Yale Peabody Museum Natural Science Illustration Program

Three of our founders earned their certificates in Botanical and Natural Science Illustration at the New York Botanical Garden. Dorie, Linda, and Jan were also long-time Peabody volunteers which led to their eventual collaboration with the museum. Classes were originally taught at the museum in New Haven and then at Yale’s West Campus Educational Center in Orange, Connecticut. In more recent years, the program has grown to include students from 38 U.S. states and 12 countries, as well as 16 instructors.

Classes have always been natural science–based, and students of all levels of ability are encouraged to participate. The program offers both online and in-person classes including Drawing, Watercolor, Colored Pencil, Pen and Ink, Mixed Media, Drawing and Painting Birds, Insects, Gems and Minerals, Vertebrate Anatomy, Plant Morphology, Digital Illustration, Marketing for Artists, Composition and Design, and others. Students taking classes at the museum may take advantage of the opportunity to use museum specimens from the Peabody’s vast collections as inspirations for their work. 

Classes are challenging and the results are impressive. The program enjoys a large following of students, many of whom have previous art or science backgrounds. One student commented, “Each course has nudged me beyond what I thought myself capable of. I cannot say how valuable and important this program has become in my life.”