First Friday: Science for All

Join us this First Friday as we celebrate diversity, accessibility, and the universal spirit of scientific exploration. Together, let’s envision a future where science truly belongs to everyone.

Our “Science for All” First Friday event will feature our new oral history-based Voices of Science audio tour centered on five boundary-breaking scientists, as well as handling collection activities that explore assistive technology in the laboratory (from braille-based chemical notation to new tactile deep-space images produced by the James Webb Space Telescope). We’ll also be showcasing our collection of handcrafted personal prosthetics made by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Morris A. Robbins (1916–2004), who designed and fabricated his own prosthetics before other versions were widely available.

From the cosmos to your kitchen, try out assistive tools that reimagine scientific understanding. Did you know that we have an amazing ability to study the structure of objects using our hands, fingers, noses, and tongues? Chemists and materials scientists use their noses all the time, too. Can you identify the scents in our “Name that Scent” challenge?

Explore and interact with many different tactile tools that teach us about the world around us. Meet with special guests from Philly Touch Tours, who will share expertise in making museum experiences accessible to individuals with vision impairment, or learn more about the Art-Reach “ACCESS” program, which helps make cultural experiences more affordable and inclusive.

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: Prosthetic Arm with Strings, prosthetic arm and detachable hand with wrist and mechanisms that allow the joints to be manually rotated and locked into place, built by Dr. Morris Robbins, 1900s.