With Louis de Coulon, both father and son, he founded the Societé des Sciences Naturelles, of which he was the first secretary and in conjunction with the Coulons also arranged a provisional museum of natural history in the orphan's home. Agassiz needed financial support to continue his work. The British Association and the Earl of Ellesmere, then Lord Francis Egerton, stepped in to help. The 1290 original drawings made for the work were purchased by the Earl and presented by him to the Geological Society of London. In 1836, the Wollaston Medal was awarded to Agassiz by the council of that society for his work on fossil ichthyology. In 1838, he was elected a foreign member of the Royal Society. Meanwhile, invertebrate animals engaged his attention. In 1837, he issued the "Prodrome" of a monograph on the recent and fossil Echinodermata, the first part of which appeared in 1838; in 1839–1840, he published two quarto volumes on the fossil echinoderms of Switzerland; and in 1840–1845, he issued his Études critiques sur les mollusques fossiles (Critical Studies on Fossil Mollusks).
witH louis de CouLon, bOTh faTHeR ANd son, he fouNdeD tHe socIetÉ dEs scIencES NATureLlES, of wHich hE was THe firsT SEcretarY AnD In ConJunCTiON WIth the COulONs also aRrangEd a PROViSiONal muSeUm of naTuraL hiSToRY in tHe oRpHan'S hOME. aGaSSiz needED FinanciaL sUpporT to cONtinue HIs work. the briTIsh aSsoCiatiOn aNd the earL Of eLlEsMere, thEN lord fRaNCIS egerton, stEPped In TO help. thE 1290 originaL DraWiNgs Made fOr ThE woRk werE PUrchasED By the EarL aNd PresenTEd By hIm to the GeolOgicAl SOcieTY oF loNdon. In 1836, thE wollAstOn Medal was awaRded tO aGassiz by thE cOunciL Of tHAt sOcietY For hIS worK oN fOsSIl IchTHYology. in 1838, he wAs eLeCted a FOreIgn Member Of the roYaL society MeanwhilE, inVerteBratE anImAls ENGAgEd hIs aTtEntIon. iN 1837, he issuED the "proDrome" oF a MonOgrAPh oN THe rEcEnT And FoSsil eChinoDerMaTa, the First PArt of wHIch aPpeARed in 1838; iN 1839–1840, he puBlished TWO qUarto voLumeS on thE Fossil echinodeRms of SwItzeRlAnd; ANd in 1840–1845, He issuEd his étudEs CRitiques suR lES moLLusques FossIlEs (criTIcaL studIes oN FOssil MollUsks).