Way back in 1812, when we were still worried about crazy things like tuberculosis and the British invading America, the Academy of Natural Sciences was founded “for the encouragement and cultivation of the sciences, and the advancement of useful learning.” This weekend, the museum kicks off a yearlong celebration of its bicentennial with the opening of a new exhibit that looks back at the Academy’s 200 years.

Handsome shot of the Academy

The Academy moved around a few times early on before finally settling in at its current location at 19th and Race Sts. in 1876. Today, that address sits on the Ben Franklin Parkway, in the Museum District, next door to the Franklin Institute. Back then, there were no museums in the area, and no Parkway either.

So try to check out (or revisit) the Academy of Natural Sciences, in the year to come. We’ve made some pretty good recent memories over there, as it turns out.

Photo credit: Greatnonprofits.org