Festival Guide

Festival Guide

Festival Guide

Welcome to Cambridge Science Festival 2023!

 

Here you can find a listing for every event at this year’s Festival. Simply click on listings to find out more, including information about the organizer, the venue, and how to reserve your ticket! Every event is free and open to the public, but many have limited capacity. Get your tickets soon to avoid missing out.

Use the dropdown menus to search for events on specific dates, or in different categories. If you’re not sure where to start, click here to find out more about this year’s themes and series.

DATE
EVENT
ORGANIZER
SERIES
TAGS
START TIME
Monday
Sep 25
Sep 25, ALL DAY
In the Neighborhood
The Curie Society Science Sleuth Scavenger Hunt
The Curie Society Science Sleuth Scavenger Hunt
MIT Press Bookstore
MIT Press Bookstore
In the Neighborhood
EDUCATION FAMILY FRIENDLY TOUR
ALL DAY
DESCRIPTION

Complete the scavenger hunt, available throughout CSF week at mitpressbookstore.mit.edu, then pick up your prize at the MIT Press Bookstore and enter a drawing for a chance to win a $50 bookstore gift card!

Scan this QR code to get started!

LOCATION
Kendall/MIT Open Space
292 Main Street
Cambridge
MA 02142
Map link
ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

MIT Press Bookstore is the bookselling arm of the MIT Press, located in the lower level of 314 Main St. in Kendall Square.

Find out more about MIT Press Bookstore.
Tuesday
Sep 26
Sep 26, ALL DAY
In the Neighborhood
The Curie Society Science Sleuth Scavenger Hunt
The Curie Society Science Sleuth Scavenger Hunt
MIT Press Bookstore
MIT Press Bookstore
In the Neighborhood
EDUCATION FAMILY FRIENDLY TOUR
ALL DAY
DESCRIPTION

Complete the scavenger hunt, available throughout CSF week at mitpressbookstore.mit.edu, then pick up your prize at the MIT Press Bookstore and enter a drawing for a chance to win a $50 bookstore gift card!

Scan this QR code to get started!

LOCATION
Kendall/MIT Open Space
292 Main Street
Cambridge
MA 02142
Map link
ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

MIT Press Bookstore is the bookselling arm of the MIT Press, located in the lower level of 314 Main St. in Kendall Square.

Find out more about MIT Press Bookstore.
Wednesday
Sep 27
Sep 27, ALL DAY
In the Neighborhood
The Curie Society Science Sleuth Scavenger Hunt
The Curie Society Science Sleuth Scavenger Hunt
MIT Press Bookstore
MIT Press Bookstore
In the Neighborhood
EDUCATION FAMILY FRIENDLY TOUR
ALL DAY
DESCRIPTION

Complete the scavenger hunt, available throughout CSF week at mitpressbookstore.mit.edu, then pick up your prize at the MIT Press Bookstore and enter a drawing for a chance to win a $50 bookstore gift card!

Scan this QR code to get started!

LOCATION
Kendall/MIT Open Space
292 Main Street
Cambridge
MA 02142
Map link
ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

MIT Press Bookstore is the bookselling arm of the MIT Press, located in the lower level of 314 Main St. in Kendall Square.

Find out more about MIT Press Bookstore.
Wednesday
Sep 27
Sep 27, 12 pm - 6 pm
In the Neighborhood
Delilah – Life-sized, inflatable North Atlantic right whale
Delilah – Life-sized, inflatable North Atlantic right whale
WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation
FEATURED EVENT
WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation
FEATURED EVENT
In the Neighborhood
BIOLOGY CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT
12 pm
DESCRIPTION

With our life-sized, inflatable North Atlantic right whale, Delilah, Whale & Dolphin Conservation educators will teach you all about marine mammalogy. Through hands-on activities, you’ll learn about the whale’s internal & external anatomy while venturing inside Delilah!

LOCATION
Cambridge Public Library, Main Branch
449 Broadway
Cambridge MA
02138
Map link
START TIME
12 pm

END TIME
6 pm
ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation is the leading charity dedicated to the protection of whales and dolphins.

Find out more about WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation.
Thursday
Sep 28
Sep 28, ALL DAY
In the Neighborhood
The Curie Society Science Sleuth Scavenger Hunt
The Curie Society Science Sleuth Scavenger Hunt
MIT Press Bookstore
MIT Press Bookstore
In the Neighborhood
EDUCATION FAMILY FRIENDLY TOUR
ALL DAY
DESCRIPTION

Complete the scavenger hunt, available throughout CSF week at mitpressbookstore.mit.edu, then pick up your prize at the MIT Press Bookstore and enter a drawing for a chance to win a $50 bookstore gift card!

Scan this QR code to get started!

LOCATION
Kendall/MIT Open Space
292 Main Street
Cambridge
MA 02142
Map link
ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

MIT Press Bookstore is the bookselling arm of the MIT Press, located in the lower level of 314 Main St. in Kendall Square.

Find out more about MIT Press Bookstore.
Friday
Sep 29
Sep 29, ALL DAY
In the Neighborhood
The Curie Society Science Sleuth Scavenger Hunt
The Curie Society Science Sleuth Scavenger Hunt
MIT Press Bookstore
MIT Press Bookstore
In the Neighborhood
EDUCATION FAMILY FRIENDLY TOUR
ALL DAY
DESCRIPTION

Complete the scavenger hunt, available throughout CSF week at mitpressbookstore.mit.edu, then pick up your prize at the MIT Press Bookstore and enter a drawing for a chance to win a $50 bookstore gift card!

Scan this QR code to get started!

LOCATION
Kendall/MIT Open Space
292 Main Street
Cambridge
MA 02142
Map link
ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

MIT Press Bookstore is the bookselling arm of the MIT Press, located in the lower level of 314 Main St. in Kendall Square.

Find out more about MIT Press Bookstore.
Saturday
Sep 30
Sep 30, ALL DAY
In the Neighborhood
The Curie Society Science Sleuth Scavenger Hunt
The Curie Society Science Sleuth Scavenger Hunt
MIT Press Bookstore
MIT Press Bookstore
In the Neighborhood
EDUCATION FAMILY FRIENDLY TOUR
ALL DAY
DESCRIPTION

Complete the scavenger hunt, available throughout CSF week at mitpressbookstore.mit.edu, then pick up your prize at the MIT Press Bookstore and enter a drawing for a chance to win a $50 bookstore gift card!

Scan this QR code to get started!

LOCATION
Kendall/MIT Open Space
292 Main Street
Cambridge
MA 02142
Map link
ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

MIT Press Bookstore is the bookselling arm of the MIT Press, located in the lower level of 314 Main St. in Kendall Square.

Find out more about MIT Press Bookstore.
Saturday
Sep 30
Sep 30, 2 pm - 4 pm
In the Neighborhood
Science educators meetup with equipment
Science educators meetup with equipment
EnergyTeachers.org Inc
EnergyTeachers.org Inc
In the Neighborhood
CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY DEMONSTRATION EDUCATION WORKSHOP
2 pm
DESCRIPTION

Science educators of all levels, bring a portable demo or instrument to share how your students are learning about science phenomena. Tabletop wind turbines, cell-phone-based electrophoresis kit, fossil collections, chaotic pendulums, your best paper airplane design, home titration kit, whatevs. EnergyTeachers.org will bring doppler radar, a handheld oscilloscope, a solar cooker, and more from our lending library for teachers.

LOCATION
Cambridge Public Library, Valente Branch
826 Cambridge Street
Cambridge MA
02141
Map link
START TIME
2 pm

END TIME
4 pm
ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

We provide networking and resources to teachers interested in energy and electronics. We have a tiny lab/library in Huron Village, and we lend equipment and books to teachers. We collaborate with other science education organizations.

Find out more about EnergyTeachers.org Inc.
Sunday
Oct 1
Oct 1, ALL DAY
CARNIVAL
The Curie Society Science Sleuth Scavenger Hunt
The Curie Society Science Sleuth Scavenger Hunt
MIT Press Bookstore
MIT Press Bookstore
CARNIVAL
EDUCATION FAMILY FRIENDLY TOUR
ALL DAY
DESCRIPTION

Complete the scavenger hunt, available throughout CSF week at mitpressbookstore.mit.edu, then pick up your prize at the MIT Press Bookstore and enter a drawing for a chance to win a $50 bookstore gift card!

Scan this QR code to get started!

LOCATION
Kendall/MIT Open Space
292 Main Street
Cambridge
MA 02142
Map link
ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

MIT Press Bookstore is the bookselling arm of the MIT Press, located in the lower level of 314 Main St. in Kendall Square.

Find out more about MIT Press Bookstore.
Sunday
Oct 1
Oct 1, 12 pm - 4 pm
CARNIVAL
British International School of Boston Pavilion
British International School of Boston Pavilion
British International School of Boston
FEATURED EVENT
British International School of Boston
FEATURED EVENT
CARNIVAL
EDUCATION FAMILY FRIENDLY PHYSICS
12 pm
DESCRIPTION

At the British International School of Boston Pavilion, we are going to encourage young people to look at the energy of the future through a series of challenges and activities. We hope these fun hands-on challenges will get you thinking about energy in the future, and give you a taste of STEAM education at BISB.

This booth is sponsored by the British International School of Boston.

LOCATION
Kendall/MIT Open Space
292 Main Street
Cambridge MA
02142
Map link
START TIME
12 pm

END TIME
4 pm
ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

At the British International School of Boston, we offer your child a distinctly different education of the highest academic quality. BISB goes beyond traditional education to transform learning. We provide students, toddlers through high school, with opportunities and experiences that they cannot get anywhere else. As a member of Nord Anglia Education, a global family of premium schools, BISB provides students with enriched curricula through collaborations with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), The Juilliard School, and UNICEF. Your child will discover worldwide learning opportunities through their Global Campus activities, from expeditions in Tanzania and Switzerland, to summer programs and international sports competitions. BISB provides individualized education for each student, challenging them to be ambitious. The high school culminates in the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), allowing students to stand out to top-tier universities in the United States and internationally as the best of the best.

Find out more about British International School of Boston.
Sunday
Oct 1
Oct 1, 12 pm - 4 pm
CARNIVAL
Language and Reading in the Brain
Language and Reading in the Brain
Communication and Neurodevelopment Lab at Boston University
Communication and Neurodevelopment Lab at Boston University
CARNIVAL
BIOLOGY EDUCATION FAMILY FRIENDLY HEALTH
12 pm
DESCRIPTION

We will bring a number of child-friendly activities that teach kids about the brain and how we read and process language. These activities may involve looking at a real-time spectrogram of a child’s voice to “see what they say” and hands-on learning activities to show parts of the brain we use for reading and language. We will also provide the opportunity for parents to learn about family-oriented resources related to speech and literacy development.

LOCATION
Kendall/MIT Open Space
292 Main Street
Cambridge MA
02142
Map link
START TIME
12 pm

END TIME
4 pm
ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

Our research explores language development from infancy through school age with a particular interest in clinical populations such as dyslexia, autism, and speech disorders.

Find out more about Communication and Neurodevelopment Lab at Boston University.
Sunday
Oct 1
Oct 1, 12 pm - 4 pm
CARNIVAL
Spot the Difference: AI vs Reality in Physics
Spot the Difference: AI vs Reality in Physics
Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental Interactions (IAIFI)
Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental Interactions (IAIFI)
CARNIVAL
AI ARTS EDUCATION FAMILY FRIENDLY PHYSICS
12 pm
DESCRIPTION

With the rising popularity of generative AI tools such as Chat-GPT and DALL-E, it can be increasingly difficult to tell the difference between AI-generated content and human-generated content. Join the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental Interactions (IAIFI) to learn about how generative AI works and see if you can spot the difference. Ask the same question to a virtual physicist and a real live physicist and see what answers you get! Then test your skills by comparing galaxy images from the James Webb Space Telescope with Dall-E generated galaxy images—can you tell which ones are real?

LOCATION
Kendall/MIT Open Space
292 Main Street
Cambridge MA
02142
Map link
START TIME
12 pm

END TIME
4 pm
ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

IAIFI is an NSF-funded institute working with researchers at MIT, Harvard, Northeastern, and Tufts on physics and AI.

Find out more about Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental Interactions (IAIFI).
Sunday
Oct 1
Oct 1, 12 pm - 4 pm
CARNIVAL
MIT LINK-12 Outreach
MIT LINK-12 Outreach
MIT LINK-12
MIT LINK-12
CARNIVAL
EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT FAMILY FRIENDLY
12 pm
DESCRIPTION

Simple demonstrations for complex scientific concepts! Demos include “weather in a tank”, “ocean acidification in a cup”, and “Earthquake on a table.” Come by to learn about our outreach activities and how to organize a visit by MIT scientists to your classroom!

LOCATION
Kendall/MIT Open Space
292 Main Street
Cambridge MA
02142
Map link
START TIME
12 pm

END TIME
4 pm
ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

MIT LINK-12 facilitates outreach to K-12 classrooms in the Boston area, with a specific emphasis on underrepresented schools.

Find out more about MIT LINK-12.
Sunday
Oct 1
Oct 1, 12 pm - 4 pm
CARNIVAL
AlphaBot Robot Puzzle Party
AlphaBot Robot Puzzle Party
MIT Press Bookstore
MIT Press Bookstore
CARNIVAL
EDUCATION FAMILY FRIENDLY
12 pm
DESCRIPTION

Mix and match the robot puzzle parts! What kind of robot will you build?

Inspired by Vicky Fang’s inventive AlphaBot, an interactive STEAM book for young readers that teaches robotics terms, MIT Press Bookstore in conjunction with Candlewick Press invites you to play and learn at our robot puzzle party!

This is a hands-on craft suitable for kids ages 3-10 and their families.

Register now! The first 50 registrants get a free take-home build-a-book-bot craft kit.

Copies of AlphaBot will be available for purchase at the MIT Press Bookstore, located steps away from the Science Carnival at 314 Main Street, and online.

LOCATION
Kendall/MIT Open Space
292 Main Street
Cambridge MA
02142
Map link
START TIME
12 pm

END TIME
4 pm
ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

MIT Press Bookstore is the bookselling arm of the MIT Press, located in the lower level of 314 Main St. in Kendall Square.

Find out more about MIT Press Bookstore.
Sunday
Oct 1
Oct 1, 12 pm - 4 pm
CARNIVAL
Change is Simple’s SCiLL Lab – Sustainability & Climate Innovation Learning Lab
Change is Simple’s SCiLL Lab – Sustainability & Climate Innovation Learning Lab
Change is Simple
Change is Simple
CARNIVAL
EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT FAMILY FRIENDLY
12 pm
DESCRIPTION

Change is Simple (CiS) and SCiLL – our Sustainability & Climate Innovation Learning Lab – bring hands-on STEM learning to elementary and middle school children in Massachusetts.

SCiLL is a 30-foot-long, mobile lab outfitted with cutting edge science and learning tools you’d expect to find in a professional laboratory setting. It offers lessons on important aspects of sustainability.

LOCATION
Kendall/MIT Open Space
292 Main Street
Cambridge MA
02142
Map link
START TIME
12 pm

END TIME
4 pm
ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

Change is Simple teaches sustainability & climate issues to children in a way that lights them up and shows them their own power to make a difference in their world — from their school to their backyard, town, and beyond. In 2022 we launched SCiLL, our Sustainability and Climate Innovation Learning Lab.

Our Mission
Instill lifelong social and environmental responsibility through experiential learning that inspires action for healthy people, planet, & community.

Find out more about Change is Simple.
Sunday
Oct 1
Oct 1, 12 pm - 4 pm
CARNIVAL
The Curiosity Cube
The Curiosity Cube
Millipore Sigma
FEATURED EVENT
Millipore Sigma
FEATURED EVENT
CARNIVAL
DEMONSTRATION EDUCATION FAMILY FRIENDLY
12 pm
DESCRIPTION

Breakthroughs begin with curiosity! Visit our mobile science lab when it lands at Cambridge Science Festival! Equipped with the latest technology, the Curiosity Cube provides a learning environment that allows visitors of all ages to become immersed in specific science topics. Participate in hands-on experiments and learn about cutting-edge technologies. And above all – ask questions and be curious!

LOCATION
Kendall/MIT Open Space
292 Main Street
Cambridge MA
02142
Map link
START TIME
12 pm

END TIME
4 pm
ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

MilliporeSigma provides the global scientific community with best-in-class lab materials, technologies and services that make research and biotechnology production simpler, faster and more successful to impact life and health with science.

Find out more about Millipore Sigma.
Click here to see the full list of our generous sponsors