All new and returning Philadelphia-area college students are invited to visit the Science History Institute’s museum during CollegeFest, Campus Philly’s annual city-wide, weekend-long, “Welcome to Philadelphia!” celebration featuring free experiences, fun activities, contests, entertainment, giveaways, and more.

The Institute joins more than 25 of the City of Brotherly Love’s most iconic cultural organizations and attractions offering free admission exclusively to college students. Your official ticket also includes free SEPTA rides right to our front door in Old City.

Check out our special programming highlighting the science we use every day! Explore the science history behind your favorite cup of tea, join a drop-in tour all about the “Stuff from Your House,” or participate in a food science scavenger hunt.

Students can experience our outdoor exhibition The Story of Ramie: From Seed to Finished Garment, which explores the natural textile’s fascinating history through stunningly detailed watercolors; uncover the fine line between deadly and lifesaving in the world of modern medicine with Poisons and Panaceas: Inside the 19th-Century Medicine Cabinet; and discover the connections between rare earth elements and glass art with Enabling Transparency. And don’t miss our permanent exhibition, which will take you on a journey through more than five centuries of scientific inquiry into the material world.

CollegeFest is organized by Campus Philly. Tickets are required.

More events

July 14, 2025
Science on Tap

America’s Scientific Revolutionaries

As the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence approaches, Jeffery R. Appelhans highlights the American Philosophical Society’s efforts to shed light on the overlooked scientific revolution from 1763 to 1804.

Science History Institute Othmer Library
July 16, 2025
Free

Othmer Library Tour

Curious about the other half of the Science History Institute? Step into the Othmer Library of Chemical History!

photo of prepackaged pizza with silverware
July 19, 2025
Drop-In Tours

School Lunch Tour

This interactive drop-in tour reveals how food scientists, the government, and the public have shaped in-school nutrition.

    Republish

    Copy the above HTML to republish this content. We have formatted the material to follow our guidelines, which include our credit requirements. Please review our full list of guidelines for more information. By republishing this content, you agree to our republication requirements.