This is an event you will NAUT want to miss!

Think you have what it takes to survive on the seven seas? What will you eat? What will you wear? And, perhaps most importantly, how will you get there? Test your skills in a nautical navigation choose-your-own-adventure game!

Traveling merchants and explorers throughout time have developed several ways to navigate, from the sun and stars to globes and sextants to Google Maps! Join our museum educators as they shine some light on the ancient navigation tools used in the past.

Innovation happens across time and across cultures. Check out our library’s new acquisitions focused on indigenous scientists and the importance of oral traditions.

Othmer Library Tours

We are now giving public tours of our research library every First Friday! Come by before the event at 4pm to get a behind-the-scenes look upstairs at the resources and archives available to all scientifically curious minds. Registration is not required, but space is limitedLearn more here.

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: Figure 57: Torpedo Boat Attacking a Large War Vessel, part of Chemistry, Developed by Facts and Principles Drawn Chiefly from the Non-Metals, 1884.

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gathering of people interacting with science posters
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First Friday: Start Talking Science

Meet scientists doing cutting-edge research in physics, medicine, biochemistry, and more.

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Drop-In Tours

Othmer Library Tour

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

red and green ad for Deenate DDT
October 4, 2025
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Science & Activism Tour

From Rachel Carson to ACT UP, explore how scientists and activists have shaped discovery and created change.

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