Museum Event Calendar: SF Bay Area Events

Curious Contraptions Activities

Wednesday, November 20–Sunday, January 26, 2020

Come and play with motion and mechanisms. Explore the intersection of art and engineering, and tell playful stories building a contraption made with everyday materials.

Curious Contraptions

Thursday, November 21, 2019–Sunday, January 26, 2020

Explore fantastical, often amusing mechanical sculptures known as automata. These small, handmade flying, sailing, and cycling machines bring whimsical dramas to life through low-tech mechanisms, inviting you to investigate how they work.

Ice Hours

Sunday, December 1– Sunday, January 5, 2020

Offering a glimpse into the overwhelming majesty of the natural world and crafted from over a decade of video footage, Ice Hours features stunning views of Antarctic landscapes and the surrounding ocean set to an original score.

Glow: Festival of Lights

Thursday, December 5, 2019–Sunday, January 26, 2020

Celebrate the holidays and excite your atoms at Glow, our annual festival of ebullient lights and subtle glows celebrating the close of the year. Bask in the mesmerizing gleams of special installations and kinetic sculptures, take a shine to illuminating exhibits, and show your sparkle with scintillating activities.

Kaleidoscope

Friday, December 6, 2019– Monday January 20, 2020
Preview on Thursday, December 5, 2019 • 7:00–10:00 p.m. (Ages 18+)

Experience a landscape of astonishing visual effects. Constructed as an 8-foot-square light table, artist Karina Smigla-Bobinski’s Kaleidoscope invites you to manipulate layers of inks comprised entirely of the primary colors. Each touch of the surface generates hyperdynamic images that visualize motion energy.

Dec
12

After Dark: Life Out of Balance

Thursday, December 12, 2019 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

How can we reverse the course of our ecological impact and move toward a more sustainable future? Hear from leading scientists about the latest in resilience, sustainability, and environmental science education.

Dec
14

All Hands On Science: Cranky Contraptions

Saturday, December 14, 2019 • 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Join us on the second weekend of every month for All Hands on Science, a family-oriented make-and-take activity. This month, tell a little story by creating your own hand-crank motion toy.

Dec
14

Cinema Arts: Lights, Color, Action!

Saturday, December 14, 2019 • 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 p.m.

Inspired by our glowing installations, this brilliant selection of short films feature an array of colorful illuminations. Gather around the screen and enjoy their warm radiance.

Dec
15

All Hands On Science: Cranky Contraptions

Sunday, December 15, 2019 • 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Join us on the second weekend of every month for All Hands on Science, a family-oriented make-and-take activity. This month, tell a little story by creating your own hand-crank motion toy.

Dec
16

Exploratorium Open Monday Winter Break

Monday, December 16, 2019 • 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

The Exploratorium will be open to the public on Monday, December 16, 2019.

Dec
19

After Dark: All Is Bright

Thursday, December 19, 2019 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

Discover a once-missing element at Everything Matters: Technetium; excite your atoms at Glow; experience a landscape of astonishing visual effects at Kaleidoscope; and bring flying, sailing, and cycling automata to life at Curious Contraptions.

Dec
21