December Vacation Week 2024

Come on your own, with friends, or bring the whole family to the museum for a special week of programming! View the microscopic world on a giant screen, team up for one of our workshops, or blend engineering and art in our Maker Hub. Drop in Activities: All drop-in activities are free with museum admission. Monday, December 23<ul><li>1-3pm: Microscopy</li><li>2-4:30pm: Paper Circuits</li></ul>Thursday, December 26<ul><li>1-3pm: Microscopy</li><li>2-4pm: Paper Circuits</li></ul>Friday, December 27<ul><li>1-3pm: Microscopy</li><li>2-4:30pm: Paper Circuits</li></ul>Saturday, December 28<ul><li>12:30-4:30pm: Drop-in activity: Paper Circuits</li><li>1-3pm: Drop-in activity: Microscopy</li></ul>Sunday, December 29<ul><li>12:30-4:30pm: Paper Circuits &amp; 3D Printing</li></ul>Family Workshop Schedule: Family workshops have the following pricing structure: Intro to Making: $15 for ages 14-18, $20 for ages 19+ Social Robots: $15 for ages 11-18, $20 for ages 19+ Please note that our Intro to Making Family Workshop is a 14+ workshop, and our Social Robots and AI Family Workshop is an 11+ workshop. Thursday, December 26<ul><li>10:45am - 12pm: Intro to Making</li></ul>Friday, December 27<ul><li>10:45am - 12pm: Social Robots and AI</li></ul>Saturday, December 28<ul><li>10:30 - 11:30am: Social Robots and AI</li></ul>

MIT Museum

Family Workshop: Intro to Making

Blend together physical and digital making as you create your own custom stamps! Under the guidance of a museum educator, use maker space tools like our 3D printers and laser cutter to fabricate your own unique creations. This workshop is designed for families and friends working in small groups. Children must be age 14 and above and must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the workshop. Workshop prices include museum admission. Please feel free to come and explore the museum with your family before or after the workshop. December 26 10:45am - 12pm $15 for ages 14-18, $20 for ages 19+

Family Workshop: Social Robots and AI

How is artificial intelligence reshaping our relationship with technology? In this hands-on workshop, explore the advantages and pitfalls of AI as you build and code your own social robot. This workshop is designed for families and friends working in small groups. Children must be age 11 and above, and must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the workshop. Workshop price includes museum admission. Please feel free to come and explore the museum with your family before or after the workshop. Workshop Dates &amp; Times: December 27, 2024, 10:45am-12pm December 28, 2024, 10:30am-11:30am $15 for ages 11-18, $20 for ages 19+

Making Studio: Jewelry Crafting

Create your own custom jewelry in this three-part workshop series! Start by designing digital models on the computer, then bring your creations to life with the Museum's 3D printers. Finally, learn handcrafting techniques to add personalized finishing touches. By the end of this series you will have a collection of custom-made jewelry and new skills in digital design and fabrication. Participants must be available for all three sessions. Basic computer proficiency is recommended, but no prior experience with the software is needed. This is an 18+ workshop series. $120/person Workshop Dates: January 27 February 3 February 10

Climate Justice: What Rich Nations Owe the World — and the Future

Join us for a conversation with Harvard University Professor Cass Sunstein and Knight Science Journalism Fellow Emily Foxhall on the social cost of carbon. If you're injuring someone, you should stop — and pay for the damages you've caused. Why does this simple proposition, generally accepted, not apply to climate change? In&nbsp;<a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262049467/climate-justice/">Climate Justice</a>, a bracing challenge to status quo thinking on the ethics of climate change, renowned author and legal scholar Cass Sunstein clearly frames what's at stake and lays out the moral imperative: When it comes to climate change, everyone must be counted equally, regardless of when or where they live — which means that wealthy nations, which have disproportionately benefited from greenhouse gas emissions, are obligated to help future generations and people in poor nations that are particularly vulnerable. Copies of&nbsp;Climate Justice&nbsp;will be available for purchase onsite from the MIT Press Bookstore.

Making Space

Join us for a special conversation with artists Amanda Ugorji and Sophie Weston Chien about our newest installation, Soft City. A large-scale textile series, <a href="https://mitmuseum.mit.edu/exhibitions/soft-city">Soft City</a> features tactile tapestries that bring to light historic discriminatory practices as well as current issues of social and environmental justice in three different Boston-area neighborhoods: Roxbury, Dorchester, and East Cambridge. The artists will be joined by practitioners who work within local institutions to engage in conversations about placemaking and design agency in Cambridge and Boston. During the discussion, the artists and designers will explore how to hold space for art, design, and placemaking to engage and honor the communities and the stories they represent. December 17 6-8pm $15 General Admission $5 MIT ID Holders Buy tickets <a href="https://tickets.mitmuseum.org/events/0193026b-6722-d788-e5ba-888753996e28">here</a>.

Gallery Talk: Soft City

Join artists Amanda Ugorji and Sophie Weston Chien for a tour of our newest exhibition,&nbsp;Soft City. Through tactile tapestries, this installation explores the past, present, and future of Black residents in the Boston area, and the neighborhoods they live in. Our&nbsp;Soft City&nbsp;exhibition is located in the lobby of the Museum, and is free to all. Then, join us later in the evening for a conversation with the artists:&nbsp;<a href="https://mitmuseum.mit.edu/programs/making-space">Making Space</a>. They will be in dialogue with Executive Director of the Boston Society of Architecture, Danyson Tavares, Founder of Art in the Antilles and Director of Programs at Design Museum Everywhere, Romy St. Hilaire, and Founder of Public Design Agency, Taylor Holloway.

Science Paint Night: Thermochromic Paint Night

Experiment with thermochromic, or heat sensitive pigment. Learn about how this pigment works and explore mixing and layering to create color-changing artwork. Beer and wine will be served. Two drink tickets are included in the price of the event. Doors will open at 5:30. Food and drink will be available. Buy tickets <a href="https://tickets.mitmuseum.org/events/0192718a-57d2-d0e6-f52e-2d9179cdde66">here.</a>

Teen Science Cafe: Genes and Machines

Join us at our next Teen Science Cafe, and event planned by the MIT Museum Teen Programming Council, specifically for teens. Hear researchers share their experience and insight into how bioengineering can impact innovation in medical applications. Engage in hands-on activities stretching your understanding of bioengineering and its real world applications. Meet fellow curious high school students, enjoy free food, and engage in fun and interactive learning. December 14 3-5pm Free, registration required <a href="https://tickets.mitmuseum.org/events/01934a94-ac86-6e68-a780-49b835f29fff">Register here</a>

After Dark: Made in the '90s

Before we dive into the New Year, join us for a night of nostalgia as we travel back to the '90s. Catch a performance of '90s video game music, try your hand at retro board games and consoles, and make your own (fuzzy) copy of Dolly the sheep to take home. Take in talk on '90s era space exploration with former Astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman and then test your knowledge with some out of this world trivia. Dress to impress in your favorite '90s fashion, while enjoying sets by DJ Philip Tan. Local beers by Lamplighter Brewing Company and Jamaican eats from Cocobelly Bites will be available for purchase. <a href="https://tickets.mitmuseum.org/events/0192718f-8679-a52d-d89e-7380213b9dcc">Buy Tickets</a>

Selections from the Woods Hole Film Festival: Hunt for the Oldest DNA

Hunt for the Oldest DNA, feature documentary by Niobe Thompson, Canada 2024, 82 mins. For decades, scientists have tried to unlock the secrets of ancient DNA but life's genetic blueprint is incredibly fragile, and researchers have struggled to find DNA in fossils that could survive millions of years. Then, one maverick scientist had the controversial idea to look for DNA not in fossils or frozen ancient tissue -- but in dirt. Join the hunt as scientists decipher the oldest DNA ever found and reveal for the first time the genes of long-extinct creatures that once thrived in a warm, lush Arctic. The program will be followed by a conversation with John Rubin, Executive Producer, Hunt for the Oldest DNA, and Tine Warriner, Professor of Anthropology at Harvard University. December 3 6-8pm $15 General Admission, $5 for MIT ID Holders Buy tickets <a href="https://tickets.mitmuseum.org/events/019271e3-1f34-bc5c-5e51-178914bebc03">here.</a>

Making Studio: Woodblock Printing

Explore centuries-old artistic traditions through new fabrication technology in this 3-part workshop session. After an introduction to woodblock printing techniques, you'll craft your own prints across three sessions. First, learn how to use the Museum's laser cutter; next, turn a photograph of your choice into multiple color blocks with Adobe Illustrator; and finally, ink the blocks to create a finished print. Session dates: November 25, December 2, December 9 $120 per person for 3 sessions Participants must be available for all three sessions. No prior experience necessary. This is an 18+ workshop series. Buy tickets <a href="https://tickets.mitmuseum.org/events/01926d59-696c-17c6-bfe6-98e5625ac95d">here</a>!

MIT Collects: Whirlwind Gallery Talk

The MIT Museum has over 1.5 million objects in its collection and each one tells a story (or many stories) that reveal MIT through its material culture. Join Curator of Science and Technology Debbie Douglas and Distinguished Engineer and MIT Museum Volunteer Guy Fedorkow in MIT Collects where they will tell the fascinating story of building an emulator for Whirlwind, MIT's first digital computer. You don't have to be a computer nerd to be fascinated by how a diverse team of women and men (including the first black computer operator) figured out how to get this gigantic machine (2,500 sf!) to solve problems in "real time."

Selections from the Woods Hole Film Festival: Counted Out

In the 21st century, our world is dominated by technology, data, and algorithms, yet we maintain the persistent myth that not everyone is a "math person." Can changing our minds about math revolutionize who has power -- and who is counted out? Through a mosaic of personal stories, Counted Out shows what's at risk if we keep the status quo. Do we want an America in which most of us don't consider ourselves "math people?" Where math proficiency goes down as students grow up? Or do we want a country where anyone can understand the math that undergirds our society -- and can help shape it. The film is dedicated to Bob Moses, the civil rights leader and MacArthur genius who saw math access as the civil rights issue of our time, and whose work we follow in some of the last filmed interviews of his life. The film will be followed by a panel discussion and audience conversation featuring film director Vicki Abeles and local math literacy professionals. $15 General Public $5 MIT ID Holders You can buy tickets <a href="https://tickets.mitmuseum.org/events/019200d6-398f-1e75-fd4f-2ff25f8e4a6d?__hstc=205621196.01162171c370cc1ccee10173636ed583.1718218870141.1730119065585.1730133467750.343&amp;__hssc=205621196.6.1730133467750&amp;__hsfp=4274120786">here</a>.

The Biomaterials Revolution

Materials have shaped cultures and societies for eons. While these are an intimate and constant presence in our daily lives, we are inundated by toxic, cheap, allegedly "disposable" materials. A fundamental change is needed in materials production and consumption to make most of the things we use truly sustainable. We explore how the latest lab innovations are reimagining the palette of human materials to more closely align with the nature and the supporting systems changes required to deploy them at scale. Join researchers and innovators collaborating in novel ways and looking to the natural world to seed the next generation of biomaterials. November 16 1 - 2:30pm Free with museum admission. This event is part of the <a href="https://www.planetaction.events/?refcode=mit-museum">Planet Action Summit</a> taking place at various locations across MIT November 16-18. The MIT Museum is excited to be a Founding Action Partner of the Planet Action Summit, where global minds will create connective tissue across Boston and beyond to solve our stickiest challenges. This three-day program includes TEDxBoston talks and opportunities across the MIT campus as well as featured events to be held at the MIT Museum, and will explore the solutions sets to the compounding issues of climate change, biodiversity loss and toxicity crises. Learn more <a href="https://tedxboston.com/portfolio/planet-action-november-2024/">here</a>.

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

Free things to do in Boston

Free things to do

S19: interest based

Discover kid-friendly fun in Boston, Massachusetts, and surrounding areas! Enjoy hands-on exhibits at the Boston Children’s Museum, explore the New England Aquarium, and visit the Franklin Park Zoo. Find parks, playgrounds, and seasonal events perfect for families across Massachusetts.

Top 20 kid-friendly things to do in Boston, MA

Kid-friendly things to do in Boston

Kid-friendly events

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.