Science Carnival on the Ben Franklin Parkway

Saturday, April 16

10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

 

FREE ALL DAY!

You’ve never experienced an outdoor carnival like this one! The event features more than 80 exhibitors offering non-stop family-friendly experiments, interactive activities, games, and a packed line-up of live entertainment. Enjoy liquid nitrogen ice cream, make gak, meet live zoo animals, check out the inner-workings of robots, take a tour of a helicopter, extract DNA from a strawberry, test a “crime scene” for forensic evidence, and so much more! Be sure to visit the Philadelphia Book Festival’s Street Fair, held in conjunction with the Science Carnival and just a few steps away!

Note: The Science Carnival is a RAIN OR SHINE event. It will be an outdoor event. Please dress accordingly.

CLICK HERE for the Carnival Map and Guide.

CLICK HERE for the Aviator Park Stage Show Schedule.

CLICK HERE for the Shakespeare Park Stage Show Schedule.

CLICK HERE for Directions to the Science Carnival.

Exhibitors / Activities

 

Agora Cyper Charter School K12's Motoring On: Exploring a Wacky Effect of Magnets and Electricity

Magnets and electricity have an effect on each other to create awesome, practical happenings. Kids will put together a small motor of their own using magnets and batteries, plus operate a virtual exploration and collect data from our small motor-making workshop! K12 Science Geeks will be on hand to help kids make their motor to take home.

All Aboard the BioBus!

Climb aboard the  carbon neutral Biobus and enter the fascinating world of research science! Make movies of amoebas crawling or even study crystal formation! The pictures and movies you record using the Biobus microscopes will be posted for you on the Biobus website to check out after the Philadelphia Science Festival!

American Chemical Society: Painting with Shaving Cream

Paper marbling has been popular for centuries. In a Japanese version called sumi nagashi (meaning “ink-floating”), hydrophobic, carbon-based inks are dropped onto water and blown across the surface to produce swirls like those seen in polished marble. Rice paper lifts the ink off the surface of the water. In this activity, you will investigate the art and science of the creation of colorful marbled paper patterns using shaving cream and food color. The process works on hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions.

American Heart Association: Scientific Research Saves Lives!

Learn about the research advances that the American Heart Association has made and how scientific research saves lives!

American Helicopter Museum & Education Center: Explore STUBBY

Have you ever seen the cockpit of a helicopter? Now you can! The American Helicopter Museum and Education Center is offering tours of its interactive, traveling helicopter, Stubby. Come see Stubby, climb inside, and enjoy the helicopter-cockpit experience!

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Greater Philadelphia Section: Let Your Career Take Off

Did you ever wonder how rockets or airplanes work?  Ever wonder what it feels like to float in space? You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to want to learn about that—anyone can!  Come by our booth to  Meet an Astronaut, (from 1pm-2 pm); Fly a plane of your own design; Learn about Space Weather; Learn about Aerospace Engineering.  Let Your Imagination Take Off!

Association of Women in Forensic Science, Inc. (AWIFS): Forensics on the Parkway

What can saliva, blood and fingerprints tell us about the identity of a person? Join Forensic Scientists for demonstrations of simulated physical evidence testing and why it is useful in forensic science.

Boy Scouts of America: Cradle of Liberty Council Pack 133

Cub Scout Science Fun - Use a Hand Crank Generator to generate voltage and blow up ballons with baking soda and vinegar!

Camp Invention: Egg-Marine Challenge

What do eggs, submarines, and fish have in common? Find out in this interactive experiment about biomimicry and buoyancy!

CBS Weather Van

Center City District & KidsInCenterCity.com: Trees in the City

Test your knowledge nad learn about the importance and benefits of urban trees. See what happens to trees in Center City, how they get damaged by common, everyday items and also how they thrive.

Character Photo Booth

Chemical Educational Foundation: You Be The Chemist

Celebrate the International Year of Chemistry with the Chemical Education Foundation and become a chemist yourself! Conduct hands-on activities using watercolors, mysterious mixtures, and marshmallows to learn about chemistry and its presence all around you.

Chemical Heritage Foundation: The Chemistry of J-E-L-L-O!

Ever wonder why oranges suspend in Jell-O but pineapple just won’t stick? Why roasted tomato–flavored Jell-O was once as popular as cherry? Come and learn about its chemical composition and societal impact while you sample classic Jell-O recipes both sweet and savory.

Chestnut Hill Academy: Building Your Own Robot

Learn how to build and program robots using Legos NXT robotic kits.

Community College of Philadelphia: Illuminating Acid Rain

Jumping in puddles is always fun when it's raining, but we rarely stop to think the ways industry cause acid rain, which can harm plants and animals, and damage structures. Re-create these damages and see the before and after effects on a small statue.

Coriell Institute for Medical Research: DNA Detectives- Discover your Building Blocks!

Become a "DNA Detective" by creating your own personalized key chain using DNA building blocks to spell your name. Learn about the human genome and how it impacts your health.

Delaware County Community College: Street Corner Science

Visit and learn about science and math that happens in your home and neighborhood. Find out about molecules and the acidity of your household materials. Try to build a house that won't fall during an earthquake and help us to determine the most common flavor of jellybean! Demonstrations will change throughout the day.

Dig into Earth Day with Sprout

Celebrate Earth Week with Sean and Chica from Sprout’s Sunny Side Up Show!  Stop by to plant your own seedling in a homemade recycled newspaper pot!

Dow Chemical Company: Celebrate Chemistry!

Do you know how to find the "sweet spot" on a bat? Or what happens when different blood types mix? How about making a volcanic eruption at home? Dow scientists will demonstrate how you can create these experiments, and there's more! Take the Eco-IQ Challenge and also learn how elements from the periodic table are in things you use every day!

Drexel & NAVSEA Philadelphia: Sea Perch

Come discover a world of underwater technology with Greater Philadelphia Sea Perch!  Try out the sea perch robot for yourself, and view live video footage from the Greater Philadelphia Sea Perch Challenge.

Drexel University College of Arts and Sciences: Getting Hands on with Science

Experience science hands-on through Science in Motion, Chemistry Magic, the Chemistry of Art and Math Mirrors.

Drexel University College of Engineering: Experience Engineering

Not sure what engineering is all about? Get hands-on with engineering at Drexel University's College of Engineering Carnival booth and see a side of engineering that you never knew existed!

Drexel University Graduate Student Association: Have a Ball—Adventures in Material Science

Have a ball making your very own super ball with polymers! Graduate students from Drexel University's graduate programs put the fun back into chemistry and physics.

Drexel University School of Public Health: Public Health- Science that Impacts You Everyday

Examine how public health is a science that affects your everyday with Drexel University's School of Public Health’s Epidemiology and Biostatistics Department.

Drexel University Society of Physics Students: Hollywood Physics

Join the Drexel University Society of Students in exploring the science behind some well-known scenes from Hollywood films. After watching a clip, with the help of some hands-on demonstrations designed to highlight the physical principles seen, it will be up to you to separate myth from fact by deciding how "good" or "bad" the science in the movie really is.

Engineers' Club of Philadelphia: Engineering is Fun!

Hands on demonstrations of how engineers work to make the world work.

FIRST Robotics Team 272 Landsdale Catholic High School

Watch a 120 pound robot in action as it hangs tubes and see the coolest  minibot around climb up a pole.

FIRST Robotics Team 433—Firebirds: Building and Driving Robots

Learn about the mechanisms of a robot by driving one!

Firstrust Bank: The Science of Saving!

With a few key facts, children will be able to determine/ guess-ti-mate the amount of money in a Cylinder and Treasure Chest.  Teaches the concept of value and volume.  Trusty, the lovable Firstrust mascot, will be on hand with helpful tips!

Fox Chase Cancer Center: Many Faces, Many Minds, One Commitment

Meet real cancer researchers, learn about cancer and the many jobs that exist in the field of health care research.

Geosyntec: Applied Environmental Science

Learn how we investigate and clean up the environment by watching groundwater and contamination flow through a simulated environment of wells, lakes and underground aquifers. View examples of petroleum products interacting with soils, water and each other. Learn how gases from chemical and petroleum spills impact us, and how we measure the gases and deter them from entering your home. See how iron travels through the ground and traps pollutants with an interactive nano-iron demonstration.

Girls in Science

Learn about opportunities and resources for girls to explore science in the Philadelphia area and beyond, talk to female scientists, and do fun hands-on science activities at the Girls in Science booths! Participating organizations include The Franklin Institute Girls at the Center, SciGirls, Science Cheerleader, Mall Science, and National Girls Collaborative Project.

InfoAge Science History Learning Center and Museum: Communication in the 21st Century

Take an interactive tour of the fascinating history of communications technologies including telegraphy, telephony, radio and more.

John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge: Philadelphia Safari

Have you ever wanted to know more about the wildlife that lives in your backyard and local National Wildlife Refuge? Participate in hands-on activities about the birds, mammals, amphibians, and insects that call Philadelphia home. Learn all about things you can do to protect the important habitat for these wild creatures!

La Salle Science

Hands-on activities in science and technology, such as acid-base painting, milk art, digital drawing, disappearing bottles, earth science experiments and more.

Mad Science: Slime Making!

It's your turn to be a mad scientist! Stop by the Mad Science booth to learn about chemistry and to make your own slimy experiment!

Mall Science

Building a bridge between beauty and brains by promoting science awareness and interest, Mall Science encourages scientific interest, exploration, and participation and promotes lifelong curiosity and learning.

MaST Community Charter School: Getting Your Hands on DNA

Delve into biotechnology, DNA, and cell structure by experimenting with common household items. Extract  and observe 'snotty' DNA strands from a strawberry.

Merck Institute for Science Education: Science for Curious Minds

Learn how to create a tornado in a bottle! Find out why black is not really black. Create cool circles of color using permanent markers. If you are curious and excited about these activities, stop by and learn about the science that makes them work.

Methacton High School: It's Electric! THE LORAX

Students from Methacton High School will share their 'secrets of success' during this highly engaging and interactive event! Learn about their Electric Car Club and why it's important to look into alternative energy sources. This program will show how battery electric vehicles work, how solar cells produce electricity and the practicality of using renewable energy to charge an electric vehicle.

Monell Center: Nosing around Food Flavor

Our tounges can recognize both yummy and yucky tastes, but did you ever have a stuffy nose and find it hard to 'taste' anything at all? Visitors to Nosing around Food Flavor will learn firsthand the important role that the nose plays in our responses to food and flavors.

Moore College of Art & Design: Eco Kids Face Painting Station

Stop by and experience some of your favorite aquatic and terrestrial animals by becoming one! Expert face painters will transform you into your favorite creature.

National Constitution Center: Science and Medicine of the Civil War

Discover breakthroughs in American medicine during the Civil War and witness a demonstration of the tools and techniques used by doctors on the battlefield and in the camps.

National Girls Collaborative Project: A National Network for Girls in Science

The National Girls Collaborative Project is a national network of girl-serving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) organizations across the United States.  Learn about a network of programs and resources for girls in science!

New Jersey Academy for Aquatic Sciences:

Aquatic animals have amazing adaptations to help them survive in their environment. Get up close and learn how horseshoe crabs can save a human life, how seastars can regrow lost limbs, how sharks use different types of teeth to eat their prey, and how seals and whales survive in cold temperatures.

NextFab Studio: Introduction of 3D Printing

Bridge the gap between the digital and physical worlds with Next Fab's 3D printers. Watch how a design goes from image to product during the most exciting print demonstration you've ever seen.

PECO

Penn Museum: The Science of Mummification

Join Penn Museum's staff and explore the science of mummification. Learn about Penn Museum's ancient Egyptian mummies as you witness interactive displays and participate in a science project.

Penn State Science-U Summer Camps: What Will You Discover?

Experience the wonders of  polymers, instant snow, density columns, index of refraction magic, electrostatic levitation, electromagnetic levitation, food science, fragrance chemistry, and more through demonstrations and activities with Science U.

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts: Seeing Green—The Art of Ecology

Make fun and easy art projects while you discover the wonders of ecology  with the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

Philadelphia Area Space Alliance

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society: Plant-a-Plug

Don't miss this opportunity to plant up a small flower that can later be transplanted in your garden.

Philadelphia Department of Public Health: The Science of Public Health

What's the connection between science and public health? Learn from a broad range of experts how the Department of Public Health relies on science every day, from monitoring air quaility and food safety, to protecting children from lead poisoning, and from preventing sexually transmitted diseases, to helping people lead healthy, active and smoke-free lives.

Philadelphia Society of Women Engineers: True Colors

Use paper chromatography to analyze ink! See how scientists and engineers can analyze a mixture such as ink by separating its components, and how forensic scientists are able to use this scientific technique to identify the origin of ink samples.

Philadelphia University: So You Want to be a Physician Assistant?

Explore what it takes to be a physician assistant (PA) with faculty members and students from Philadelphia University.  Take part in health care “rotations” with real and simulated patients and probe the inner workings of human lungs to see the effects of cigarette smoking with your own eyes!

Philadelphia University Power to Do: Chemistry and Engineering

Explore the world of chemistry and engineering through a variety of hands-on experiences. Create a chemical reaction that makes slime, explore the strength properties of textiles in an on-site tug of war contest and use robotics to examine the world of industrial systems engineering.

Philadelphia Water Department: It's More Than Just Rain!

It's raining. It's pouring. But many types of pollution on the land mix with stormwater, winding up in our creeks and rivers. See the negative effects first-hand, and learn what you can do to help protect your watershed from pollution.

Philadelphia Weekly

Philadelphia Zoo: Dr. Lion

Philadelphia Zoo: Zoo on Wheels

Meet some of the animals from the Philadelphia Zoo. Discover what climate change does to polar bears, take part in a bird census, and participate in a tiger tracking game on the Parkway.

PISEC: CLUES Family Workshop

Did you know that Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware each have an official state insect? Learn more about your state's insect and then test your knowledge at the Insect Game. Participants can then make their own "buggy button" to wear.

Please Touch Museum: Playing with Science

Enjoy the Science of Play with the Please Touch Museum! Young children will learn new and exciting things by experimenting with magnets, wooden blocks, arts and crafts, and musical toys.

Quaker Chemical: The Art of Surface Chemistry and the Science of Emulsions

While creating original artwork, learn about surface chemistry and watch a piece of steel change before your very eyes. Then, take part in an interactive performance that explains the splitting of emulsions.  

Riverbend Environmental Education Center: The World Beneath our Feet

What's really beneath our feet? Get up close and personal with some fascinating organisms while you explore rotting logs and soil.

School District of Philadelphia with EcoExpress Community Partners: Watershed Quality in the Philadelphia Region

Learn about the quality of our watershed by exploring Earth Force's watershed map, performing tests on local water and soil samples with volunteers from GSK Science in the Schools program, and taking home native plant seeds that help protect our local water sources. EcoExpress will provide teachers with Standards-aligned lesson plans.

Science Cheerleader

Discover the Secret Lives of real scientists with the science cheerleaders. Partake in hands-on activities and get an autograph.

Science For Citizens: Get Involved! Help the Planet!

Sort galaxies, test water quality, identify birds and fireflies, and participate in honest-to-goodness scientific research. Be a citizen scientist!

Science Leadership Academy: Capture Cells!

Prepare slides of onion cells and watch the osmotic effects of salt water under a microscope. Capture your images and email them to your own home!

SciGirls: Hands-On Science for Girls!

Join the SciGirl Revolution! Learn more about the PBS Kids television series, SciGirls, and participate in family-friendly activities that emphasize girl-focused approaches to inquiry-based science and engineering projects. 

SEPTA: Harnessing Energy

Springside School & Chestnut Hill Academy: The Incredible Wonderful Unique You

You are uniquely YOU! Learn how genetic traits make each person unique. Have fun with our hands-on activities as you collect data about yourself in the booklet provided. Digitally analyze your fingerprints, determine your sensitivity to "bitter" and test your ability to detect colors. Visitors will investigate these traits and more and learn some unusual facts along the way! Watch the data from the carnival populate our giant bar graphs.

Temple University College of Science and Technology and Creative Consultants LLC: The Buckyball Challenge

Enter the "Nano Dome" and take the "Buckyball Challenge!" See and feel how molecules move and interact in 3-D. Manipulate an interactive molecular computer simulation via a force feedback device. As you move, bend and stretch buckyballs and a carbon nanotube, you will gain insight into the "nano" world of molecules and how it differs from the "macro" world. The Nano Dome combines ongoing research in high-performance computing, molecular dynamic simulations and high-end scientific visualization.

Tesla Science Foundation: Science of Energy

Get electrified with Tesla coil demonstrations. Learn more about Nikola Tesla and many of  his inventions with artifacts including a 1910 radio and headphones.

The Academy of Natural Sciences - Preschool Science Explorers

Visitors will be able to touch and observe various specimens from a variety of local birds. They will also be able to make their own binoculars to go bird watching in their area. The booth and activities are geared toward pre-schoolers, however all are welcome.

The Academy of Natural Sciences: Real Science, Real Fun

Experience Academy Science first hand by taking a look at the collection and participating in hands-on activities.

The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, American Philosophical Society Museum, and Clay Studio: Pass the Seed Ball

Explore the wonderful world of medicinal herbs and urban gardens. Make your own seed ball and learn how you can become a guerrilla gardener.

The Franklin Institute: Carnival Games

Find fun in science! Play with geometrical shapes and solve a spatial puzzle. Make and experiment with a piece of paper that only has one side.

The Franklin Institute: Chemistry Alive!

Be a real live chemist courtesy of the Franklin Institute's Traveling Science Program. In a matter of minutes you'll create your own polymer 'gummi worm' or a test tube rainbow of color while learning about chemical reactions, behaviors and properties.

The Franklin Institute: The Color of Science

From West Philly to the White House - Meet and interact with some of the region's best and brightest minority scientists! Learn their stories and witness how they are contributing to 21st century innovation, shaping our world every day. Find a mentor and meet a role model!

The Franklin Institute: Doppler on Wheels

Climb aboard the Doppler on Wheels and get a look at the technology scientists use to track extreme weather, including hurricanes and tornadoes!

The Franklin Institute Girls at the Center: Hands-On Science for Girls!

Girls at the Center (GAC) is a national collaboration to encourage family involvement in girls’ science learning. The program, funded in part by the National Science Foundation, provides opportunities for girls and adult partners to investigate the world around them through inquiry-based hands-on science activities. Learn about GAC and participate in fun hands-on science activities!

The Franklin Institute: PACTS Robotics

Come and interact with Philadelphia's oldest minority-based Robotics Team! Witness cutting-edge robotics technology with demonstrations created by members of The Franklin Institute's PACTS youth program. Try your hand at controlling some of the BOTS through dynamic courses and see how you compare to other Philadelphia Science Festival participants.

The Franklin Institute: Preschool Science Fun!

Mouse Paint: Mix it up! Help some mice dance, stir, and squish the paint to make new colors.

The Franklin Institute: Random Acts of Science

Keep a watchful eye for "Random Acts of Science" taking place throughout the day. Teams of roving science presenters in mobile carts will entertain the crowds with high-energy science demonstrations.

The Franklin Institute: Sci Store Fun

The Franklin Institute: Solar Observing Stations

Astronomy clubs from across the Delaware Valley will provide telescopes for daytime viewing. Stop by and take a look at the sun! The Philadelphia Area Space Alliance will also provide space exploration information.

The Franklin Institute: Super Small Science—Find the Nano in Your Life

Nanotechnology is the coolest science that’s too small to see! Get up close and personal and find out how this tiny technology is already changing our everyday lives.

The Greater Philadelphia STEM Center: Energy Zone

Use your energy! Show off how much electricity you can generate. Turn your motion energy into a show and use it to charge your cellphone. Use the power of the sun for fun. Help catch energy that's sneaking away. It's positively exciting!

The Wagner Free Institute of Science: What's that Beak for? Bird Beak Adaptations

See and touch artifacts from Wagner's fascinating teaching collections. Participate in an activity in which people match tools to food models and then try to figure out which tools belong to which bird beak.

The Wistar Institute: See your Own Cells—Microscope Demonstrations

Look at the fascinating world of microbiology by exploring a variety of slides. Watch your own cheek cells move under a microscope!

University of Pennsylvania Genetics and Gene Regulation: Discover DNA!

Take your genome home! Extract DNA from your cheek cells using household items.

University of Pennsylvania Genomics and Computational Biology: Genomes and Inheritance

Do you have dimples? Can you roll your tongue? Come participate in activites that explore how characteristics are inherited and find out how you "measure up" against other genomes!

University of Pennsylvania GRASP Lab: Robotics on the Rise

The GRASP (General Robotics, Automation, Sensing and Perception) Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania is engaged in state-of-the-art robotics research every day. This exhibit will allow participants to interact with mobile robots, learn about the science and engineering behind robotics and also view videos of current robotics projects.

University of Pennsylvania - LRSM: Physics for Desserts, Computer Displays, and Artificial Noses

Discover the suprisingly complex behavior of soft matter in toothpastes, desserts, and even how the liquid crystal display in your computer screen changes. In addition, we can construct an electronic nose that can detect differences in smells that can tell us when food begins to spoil or when cancer cells multiply!

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine: Mind Your Brain

Now that you're planning on bringing your brain to the Carnival, make sure you know how to protect it. Obtain a greater awareness about all types of Traumatic Brain Injury, learn how your brain works, and how to take simple preventive steps - like wearing a helmet to "mind your brain." Families can take part in the Save-A-Head activity, view nerve cells under a microscope, and find out how Silly Putty mimics your axons.

University of Pennsylvania Nano/Bio Interface Center: Exploring this World at the Nanoscale

Examine the nanoscale phenomenon and nanotechnologies first hand with the Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center.

University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Medicine: You can be a Vet!

Find out how unpredictable and exciting the world of veterinary medicine is! Examine often-found “yucky stuff” in the field, play the role of vet by stitching up a stuffed animal, and meet the staff, students, and a canine pal or two.

University of Pennsylvania's Center for Bioethics: Discover Bioethics!

Learn all about bioethics and how it affects you! Staff members from the Center for Bioethics will show you "bio-ethical" images, introduce you to Glow Fish, and provide giveaways and handouts to all interested visitors.

University of the Sciences: Slime and Gooey Worms

Make ice cream in 10 minutes using yummy ingredients, liquid nitrogen and of course...chemistry! This experiment promises to surprise, delight and satisfy the appetite!

University of the Sciences: Chemistry Twister

You've never had this much fun learning about chemistry! Play Periodic Table Twister to learn about atoms and elements.

University of the Sciences: What's in a Stroke?

Test your knowledge of risk factors for stroke, guided by licensed physical therapists and students from University of the Sciences. You'll also learn some easy and fun prevention activities.

University of the Sciences: What's Your Carbon Footprint?

Learn how carbon footprints are calculated and the impact they have on the environment. You'll also discover some simple techniques to decrease your own footprint.

Wasabi 3D

Have you ever imagined what William Penn sees when he looks down upon Center City from the peak of City Hall? He sees a city filled with science and technology, of course! Come enjoy the view by posing with the brand-new Wasabi 3D image, created especially for the Philadelphia Science Festival.

WHYY: Cat-in-the-Hat Knows A Lot About That Science Activity

Wissahickon HS FIRST Robotics Team: Robotics Road Show

Visit the Robotics Road Show, where guest drivers can operate full size robots. Afterwards, participate in interactive hands-on robotics education activities and watch high-energy videos about the robotics program.

Wow! Science Camp: Alternative Energy Projects for K-8

Aviator Park Stage

Check out our main stage at Aviator Park for a day of exciting science programs. Shows occur every half hour.

Shakespeare Park Stage

Check out the stage at Shakespeare Park for a day of exciting literary and science programs for Book and Science Festival fans of all ages. Shows occur every hour.

Food Vendors

Has all the science fun worked up your appetite? No problem! Visit one of our food vendors to grab a drink or a tasty snack.

Bad Dog's Bone Yard

Buttercream Cupcake Truck

Far From Home Cafe

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