Due to exhibition construction, the museum is temporarily closed.
Our First Friday event has been rescheduled to March 13.

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.

More events

woman wearing glasses and plaid skirt in front of lab glassware
March 7, 2026
Drop-In Tours

Women in Chemistry Tour

[RESCHEDULED TO MARCH 21] Drop in for a tour highlighting the central role of women in shaping chemistry and the material sciences throughout history.

illustrated note about a frog
March 9, 2026
Science on Tap

What Frogs and Octopuses Know (That ChatGPT Doesn’t)

Won Jeon shows how AI produces convincing language while lacking the situational awareness that powers the communication of living organisms.

Museum educator Laura Prewitt speaks out the nylon exhibit with a man who using a white cane.
March 10, 2026
Museum Programs & Activities

From Nature to Nylons: A Touch-Based History of Textiles

This touch-based tour offers guests a private learning experience that combines a personally guided exploration of select gallery exhibits and a hands-on study of objects from our collections.

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