What's Next for Museums

New kinds of museums are emerging around the world. How can they maximize their impact? Changing patterns of cultural participation, new technologies, a global pandemic, a reckoning over systemic injustice, the accelerating climate crisis, and more recently, responses to geopolitical conflicts are creating a moment of accelerated change and opportunity for art museums. Drawing on insights from his books, "The Future of the Museum: 28 Dialogues" and "Imagining the Future Museum: 21 Dialogues with Architects," the New York-based museum strategist András Szántó, PhD surveys how visual-arts institutions are working to assert their relevance in the 21st century through new approaches to exhibitions, programming, audience engagement, organizational innovation, and architecture and design. February 6 2 - 2:45pm Free with museum admission

MIT Museum

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.

After Dark: Disguise, Deceive, Debunk

Join us for a night of humor, media literacy, and creative deception at our February After Dark. In a twist on "Two Truths and a Lie," three comedians challenge your gullible gauge to spot the one true news story. Take inspiration from historical spirit photography to create your own deceptive imagery. Learn how Victorian photographers faked ghostly images, then try your hand at crafting your own illusions. MIT's Rand Lab will showcase interactive tools to help you spot fake news in real-time. Drinks from Marzae Wine and Philippine snacks from Lola's Pinoy Pastry will be available for purchase. Come for fun, stay for creativity, and leave with a sharper eye for truth in today's media. This event is co-hosted with MIT's Knight Science Journalism Program. <a href="https://tickets.mitmuseum.org/events/019446fe-b787-755a-07af-8a8f0e85fdb6">Buy Tickets Here. </a>

February School Vacation Week 

Come on your own, with friends, or bring the whole family to the museum for a special week of programming. The museum has a number of activities planned for the week of February 17-25, including extended Maker Hub and Learning Lab hours, tours, gallery cart demos and family workshops. With the exception of family workshops, all activities are free with museum admission.  View the full schedule <a href="https://mitmuseum.mit.edu/programs/2024-february-school-vacation-week">here</a>.

Family Workshop: Social Robots & AI

Please note that this is an 11+ workshop. 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 the workshop. Part of <a href="https://mitmuseum.mit.edu/programs/2024-february-school-vacation-week">February School Vacation Week</a>. $15 for ages 11-18, $20 for ages 19+ Register <a href="https://tickets.mitmuseum.org/events/0193695a-3eed-aa23-b906-d4307d7afad4">here</a>.

Family Workshop: Brain Matters

Please note that this is an 11+ workshop. Explore the fascinating world of the human brain in this family workshop. Participants will step into the shoes of a neuroscientist and explore the tools and techniques doctors use to diagnose and study our body's most complex organ. Part of <a href="https://mitmuseum.mit.edu/programs/2024-february-school-vacation-week">February School Vacation Week</a>. $15 for ages 11-18, $20 for ages 19+ Register <a href="https://mitmuseum.mit.edu/programs/2024-february-school-vacation-week">here</a>.

Radical Atoms: Making Bits Tangible and Atoms Dance

The MIT Media Lab's Tangible Media Group (TMG) explores the tangible and dynamic relationship between the digital and physical realms. In this lecture, MIT Professor Hiroshi Ishii will showcase the evolution of TMG's vision from Tangible Bits to Radical Atoms, demonstrating how they make bits (digital information) tangible and atoms dance. Ishii will be joined in conversation by MIT Museum Senior Director of Collections Deborah Douglas. Through interactive exhibits of Sandscape, inFORM, and TRANSFORM, the group aims to inspire future creators by exploring new forms of human expression, communication, and design. The work highlights the value of transdisciplinary research, where the boundaries between art, design, science, and technologies are blurred. They seek to not only invent but also inspire the next generation through the restoration and preservation of our research artifacts. This program is being held in conjunction with the Museum's new installation, Radical Atoms, on view on the third floor beginning January 31, 2025. February 24 6-8pm $15 General Admission $5 for MIT ID Holders

Transforming Learning: Designing Alternative Futures

This event explores how the process of designing alternative futures can deepen a learner's understanding of complex problems, positively impact one's sense of self, and transform defeat into self-empowerment. Using climate change as the backdrop, a panel discussion will highlight current work using climate futurism to impact change. A hands-on speculative design exercise will challenge students to reimagine an alternate future unfettered by current constraints. Free with museum admission. Free for teens.

Science Podcasting with Cynthia Graber Masterclass

Do you want to get a jumpstart on making a science podcast, or learn the skills to take your podcast to the next level? Cynthia Graber, co-host/co-founder of the popular, award-winning podcast Gastropod and audio instructor at the MIT Graduate Program in Science Writing, will provide detailed, hands-on instruction in the recording, scripting, and editing necessary to make your podcast sing. About the Instructor: ﻿Cynthia Graber is co-host/co-founder of the internationally popular and acclaimed podcast Gastropod, about the science and history of food. She's also an award-winning print reporter and radio producer whose work has been featured in magazines and radio shows including&nbsp;Wired,&nbsp;Fast Company,&nbsp;The New Yorker,&nbsp;Studio 360,&nbsp;The World, and many others. She launched Gastropod with Nicola Twilley in 2014; the show covers everything from calories to CRISPR and pawpaws to pudding. They're regularly featured in "best of" lists and critic's picks, as well as recognized with awards. The&nbsp;Los Angeles Review of Books&nbsp;called Gastropod "one of the most intelligent food podcasts around," and WNYC compared the show to "a great cocktail — substantial, nuanced, and not over too fast." Cynthia spent 2012-2013 as a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT and is an instructor in the MIT Graduate Program in Science Writing, and she was recently a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at Javeriana University in Bogotá, Colombia.

Writing Compelling Science Books with Ainissa Ramirez

Authors can transform mountains of information into an engaging book by employing the craft of storytelling. In this masterclass, Dr. Ainissa Ramirez, the award-winning author of The Alchemy of Us, will share lessons including how to hook a reader, ways to develop a theme, how to nurture one's voice, and ways to build a structure to create your own book. She also will provide tips on ways to incorporate the human element into a book project by employing a range of sources -- from interviews to archival materials. Participants can expect in-class activities to punch-up their prose. About the Instructor Ainissa Ramirez, PhD. is an award-winning scientist and science communicator. A graduate of Brown University, she earned her doctorate in materials science and engineering from Stanford. Ramirez began her career as a scientist at Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey and later worked as an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Yale. Ramirez is passionate about getting the general public excited about science. She has appeared as a science expert on CBS, CNN, NPR, ESPN, The History Channel, and PBS. She has also written for&nbsp;Time,&nbsp;Forbes,&nbsp;The Atlantic,&nbsp;Science,&nbsp;Nature, and&nbsp;Scientific American. Her most recent book,&nbsp;The Alchemy of Us&nbsp;(MIT Press, 2020) was a finalist for the&nbsp;LA Times&nbsp;Book Prize, and was selected as a top science book by both&nbsp;Smithsonian Magazine&nbsp;and&nbsp;Science Friday. Her expertise in communicating science to the public has also been lauded by the American Institute of Physics and the American Physical Society, for which she was elected a Fellow. Currently, Ramirez is writing a series of nonfiction children's science books for MIT Kids Press/Candlewick and Charlesbridge. You can find out more about her at www.ainissaramirez.com. Register for this masterclass <a href="https://tickets.mitmuseum.org/events/0194663d-629d-7491-d821-b953c1100659">here</a>.

The Craft and Business of Authorship with Deborah Blum and Seth Mnookin

In this storytelling masterclass, two best-selling non-fiction authors from MIT, Seth Mnookin, director of the Graduate Program in Science Writing at MIT, and Deborah Blum, director of the Knight Science Journalism program, offer instruction in the craft and business of writing and selling a popular book. Topics will include finding the right agent, proposal drafting basics, techniques for researching and organizing your book, elements of style and story structure, along with tips on promotion and marketing, based on lessons both authors have learned from their own experiences and from their knowledge of the trade book industry. About the Instructors Deborah Blum, a Pulitzer prize-winning science journalist is director of the Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT and publisher of the award-winning magazine, Undark. She is the author of six books, including The Poison Squad, a New York Times Notable Book, and the Poisoner’s Handbook, a New York Times best seller, both of which were developed as PBS documentaries. She is also co-editor of A Tactical Guide to Science Journalism, and a former guest editor of Best American Science and Nature Writing. She is currently under contract with Penguin Press for a book about female poisoners. She has written for publications including The New York Times, Wired, Scientific American, Time, Science as well as literary journals such as Tin House. She is a AAAS fellow and a lifetime associate of the National Academy of Sciences, in recognition of her work in science communication. Seth Mnookin&nbsp;is a longtime journalist and science writer and was a 2019-2020 Guggenheim Fellow. His most recent book,&nbsp;The Panic Virus: The True Story Behind the Vaccine-Autism Controversy, won the National Association of Science Writers “Science in Society” Award and was a finalist for the&nbsp;Los Angeles Times&nbsp;Book Prize. He is also the author of the&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;bestseller&nbsp;Feeding the Monster&nbsp;, about the Boston Red Sox, and&nbsp;Hard News, a&nbsp;Washington Post&nbsp;Best Book of the Year. He began his career as a music critic and has covered everything from rare diseases and the Iraq War to Stephen Colbert and Batman. Mnookin is also the director of MIT’s Graduate Program in Science Writing and the chair of the Institute's Comparative Media Studies/Writing department. Register for this masterclass <a href="https://tickets.mitmuseum.org/events/01946640-891d-5918-a6db-0794d82b2163">here</a>.

Community Listening with AI with Deb Roy and Dimitra Dimitrakopoulou

In this masterclass we will examine why trust is declining, how people decide what to believe, and strategies to rebuild the critical connection between society and science. We'll share ideas for how to counteract this erosion and safeguard our democracy. Through interactive discussions and review of a variety of use cases, you'll discover how to create meaningful spaces for curiosity, conversation, and trust. Deb Roy is a professor of Media Arts and Science at MIT where he directs the MIT Center for Constructive Communication (CCC). As the Head of Translational Research at the MIT Center for Constructive Communication, Dimitra Dimitrakopoulou leads sociotechnical research at the intersection of dialogue, technology, and design. About the Instructors: Deb Roy is professor of Media Arts and Sciences at MIT where he directs the MIT Center for Constructive Communication (CCC). He leads research in designing human-AI systems that foster dialogue, listening, and deliberation in ways that build civic muscle. Roy is also co-founder and unpaid CEO of Cortico, a closely affiliated nonprofit collaborator of CCC that develops, operates and supports a conversation platform designed to surface underheard voices and perspectives and create scalable dialogue networks. Roy serves on the board of the Knight First Amendment Institute, the FRONTLINE advisory council, and is a faculty associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet &amp; Society at Harvard University. Previously, Roy was a visiting professor at Harvard Law School (2021-22), and served as executive director of the MIT Media Lab (2019-2021), where CCC is based. He has served on the Knight Commission on Trust, Media, and Democracy and the Aspen Institute’s Commission on Information Disorder. While on leave from MIT, Roy co-founded and was CEO of Bluefin Labs, a media analytics company that analyzed the interactions between television and social media at scale. Bluefin was acquired by Twitter in 2013, Twitter’s largest acquisition to date. From 2013-2017 Roy served as Twitter’s chief media scientist. Roy is the author of over 185 academic papers including a study of the spread of false news that was the cover story of Science magazine in 2018 and cited as one of the most influential academic publications of the year. His 2023 <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pNxhd0l1pHlmwnktK7elAI7h9pmCSlIx/view">essay</a> in The Atlantic describes his journey from studying social media to creating dialogue networks, and his 2024 Atlantic <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1icQCowvqADt7s1EjGMPTWI4Xfb-xAyA3/view">essay</a> explores ways to tackle truth decay. Roy’s widely viewed TED talk <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/deb_roy_the_birth_of_a_word?language=en">Birth of a Word</a> presents his pioneering research on his son’s language development that led to new ideas in media analytics. A native of Canada, Deb was born and raised in Winnipeg and spent large parts of his childhood in Calcutta. He received his Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Waterloo and PhD in Media Arts and Sciences from MIT. As the Head of Translational Research at the MIT Center for Constructive Communication, Dimitra Dimitrakopoulou leads sociotechnical research at the intersection of dialogue, technology, and design. By bringing deep expertise in participatory methods, qualitative analysis, and design research, she focuses on the design, prototyping, and advancement of social dialogue technologies and oversees the transfer of research methods, tools, and systems to practice and deployment. Dimitra also holds a tenured Assistant Professor’s position (currently on leave) at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece). Funded by the European Commission under Horizon 2020 – the European Union’s flagship initiative for Research &amp; Innovation – Dimitra was a Marie Curie Global Fellow (joint visiting appointment at MIT and the University of Zurich, Switzerland) from 2019 to mid-2022, focusing on studying vaccine misinformation. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals, such as Digital Journalism, International Journal of Qualitative Methods, Harvard Kennedy School Misinformation Review, Media, War &amp; Conflict, South European Society and Politics, and Critical Discourse Studies. She currently serves as an International Liaison for the Journalism Studies Division of the International Communication Association. Register for this masterclass <a href="https://tickets.mitmuseum.org/events/01946643-537f-503c-ef16-7aa4db6eb8ad">here</a>.

MIT Collects: Modeling Everything Gallery Talk

The best way to know MIT is through its models. Models (the things) and modeling (the process) have been vital to the work (and play) of MIT from its founding. Join Assistant Curator of Science and Technology Florencia Pierri for a tour of Modeling Everything to learn about some of the models on display, and see how models reveal inspiration, creativity, and a passion for discovery that are at the heart of MIT. The gallery talk will be followed by an in-depth look in our Collections Workshop at some of the architectural toys on display on the wall, as well as an opportunity to play with other versions of toys in the museum's collection. February 1 2-2:30pm Free with museum admission

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

MIT Museum Highlights Tour

Join a member of our Visitor Experience Team for this 45-minute introductory tour of the MIT Museum. Learn about the collection, our history, and get your questions answered by our gallery experts. Every Wednesday at 11am. Free with museum admission.

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.