Celebrate the 12th year of Philly Materials Day and explore the materials that impact your world at a day of FREE hands-on science and engineering fun for all ages!

Logo: Philly Materials Science & Engineering Day

Stop by the Science History Institute booth to learn all about natural and synthetic fibers, their history, and the different ways they shape our lives. And use your new knowledge of fibers to design your own superhero costume!

Visit phillymaterials.org for information on the day’s other hands-on activities. Special behind-the-scenes tours for high school students will highlight some of the advanced instrumentation and lab spaces that make materials research possible. 


Event sponsors include Boeing, Verder Scientific, and Arkema, Inc., in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania, the Science History Institute, and North Penn High School Nanotechnology Education and Research (N.E.A.R.).

For more information, please visit phillymaterials.org.


Featured image: Violet Grenda inspecting nylon yarn at a DuPont facility, 1938.

More events

woman in apron dyeing cloth in a basin
August 8, 2026
For Families

Stories of Science: Color and Light

Join us in our museum EVERY SATURDAY for a family-friendly program that highlights strange and surprising stories from the history of science!

color ad depicting a boy and girl and a house
August 8, 2026
Drop-In Tours

Stuff from Your House Highlights Tour

Join our museum educators at 11:30am or 2pm as we explore the scientific principles and history behind everyday household objects.

August Kekule, Catalyst of the Chemical Revolution. Jerry Allison, oil on canvas, ca. 1981.
August 10, 2026
Science on Tap

Science on Tap, Untapped: Scientific Revolutions

At this semiquincentennial special edition of our science café, we explore revolutions in science. Come eat, drink, and learn about revolutionary moments in scientific advancements, from the study of diatoms to our understanding of dinosaurs.

    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.