National Historic Landmark.
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What it is
The Wagner Free Institute of Science is a natural history museum at 1700 West Montgomery Avenue in north Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, it is a rare surviving example of a Victorian era scientific society, with a museum, research center, library, and educational facilities. Its buildings, developed between 1859 and 1901, present the collections of founder William Wagner in the style of the period, and have been designated a National Historic Landmark for their architecture and state of preservation.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Building |
| Address | 17th St. and Montgomery Ave., Philadelphia, PA |
| County | Philadelphia County |
| Listed | May 17, 1989 |
| Listed for | Social history, Architecture, Science, Education |
| Level of significance | National |
| Reference number | 89000361 |
| Built | 1865 · more from the 1860s |
| Type of place | institute |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 building |
| Standing | Yes |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | 17th St. and Montgomery Ave., Philadelphia, PA |
| Website | wagnerfreeinstitute.org ↗ |
| Coordinates | 39.9805° N, 75.1629° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Philadelphia | 632 listed places in Philadelphia → · walking tours → |
| Nearest national park unit | Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site · 1 mile · on Park Atlas |
Explore
Drawings & photographs
Measured drawings and photographs from the Library of Congress. Public domain. All 2 records ↗
Map
Nearby in Philadelphia County
Local history books for Philadelphia
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Guidebooks to historic places in Pennsylvania
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Wagner Free Institute of Science listed on the National Register?
May 17, 1989. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
When was Wagner Free Institute of Science built?
1865.
Source: Wikidata
Can I visit Wagner Free Institute of Science?
Yes. Wagner Free Institute of Science is recorded as open to the public, and hours are on the official website.
Source: Official website
Where is Wagner Free Institute of Science?
17th St. and Montgomery Ave., Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. The nearest national park unit is Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site, 1 mile away.
Are there historic photographs or drawings of Wagner Free Institute of Science?
Yes. The Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress has drawings or photographs of it.
Source: Library of Congress
Where is the nomination form for Wagner Free Institute of Science?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Is there cell service at Wagner Free Institute of Science?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 89000361. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA. Drawings and photographs are Historic American Buildings Survey records at the Library of Congress, public domain.