Philadelphia's Chemical Heritage Foundation changing its name

The nonprofit Chemical Heritage Foundation in Old City said Tuesday it will change its name to the Science History Institute on Feb. 1.

The name change was prompted by the merger of the Chemical Heritage Foundation and San Francisco's Life Sciences Foundation, which was approved by the organizations' boards in late 2015. The headquarters is in Philadelphia.

"The name 'Chemical Heritage Foundation' didn't fit our new focus since we now study the history of chemistry, chemical engineering, and the life sciences. Our new name, Science History Institute, describes what we do today," the organization said in an announcement on its website.

Arnold Thackray, a retired University of Pennsylvania professor, founded both organizations.