‘Color Your World’ at Institute’s 2nd Annual Curious Histories Fest

Immerse yourself in curiosity at the Science History Institute’s second annual Curious Histories Fest, a daylong celebration of science, history, exploration, and experimentation. This free event takes place on Saturday, June 8, from 11am to 3pm at 315 Chestnut Street in Old City.

Inspired by our current BOLD: Color from Test Tube to Textile exhibition, this year’s “Color Your World” theme explores the color in your life with hands-on activities and family-friendly fun, as well as exciting talks, tours, and rarely seen highlights from our collections. Enjoy food trucks, special guests, live music, and so much more. Plus, the first 150 visitors will receive a free serving of Siddiq’s Water Ice (limit one per person).

Participating vendor and partner activities:

• arts & crafts with Fleisher’s Color Wheels
• colorful artmaking with Fleisher Art Memorial and Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
• introduction to sustainable fashion with Pennsylvania Fibershed and Circular Philadelphia
• sustainable clothing and fabric painting activity with Touch Threads
• vibrant pop-up displays from our special collections
• hands-on dyeing and sun printing activities—crafts to take home!
• presentations on the history of natural dyes and fibers
• colorful herbal tea tastings with Oma Herbal Teas
• Bonjour Crêperie food truck
• Siddiq’s Water Ice
• La Llamita Vegana food truck
• Dodo Bakery food truck
• music by Vinyl Tap 215 founder DJ DuiJi Mshinda
• and much more!

Curious Histories Fest is open to all ages. Admission and programs are free; food trucks are pay-as-you-go. No reservations are necessary.

Featured image: Dye samples from Sevron Cationic Dyes on Dacron Type 801 Polyester Fiber, 1972.

Major funding for Curious Histories Fest is provided by chief presenting sponsor the Bolte Family Foundation.

Additional support provided by sustaining sponsors American Chemical Society, Dow, and Arkema Inc.; and contributing sponsor Dr. Zhen Yang, YM American Academy.