This First Friday, science fiction meets March Madness: step into a world filled with twisted experiments, humorous discoveries, and mind-bending fun!

Join us for an unforgettable evening that explores the bizarre side of science. Our educators will unravel the connections between static electricity generators, Mary Shelley, peptide synthesizers, Kurt Vonnegut’s player pianos, and the mysterious world of Ada Lovelace and computers!

Witness strange sights and extraordinary discoveries, try Mad Science MadLibs, identify mysterious instruments that will spark your imagination, don white lab coats, grab quirky props, goggles, wigs, and more! You’ll capture the essence of the madness with our sci-fi-inspired photo booth. What strange concoctions will you create? 

Throughout the night, you’ll also get a chance to vote for your favorite fictional mad scientists in each round of our Mad Science Bracket. It’ll be an evening of laughter, awe, thrills, chills, and scientific mayhem!

About First Fridays

Spark your curiosity while exploring the exhibits after hours! First Fridays bring together a myriad of activities covering everyday science, historical oddities, and everything in between. Grab your friends, and kick off an evening of discovery, surprise, and a little nerdy fun.

First Fridays at the Institute are always free and open to the public. Attendees will receive a 10% discount to National Mechanics restaurant.


Featured image: Still from Metropolis, 1927, directed by Fritz Lang.

More events

black and white photo of lit cigarette next to microchip
October 29, 2026
Museum Programs & Activities

Study Hall x Distillations: American Vice

Come celebrate our newest Distillations podcast season with a special performance by the Crossroads Comedy Theater Company!

painting depicting a man seated at a table in a lab
October 29, 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).

black and white illustration of fireworks display over the St. Laurence River, Quebec.
October 31, 2026
Tours

Fireworks Tour

Join our Gallery Guides for a drop-in tour of our special exhibition on the fascinating history and science of pyrotechnics.

    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.