2nd Saturdays - Beyond Gravity: Moving Water Uphill

On Saturday, May 9th at 1pm, Martin Perlmutter, Board President/Chairman and Treasurer of the Metropolitan Waterworks Museum, will share an in-depth look at the mechanics of moving water against gravity, from cups and buckets to centrifugal pumps. Learn more about the engineering principles that powered the museum’s giant steam engines, and which still bring clean water access to communities around the world today! All Second Saturday events take place upstairs in our Overlook Gallery. The presentations are free and open to everyone, including walk-in visitors, space permitting. Please help us monitor capacity by reserving your FREE tickets in advance.

Metropolitan Waterworks Museum

Waterfest

Join us on Saturday, June 20th from 10am to 2pm to learn more about local and global water conservation and technology, all while enjoying fun, family-friendly games, crafts, and other activities. Featuring: Professor Bugman Entomology Adventure, Mothers Out Front Newton/Protect Newton Trees, NES Optica, Stone Living Lab, National Society of Black Engineers, Chestnut Hill Reservoir Conservancy, The American Society of Civil Engineers, Wayland Museum and Historical Society MEET PROFESSOR BUGMAN! BLOW GIANT BUBBLES! RESCUE ANIMALS FROM THE ICE! GET YOUR FACE PAINTED! SEE A TREE TAGGING DEMONSTRATION! CREATE A COASTAL CITY AND EXPLORE SEA LEVEL RISE! LEARN ABOUT VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE LIGHT! CHECK OUT A FLOOD MODEL SIMULATION! COOL DOWN WITH OUR WATER WALL! AND MORE!!! The event is FREE and will take place rain or shine. Suggested Donation, $5. Please help us monitor capacity by reserving your tickets today!

Spring Engineering: Robot Arms and Cardboard Cars

Looking for something fun to do over April Break? Join us on Saturday, April 18th from 10am-2pm for Spring Engineering! Embrace your inner engineer with fun drop-in activities. Build and test drive a car made from a cardboard tube or make a paper cup robot arm and see how many cotton balls you can lift! This program is FREE of charge (suggested donation of $5) and is recommended for ages 5+. Reservations are REQUIRED so your make sure to get your tickets today!

The Boston Area Chantey & Maritime Sing

Join us at the Waterworks Museum on March 15th from 2pm to 5pm for The Boston Area Chantey &amp; Maritime Sing.&nbsp;Sing sea chanteys and other maritime songs with like-minded folks! This participatory song session is FREE and open to the public. Come to lead a song, just listen, or request a song from others. Please help us monitor capacity by reserving your FREE ticket today! Image: Illustration “Saturday Night At Sea” by George Cruikshank from “Songs, naval and national, of the late Charles Dibdin; with a memoir and addenda.”

Second Saturdays at the Waterworks: Careers of Women in Energy Technologies

Join us every second Saturday of the month at 1pm to learn more about area and industrial history, engineering, archeology, water access and more from experts in a variety of fields. On March 14, hear from three members of the Council on Women in Energy &amp; Environmental Leadership (CWEEL) about their career paths and experiences in the energy industry. Panelists include Julianna Morales Pizarro Hill, Sarah Basham, and Maryette Haggerty All Second Saturday events take place upstairs in the Overlook Gallery. The presentations are free and open to everyone, including walk-in visitors, space permitting. Please help us monitor capacity by reserving your FREE tickets in advance. About the Panelists: Julianna Morales Pizarro Hill&nbsp;is a mechanical engineer focused on energy efficiency in commercial buildings. As a Mechanical Designer at B2Q Associates, Julianna performs energy audits in a variety of buildings including municipal buildings, dormitories, university lab buildings, and manufacturing facilities. She also conducts heat pump evaluations and identifies decarbonization measures for facilities targeting emission reduction goals. Sarah Basham, M.S., CEM, DGCP, is an accomplished energy industry professional focused on sustainability, decarbonization, and resilience. In her current role as the Lead Engineer for Climate Strategy at National Grid, she develops strategies to enhance the resilience of electric infrastructure against climate change. Previously, Sarah served as the Deputy Manager of Climate Analysis for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, where she authored the Massachusetts 2050 Clean Energy and Climate Plan and led greenhouse gas reduction initiatives. She’s held prior roles at National Grid in Regulatory Policy, Sustainability, and Energy Efficiency. In her early career she worked on fuel cell and biofuel technologies. Sarah holds a Master of Science in Energy and Mineral Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Northeastern University. Maryette Haggerty Perrault&nbsp;serves as Senior Policy Manager for Bloom Energy where she advances policies that support the energy transition and adoption of distributed energy resources. Before joining Bloom Energy in 2022, she spent four years at Eversource leading several strategic initiatives and assisting customers in achieving their energy efficiency goals. In her early career, Maryette spent seven years at a startup managing a team of energy analysts and engineers delivering portfolio and building level efficiency insights utilizing the Retroficiency Analytics Platform. She is currently the Vice President of the Association of Energy Engineers’ New England Chapter and serves on the Advisory Group for their Council on Women in Energy and Environmental Leadership. Maryette holds a self-designed Bachelor of Arts degree from Hampshire College integrating architecture, engineering and environmental studies.

Waterworks Museum

Winter Engineering: Catapults and Cotton Balls

Looking for something fun to do over February break? Join us on Saturday, February 21st, from 10am to 2pm for some hands-on, family-friendly activities at our Winter Engineering: Catapults and Cotton Balls event. Create a catapult out of popsicle sticks and a wooden spoon! Make a cotton ball launcher out of cardboard and try some target practice! This program is FREE of charge. Suggested donation $5. Please help us monitor capacity by reserving your tickets today!

Clock-In! Profiling Historic Employees at the Chestnut Hill Pumping Station

Join us every second Saturday of the month at 1pm to learn more about area and industrial history, engineering, archeology, water access and more from experts in a variety of fields. On February 14, Gianna Romanelli, Interpretation and Education Associate at the Waterworks Museum, will reveal individuals who were employed at Chestnut Hill Pumping Stations discovered through curated archival research. She will discuss her methods of finding these employees, some of their personal stories, and their various roles in Boston’s historic waterworks. All Second Saturday Speaker Series events are upstairs in the Overlook Gallery.&nbsp;The presentations are free and open to everyone, including walk-in visitors, space permitting. Please help us monitor capacity by reserving your FREE tickets in advance. Image Courtesy of Massachusetts Archives via Digital Commonwealth

Second Saturday Speaker Series: Songs of Coal and Steam

Join us every second Saturday of the month at 1pm to learn more about area and industrial history, engineering, archeology, water access and more from experts in a variety of fields. On January 10, Jeff Keller, organizer of local pub and chantey sings, and his friends are coming to the Waterworks Museum to delight us with an afternoon of songs related to coal-mining, steamships, locomotives, and more. All Second Saturday Speaker Series events are upstairs in the Overlook Gallery. The presentations are free and open to everyone, including walk-in visitors, space permitting. Please help us monitor capacity by reserving your FREE tickets in advance. Image Credit: Fireman in the boiler room of Niagara Mill. Image from Lenox Library, Digital Commonwealth., c.1903–1915. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</a>

Candy Engineering

Join us on December 26th and December 27th from 11am to 3pm for some SWEET activities with an engineering twist! Do you like playing with your food? Looking for something fun to do over the school break? If so, our drop-in Candy Engineering Activities may be for you! Join us on Friday 12/26 or Saturday 12/27 between 11am and 3pm for some SWEET activities with an engineering twist. Build a gumdrop structure! Decorate a "gingerboard" house! Make a balloon rocket sleigh or a jingle bell tambourine! This program is FREE of charge. Suggested donation $5. Help us monitor capacity by reserving your free tickets here online. If your plans change, you can simply cancel your ticket on Eventbrite or send us an email to let us know so we can make your spot available for another engineer. Recommended for ages 4 and up.

Celebrating the Complex Legacy of Ellen Swallow Richards on the Boston Women's Heritage Trail

Join us every second Saturday of the month at 1pm to learn more about area and industrial history, engineering, archeology, water access and more from experts in a variety of fields. On December 13th, Dr. Alexandria Russell, Executive Director of the Boston Women's Heritage Trail, will deliver a presentation showcasing Ellen Swallow Richards who is featured in the Boston Women's Heritage Trail's (BWHT) "Sidewalk Stories." In an effort to&nbsp;amplify the voices of the women who shaped Boston's past and present, the BWHT's signature program places ADA accessible markers in conspicuous spaces to spark curiosity and engage learners of all ages about the history that surrounds us all. Ellen Swallow Richards, a trailblazing American chemist and significant intellectual contributor to the Massachusetts water system, provides an opportunity to discuss how we grapple with and embrace complex legacies. All events are upstairs in the Overlook Gallery.&nbsp;The presentations are free and open to everyone, including walk-in visitors, space permitting. Please help us monitor capacity by reserving your FREE tickets in advance. Image: Ellen Swallow Richards sampling water, c. 1872, Courtesy MIT Museum

Memories Flow Beneath It: From Valley to Quabbin

Join us from 4pm to 6pm on Saturday, November 15th for a FREE screening of the documentary&nbsp;Memories Flow Beneath It: From Valley to Quabbin, a film by Roger Hagopian in collaboration with historian, J.R. Greene. The Quabbin Reservoir supplies water to over 50 communities in&nbsp;the greater metropolitan Boston area.&nbsp;This 69 minute film will tell the story of the evolution of this expanding water system,&nbsp;culminating in the traumatic destruction of four towns of the Swift River Valley of Western Massachusetts.&nbsp;Hear the stories of these communities, as told by surviving valley residents. A Q&amp;A session with the film's producer Roger Hagopian and historian J.R. Greene will follow the film. This FREE event will take place upstairs in the Museum's Overlook Gallery. Space is limited, so please help us monitor capacity by reserving your ticket in advance. About the Filmmakers: Roger Hagopian&nbsp;lives in Lexington, where he learned filmmaking at the local cable television studio. A history lover since his youth, he has had film screenings on topics including the Armenians and the Genocide, World War II veterans, factory workers, and local American history, at universities, high schools, public libraries, historical societies, churches, temples, community centers, and other public and private venues. He has also appeared on local cable television stations and radio programs. J.R. Greene&nbsp;is a historian and author of numerous works on state and local history, including sixteen books on the creation of the Quabbin Reservoir and the drowned towns of the Swift River Valley. Greene currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Quabbin, as representative for the Quabbin and Ware River Watersheds on the MWRA Advisory Board, and as a member of the Quabbin Watershed Advisory Committee. He is a lifelong resident of Athol, Massachusetts.

Before There was a Dam: The Lost Communities of the Wachusett Reservoir

Join us&nbsp;every second Saturday of the month at 1pm&nbsp;to learn more about area and industrial history, engineering, archeology, water access and more from experts in a variety of fields. On&nbsp;November 8th, Paul Marrone, forensic engineer and archival photojournalist, will apply his expertise as a retired civil engineer to recreating the untold stories of the communities lost by the construction of the Wachusett Reservoir. This presentation will focus on the town center of West Boylston, including its schools, town hall, churches, and even a factory village. All events are upstairs in the Overlook Gallery. The presentations are free and open to everyone, including walk-in visitors, space permitting. Please help us monitor capacity by reserving your FREE tickets in advance. Original Photo in the Massachusetts Archives

Tricks and Treats at the Waterworks

Calling all werewolves, zombies, and mad scientists! Join us at the Waterworks Museum for a ghoulishly good time at our Tricks and Treats event on Saturday, October 25th from 11am – 3pm! Collect candy while trying your hand (or claws) at special crafts and activities, including balloon rocket bats, paper masks, and monster microbe puppets. Make your own musical instrument and take part in a costume parade! Play fun Halloween-themed games and even win some prizes! We will also be offering special access to the Allis Pumps in the basement. Just make sure to watch out for ghosts (and vampires)! Tickets are only $5 per participant and parents, guardians, and chaperones (as well as babies in arms) are free! As part of our commitment to the Mass Cultural Council’s Card to Culture program, this fee will be waived for EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare cardholders.

Exhibit Opening: Fueled by Fire

Join us at the Waterworks Museum on Thursday, October 16th from 6pm to 8pm for the opening of a brand new exhibition, Fueled by Fire: Coal &amp; Steam at the Chestnut Hill High Service Pumping Station. Inspired by the recent loss of our iconic smokestack, this exhibit explores the historic use of coal at the Chestnut Hill High Service Pumping Station, the equipment used to turn that coal into steam, and the complicated legacy of the role of fossil fuels in industrialization. Doors will open at 6pm and light refreshments will be served. Space is limited so please help us monitor capacity by reserving your FREE ticket today.

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

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 🚨

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

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

Kid-friendly events in Boston

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.

Where

waterworksmuseum

Experiences

2nd Saturdays - Beyond Gravity: Moving Water Uphill

Waterfest

Spring Engineering: Robot Arms and Cardboard Cars

The Boston Area Chantey & Maritime Sing

Second Saturdays at the Waterworks: Careers of Women in Energy Technologies

Winter Engineering: Catapults and Cotton Balls

Clock-In! Profiling Historic Employees at the Chestnut Hill Pumping Station

Second Saturday Speaker Series: Songs of Coal and Steam

Candy Engineering

Candy Engineering

Celebrating the Complex Legacy of Ellen Swallow Richards on the Boston Women's Heritage Trail

Memories Flow Beneath It: From Valley to Quabbin

Before There was a Dam: The Lost Communities of the Wachusett Reservoir

Tricks and Treats at the Waterworks

Exhibit Opening: Fueled by Fire