Event Calendar
Philadelphia Science Festival

This year marks the Schuylkill Center’s Year of Water.  Help us celebrate all things water through science and environmental art activities, hikes, and crafts. We'll also have dancing, food trucks, live animal shows, and even a fort-building competition.

Step into the “labs” of the area’s paleontologists, marine biologists, ecologists, and more as Philly’s premier research institutions, hospitals, universities, and museums allow exclusive insider access at 21 different locations for one day only. Learn from the experts themselves about what makes their fields so incredible and why being a scientist or engineer can be the best job in the world!

Dig into science with this dynamic ecological exploration for all ages! Through demonstrations and hands-on activities, guests will learn about the wonders of water, the peculiar habits of pollinators, and the strength of seeds as they engage with Master Gardeners in demonstration gardens behind the Horticulture Center in Fairmount Park. This day of guided garden activities is sure to plant the seeds in your family for a lifelong love of gardening and science. This program is presented by Penn State Extension Master Gardeners, with the support of the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation. Activities will take place outside of the Horticulture Center.

It’s a fizzy, fun, and fascinating day with our friends at Yards Brewing Company as we explore the fundamentals of foam. In this hands-on day of testing and tasting, learn the science behind the foam in our foods and beverages, and understand the impact that these bubbles have on our sensory experience. You’ll leave this program one step aHEAD of your fellow craft brew aficionados! Content presented by University of the Sciences. Ticket price includes light brunch and beer samples. Event is 21+, valid ID required.

Visit the Mount Laurel campus of Rowan University for a day exploding with STEM exploration. Travel to the Space Station via virtual reality, investigate a crime scene for evidence, learn about blood typing, gain a deeper understanding of what you eat, use mathematics and data to discover the evolution of measurements—plus enjoy drone flying, robot fighting, and toy car racing!

Join Rowan University students, faculty, and staff for a day filled with science, technology, engineering, art, and math! Explore the science of sport and body movement, learn which numbers always surround you, catch a planetarium show, gaze safely at the sun, and participate in numerous hands-on science activities for the whole family!

Take “Sunday Funday” to a whole new level during the Fishtown Science Crawl. With drink specials, explosive science demonstrations, and awe-inspiring activities at many of Fishtown’s most popular venues, this is the nerdiest bar crawl you’ll ever experience. So raise a pint in the name of science and buckle up for the most mind-blowing brunch you’ll ever have!

Made possible by Thomas Jefferson University

Forensics meets fun in this murder mystery party at the Mütter Museum. Uncover clues, analyze evidence, and unmask the illusion alongside real forensics experts. Find out if you have what it takes to be a crime scene investigator.

$60 general admission; $40 with valid student ID; $40 for College Fellows and Mütter Museum Members Ages 16 & up, ages 16 and 17 must be accompanied by an adult 21+

Spark your student’s passion for STEM learning when local engineers, scientists, and other experts visit your neighborhood library to lead FREE after-school programs. Take part in these exciting experiments, animal encounters, and kid- (and scientist-) approved hands-on activities, right in your neighborhood library.

Science After School programs hosted by FLP Curiosity

The pursuit of higher education in science is more than just lab work and dissertations. Join us for a special PSF Science on Tap that will explore the many ways science has really taught us lessons. Six speakers will share hilarious and true stories of what they learned during the course of their studies. Between these flash-talks, you can decide who makes the grade and toast to a universal truth: sometimes you test the hypothesis, sometimes the hypothesis tests you.

Science on Tap is sponsored by a consortium of six Philadelphia institutions: Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, American Philosophical Society (APS) Museum, Science History Institute, Mütter Museum of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Penn Museum, and Wagner Free Institute of Science.

From culturing algae to cultivating insect proteins to recycling food waste, technology offers inventive ways to sustainably nourish a global population expected to grow nearly 40% by 2050. However, a multidisciplinary approach is needed to bring food and agricultural technologies from the realm of ideas to the reality of daily life. Join scientists from the Monell Center and Drexel University’s Center for Food & Hospitality Management and Department of Nutrition Sciences for a discussion on food sustainability from sensory, nutritional, and culinary perspectives. Tickets include a “scientifically delicious” tasting menu of nutritious, sustainable foods prepared by Drexel students and faculty.

Spark your student’s passion for STEM learning when local engineers, scientists, and other experts visit your neighborhood library to lead FREE after-school programs. Take part in these exciting experiments, animal encounters, and kid- (and scientist-) approved hands-on activities, right in your neighborhood library.

Science After School programs hosted by FLP Curiosity

The Franklin Institute welcomes guests for a free evening of educational experiences that include the museum’s famous permanent exhibits (like the beloved The Giant Heart and the award-winning Your Brain), special programs and shows, and hands-on activities from Philadelphia Science Festival partner organizations.

After 240+ years at the bottom of the Delaware River and ten years deep within The Independence Seaport Museum, the cheval-de-frise is presented for the first time to the public. From the Revolutionary War fortifications of the Delaware River and singular for “Chevaux-de-Frise” (coined by the French for 17th century Dutch battlefield defenses against Spanish cavalry), this eleven-foot, iron-tipped underwater wooden ‘spear’ was discovered near Fort Mifflin. Guests are invited to learn the story behind this incredible piece of history, meet the conservator, and hear how conservation science has contributed to its preservation. Joined by the Science History Institute and The Clay Studio, guests will engage in interactive demonstrations highlighting some of the scientific principles and practices used to understand agents of decay and to engineer conservation treatments.  Guests will have the opportunity to experiment with clay to learn how sitting for hundreds of years in the mud affected the fate of the artifact.

Spark your student’s passion for STEM learning when local engineers, scientists, and other experts visit your neighborhood library to lead FREE after-school programs. Take part in these exciting experiments, animal encounters, and kid- (and scientist-) approved hands-on activities, right in your neighborhood library.

Science After School programs hosted by FLP Curiosity

Our stories define us, connect us, and teach us—they illuminate new discoveries, and remind us of ancient lessons. Join local scientists and researchers as they explore the moment that science sparked their passion. In the format of a story slam, each presenter will take the stage to share their true story in their own words—giving voice to their inspiration and celebrating the universal joy that curiosity and wonder bring us all. Presented by the Science History Institute and First Person Arts.

We’re serving science straight up in this program exclusively for adults 21+. Pine Tavern Distillery, Rowan University and The Franklin Institute invite you to explore the chemistry of cocktails—from malt to maturation. Whet your appetite for whiskey wisdom and realize new revelations in rum as you sip your way to a scientific understanding of your favorite spirits.

There is so much science to celebrate in the birthplace of our country! Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the connection between history and science at Independence National Historical Park at this free event. Activities are geared to a fourth and fifth-grade audience. Email everykidinapark@nps.gov for more information.

Event Partner: National Park Service

Spark your student’s passion for STEM learning when local engineers, scientists, and other experts visit your neighborhood library to lead FREE after-school programs. Take part in these exciting experiments, animal encounters, and kid- (and scientist-) approved hands-on activities, right in your neighborhood library.

Science After School programs hosted by FLP Curiosity

For one night only, the Philadelphia Science Festival takes over the Reading Terminal Market to create an epic celebration of science, food, and everything Philadelphia! Browse select merchants in the beloved 125-year-old indoor market while also enjoying dynamic demonstrations and experiments from some of our favorite PSF partners. This event is sure to tickle the taste buds as a delightful fusion of food and fun!

Made Possible by FMC

From the physics of sound waves to the biology of hearing, the connection between science and music can’t be denied. In celebration of Christ Church’s newly installed mechanical action pipe organ, join organ builders, the musicians of acclaimed the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), and sound scientists as we explore the harmony that exists between science and music. Come back at 7:00 pm for a free performance by ICE to see the science explored in action.

Calling all amateur engineers and curious chemists! Gear up for an evening of STEM challenges, explorations, and activities. Build, program, tinker, and try in a series of activities designed to challenge young scientists to think critically, work collaboratively, innovate, and invent. 

This event is presented by Science Education Academy (SEA), Inc., White Rock Baptist Church, the Quba Institute of Islamic Studies, Graduate Student Groups at The University of Pennsylvania, Girl Scout troops 19, 986, 997, and 517, and Boy Scout Troop #16 of West Philadelphia.

We’re cooking up some crafts, community building, and a few chemical reactions at this event all about having fun with your favorite foods. Discover how a pinch of salt and a dash of science can transform everyday foods into something magical. Leave the kids at home for this special event that encourages adults to play with their food!

The 2018 Philadelphia Science Festival culminates in a super-charged, super-fun celebration of science! This FREE event is unlike any other—with dynamic demonstrations, engaging experiments, geeky games, and electrifying entertainment for the entire family. Returning to the newly-renovated Benjamin Franklin Parkway, this finale event promises to be the ultimate daylong science extravaganza!