MIT Museum After Dark: Monsters

It is said that Monsters reside in spaces not well understood. Join us in June as we navigate unchartered waters and explore unusual creatures real and imagined. Meet curators Elisabeth (Libby) Meier and Florencia Pierri for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of our <a href="https://mitmuseum.mit.edu/exhibitions/monsters-of-the-deep">Monsters of the Deep</a> exhibition and examine related prints up close. Embark on an adventurous journey with engineer <a href="https://www.martinklein.com/about-me/career-summary/index.html">Martin Klein</a> as he shares his quest to uncover the secrets of the Loch Ness Monster using sonar technology. Write your way to unpacking the unknown with the <a href="https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/">Native Plant Trust's</a> mashup of specimens, botanical texts, and writing prompts. Explore the interchange of neuroscience and folkloric monsters with psychologist and author, <a href="https://www.sarahrosecav.com/">Sarah Rose Cavanagh</a>. Finally, Glen 'Squid Man' Gawarkiewicz will entertain with fascinating facts and tales of sea monsters from classical times. Beverages by <a href="https://www.mommasgrocery.com/">Momma's Grocery</a> and small bites will be available for purchase.

MIT Museum

Optiker Gallery Talk

Experience Stephen Benton's "rainbow" holograms in Optiker, an intimate exhibition that examines the intersection of light and vision. The tour will be led by MIT Museum Studio Director Seth Riskin. Free with museum admission.

Letterlocking: The Hidden History of the Letter

Join us at the MIT Museum as we welcome scholars Jana Dambrogio and Daniel Starza Smith to discuss their new book, Letterlocking: The Hidden History of the Letter. The presentation will be followed by a letterlocking making activity. Before the invention of the gummed envelope in the 1830s, how did people secure their private letters? The answer is letterlocking—the ingenious process of securing a letter using a combination of folds, tucks, slits, or adhesives such as sealing wax, so that it becomes its own envelope. This almost entirely forgotten practice, used by historical figures ranging from Elizabeth I and her spies to Japanese samurai lords, was an everyday activity for centuries, across cultures, borders, and social classes. In&nbsp;<a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262049276/letterlocking/">Letterlocking</a>, Jana Dambrogio and Daniel Starza Smith, experts who have pioneered the field over the last ten years, tell the fascinating story of letterlocking within epistolary history, drawing on real historical examples from all over the world. Copies of&nbsp;Letterlocking&nbsp;will be available for purchase onsite from the MIT Press Bookstore. June 13 6-8pm $5 <a href="https://tickets.mitmuseum.org/events/0195be35-1877-7147-34cf-cdfae0c094ee">Buy Tickets here</a>.

Thermochromic Paint Night

Experiment with thermochromic, or heat-sensitive, pigment. Learn about how this pigment works and create a dynamic paint-by-numbers style artwork that transforms when exposed to heat. Beer and wine will be served. Two drink tickets are included in the price of the event. This is a 21+ workshop. June 16 6-7:30pm $40/session

STEAM Adventures Week 1

Join us at the MIT Museum for a week-long engineering design challenge! Get inspired by the museum galleries and MIT's campus with our staff and learn new skills through hands-on workshops and activities in our education suite. Finish the week off with a showcase and a chance to show off what you and your team have created. This is a week-long program for youth ages 12-15 (entering 7th-9th grade) with limited spots available. Students must be at least 12 years old to participate. STEAM Adventure Week Dates: Week 1: June 23 - June 27 Week 2: August 18 - August 22 Please note that both sessions of STEAM Adventures Week offer the same activities, so participants should choose only one week to attend. $550 per single student, $500 per student for siblings

STEAM Adventures Week 2

Join us at the MIT Museum for a week-long engineering design challenge! Get inspired by the museum galleries and MIT's campus with our staff and learn new skills through hands-on workshops and activities in our education suite. Finish the week off with a showcase and a chance to show off what you and your team have created. This is a week-long program for youth ages 12-15 (entering 7th-9th grade) with limited spots available. Students must be at least 12 years old to participate. STEAM Adventure Week Dates: Week 1: June 23 - June 27 Week 2: August 18 - August 22 Please note that both sessions of STEAM Adventures Week offer the same activities, so participants should choose only one week to attend. $550 per single student, $500 per student for siblings

Monsters of the Deep Gallery Talk

How do you draw a picture of something you've heard about but never seen? How do you see it in the first place? This problem has bedeviled scientists for centuries. Today, we look for things like black holes and gravitational waves. Five hundred years ago, people tried to understand mysterious ocean creatures -- like whales. Join an exhibition curator for a tour of Monsters of the Deep (opening April 18) to see how sailors, scholars, and everyday people turned monsters into mammals. Additional Monsters of the Deep Gallery Talk Dates: June 6 June 20

Artist Talk: Jenny Brockmann in Conversation with Michael John Gorman

Join us for a midday program exploring the wide-ranging artistic practice of Jenny Brockmann, in conversation with former astronaut and MIT Professor Jeffrey Hoffman. The event will be moderated by MIT Museum Director Michael John Gorman. Jenny Brockmann's research centers on the function of the vestibular system and its potential pathological states. The program will explore the effects of microgravity on the human body and will also examine how studying physiological processes in space can enhance our understanding of similar processes on Earth. Jenny Brockmann is a media artist and sculptor based in Berlin. Her work, which combines technology, science and art, has been exhibited internationally at venues including BOZAR in Brussels, documenta fifteen in Kassel, Zachęta - National Gallery in Warsaw, and Hudson Valley MOCA in New York. She studied fine arts at the Berlin University of the Arts, where she was a student of Rebecca Horn, and received a degree in architecture from the Technical University of Berlin. Brockmann's current project,&nbsp;Un-Balance Organ BALANCE, investigates communication processes with the world around us - with living and non-living models of existence - through artistic research. Jeffrey A. Hoffman flew five missions aboard the Space Shuttle, logging more than 1,211 hours and 21.5 million miles in space, including the first mission to repair the Hubble Telescope in 1993. A professor of the Practice of Aerospace Engineering, director of the Human Systems Lab, and director of the Massachusetts Space Grant, his current interests include human spaceflight operations, spaceflight engineering, human-machine interaction, extravehicular activity, and conducting laboratory research in space. For the event, he will be presenting on the effects of space on the human body. This program is made possible with the friendly support of Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. May 20 12 - 1pm Free with museum admission

Teen Science Cafe: Beyond the Algorithm

Join us at our next Teen Science Cafe, an event planned by our Teen Programming Council specifically for teens. This event includes free food and a variety of exciting activities around the various applications of artificial intelligence in our world. Explore the various ways in which AI is incorporated into fields of study by engaging in hands-on activities like teaching your own artificial learning machine and building your own creations with AI as your assistant. This event is free for teens (ages 13-19) <a href="https://tickets.mitmuseum.org/events/01965e63-67b0-6af3-ec78-4bb9bf8aca2a">Registration required</a>

Liquid Lab Art: Gel Electrophoresis Art

Create ephemeral, moving art using one of the most important tools in molecular biology and genetic engineering. Gel electrophoresis uses electrical currents to analyze DNA, RNA, and proteins. And now it's in your hands to make art with! In this two-part workshop, you'll learn how to "run a gel" to separate dyes and design gelatinous creations reminiscent of abstract expressionism. Session Dates: May 12 May 26 $80 per person for 2 sessions | $60 with valid college ID. Participants must be available for both sessions. Register <a href="https://tickets.mitmuseum.org/events/0195f203-ccac-765a-a818-b5c8f01fe442?__hstc=205621196.c7dc8d090240b4fae71c9a311bbdbaf1.1742560818926.1743534407466.1743536576230.49&amp;__hssc=205621196.8.1743536576230&amp;__hsfp=2857618120">here</a>.

Quiet Hours

The Museum is pleased to offer a dedicated morning for visitors who would benefit from a sensory-friendly experience. Enter the Museum an hour before opening to enjoy our galleries with a limited number of visitors, reduced audio, and a making activity. Guests can access our sensory maps and a social narrative to assist in planning a museum visit, and our welcoming staff will be present to answer questions and lead several special drop-in activities. Here are the modifications we'll be making: <ul><li>We will be turning off exhibit audio that is typically playing in the background or that is activated by motion sensing. The script of this audio can be accessed by a QR code at the exhibit. </li><li>We will lower the audio on several experiences that utilize audio as part of an artwork. </li><li>We will turn off large screen exhibits in the Essential MIT and Exchange spaces. </li><li>We will place signage near experiences likely to be dark or noisy. </li><li>We will provide headphones and fidgets to borrow as needed at several locations. A calm space outside of our Maker Hub will have seating and activities. </li></ul>The Museum opens to the general public at 10am but is typically quieter in the morning. We'll begin to slowly turn exhibit components back on starting at 10am. Note: This is a pilot program that we hope to build into our regular ongoing programming. We would love your feedback and will be collecting brief surveys on-site and in one follow-up email. <a href="https://tickets.mitmuseum.org/events/01965e9b-d435-984e-9c11-5efd158e247b">Register here. </a>

Birding 101

Birding 101: No matter where we are, we are always in nature. Learn how to look and listen for wildlife using binoculars, then go on a short walk around the MIT Open Space in search of local birds. This program is co-hosted by <a href="https://www.massaudubon.org/places-to-explore/wildlife-sanctuaries/magazine-beach">Mass Audubon Magazine Beach Park Nature Center.</a> We will be offering four 30-minute sessions starting at 5:00pm, 5:30pm, 6:00pm, and 6:30pm. Meet your group in the MIT Open Space at the <a href="https://listart.mit.edu/art-artists/against-run-2019">Against the Run clock</a>. Space is limited and spots will be offered on a first come, first served basis. Participating adults (21+) may also be interested in purchasing tickets for our May <a href="https://mitmuseum.mit.edu/programs/mit-museum-after-dark">After Dark: Birds</a>, happening inside the MIT Museum from 6-9pm.

After Dark: Birds

Swoop in and connect with your extended flock for an evening celebration of all things avian. Here's the lineup: <ul><li>What does an engineer see when she looks at a bird? Find out with renowned MIT Professor Lorna Gibson as she explores fantastic feathers and remarkable bills. </li><li>Create your own vibrant bird-inspired art using gel plates and artist-quality printmaking supplies with Nest, Mass Audubon's Art Studio and Maker Space. </li><li>Join representatives from MIT's <a href="https://beerylab.csail.mit.edu/">Beery</a> and <a href="https://www.csail.mit.edu/research/broderick-lab">Broderick</a> Labs to explore how technology and generative AI can play a role in bird research, appreciation, and conservation. </li><li>Test your knowledge of bird identification, migration patterns, and more through engaging digital and analog games with the <a href="https://gamelab.mit.edu/">MIT Game Lab</a>. </li><li>Enjoy a special pop-up exhibition curated by the <a href="https://www.massaudubon.org/places-to-explore/wildlife-sanctuaries/maba-education-center">Museum of American Bird Art</a>, featuring the beauty and wonder of birds through the eyes of artists!</li><li>Meet author <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rosemarymosco/?hl=en">Rosemary Mosco</a> and check out her new book, The Birding Dictionary. </li><li>Plus so much more!</li></ul>Delicious dumplings from <a href="https://meimeidumplings.com/">Mei Mei</a> and local brews from <a href="https://lamplighterbrewing.com/">Lamplighter</a> will be available for purchase. From 5-7pm, After Dark guests are also invited to join <a href="https://mitmuseum.mit.edu/programs/birding-101">Birding 101</a>, taking place in the MIT Open Space. The tours are available on a first come, first served basis.

Not Here, Not Now: Speculative Thought, Impossibility, and the Design Imagination

Join us at the MIT Museum as we welcome award-winning designers Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby to discuss their new book, Not Here, Not Now, in conversation with John Ochsendorf, Founding Director of MIT Morningside Academy of Design. The event will be moderated by MIT Musuem Director Michael John Gorman. When reality fails us, what can designers do? Question design’s relationship to reality, as Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby do, in this exhilarating, yet thoughtful, journey to the edges of science, philosophy, and literature to find new ways of thinking about the possible—and about the meaning, function, and place of design in that speculative world of “not here, not now.” A conceptual travelogue of sorts,&nbsp;<a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262049665/not-here-not-now/">Not Here, Not Now</a>&nbsp;brings together words, images, and objects that capture, in design form, some of the ideas encountered along the way. Itself a design experiment, the richly illustrated book explores ways to bring these ideas into conversation with objects through imagined archives, libraries, glossaries, taxonomies, lists, tales, and essays. Copies of&nbsp;Not Here, Not Now&nbsp;will be available for purchase onsite from the MIT Press Bookstore. May 7 6-8pm $5 <a href="https://tickets.mitmuseum.org/events/0195ba30-4460-8636-e12b-11574b326858">Buy Tickets Here</a>

Seeing and Understanding the Unknown

Join us for a panel discussion in celebration of the opening of Monsters of the Deep, followed by an opportunity to explore the exhibition. How do you create a picture of something you've heard about but never seen? This is a problem that has bedeviled scientists for centuries. Five hundred years ago, people sought to understand the mysterious, half-seen creatures that lurked beneath the ocean's surface. Today, researchers hunt for ways to visualize black holes and the ocean floor. In search of answers to this question, join astrophysicist Erin Kara, sonar pioneer Martin Klein, and exhibition curators Elisabeth (Libby) Meier and Florencia Pierri, for a discussion on seeing and understanding the unknown across scientific disciplines. The panel will be followed by an opportunity to visit the Monsters of the Deep exhibition (opening April 18). May 6 6-8pm $15 General Admission | $5 MIT ID Holders

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

S19: interest based

WBUR’s 75th birthday celebrations 💫

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

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.