Join our museum’s Gallery Guides for a “drop-in” tour highlighting the remarkable scientific properties of natural dyes and textiles, the technology behind synthetic clothing, and the impact of fashion on human health and the environment. 

Have you ever thought about the science behind the contents of your closet? The technology that produces our modern clothing is the result of an unlikely collaboration between prehistoric humans, an 18-year-old chemist in Victorian London, and a Harvard professor employed by DuPont on the eve of World War II.  

Our Dyes & Textiles Tour bridges content from our new BOLD exhibition and our permanent exhibition, offering a broad picture of the scientific developments that shifted clothing production from the home to the factory to the laboratory. 


Drop-in tours are free and no reservations are necessary.

More events

black and white photo of world's fair display of virus structure model
October 19, 2026
Conferences & Symposia

Artefacts XXXI: Trust and Objects

The 31st annual Artefacts Conference will explore how museums and academic institutions use material culture to build “trust in the history of science.”

Science History Institute Othmer Library
October 21, 2026
Free

Othmer Library Tour

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

oil painting showing an alchemist/scholar at a desk
October 24, 2026
Free

Art of Alchemy Self-Guided Visit

Step into the age of alchemy and explore works in our new permanent exhibition, Fire and Gold: The Art of Alchemy (1450–1850).

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