After Dark

See for Yourself

Every Thursday Night • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

Buy Tickets

Free for After Dark Members

Adults Only (18+)

Note: The Tactile Dome and some programs have limited capacity and are available to visitors on a first-come, first-served basis.

Things look different after dark. Lose yourself in over 650 interactive exhibits exploring perception, art, and science. Grab your friends and a drink and get immersed in everything from a pitch-black dome to a fog bridge, a large-scale kaleidoscope, dazzling light displays, mind-bending mirrors, and more. Or savor adults-only programming featuring unique guest speakers, great music, specialty films, and one-of-a-kind activities. It'll change how you think about the world around you. But don't take our word for it—see for yourself.

 

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Upcoming Events

Aug
16
After Dark

Thursday, August 16, 2018 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

Lose yourself in over 650 interactive exhibits exploring perception, art, and science at our adults-only After Dark. Grab your friends and a drink and get immersed in mind-bending experiences and unique, thought-provoking programs.

Aug
23
After Dark: Lasers

Thursday, August 23, 2018 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

In 1960, the laser was known as “a solution looking for a problem.” Now we can hardly imagine life without them. Learn what’s special about laser light, how it’s made, and how it’s used in everything from DVD players to eye surgery to fusion energy research.

Aug
30
After Dark: A Herring Opera

Thursday, August 30, 2018 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

This film by Tessa Ellie Schmidt looks at the complicated, but beautiful flurry of activity that happens in Sitka, Alaska, each spring when herring arrive to spawn.

Sep
6
After Dark: Pets

Thursday, September 6, 2018 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

How do pets affect their humans? From mental health to microbiome, we are significantly altered by animals in our care. Explore the complex relationships between humans and our non-human companions at After Dark: Pets. And yes, there will be cute animals.

Sep
13
After Dark

Thursday, September 13, 2018 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

Lose yourself in over 650 interactive exhibits exploring perception, art, and science at our adults-only After Dark. Grab your friends and a drink and get immersed in mind-bending experiences and unique, thought-provoking programs.

Sep
20
After Dark

Thursday, September 20, 2018 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

Lose yourself in over 650 interactive exhibits exploring perception, art, and science at our adults-only After Dark. Grab your friends and a drink and get immersed in mind-bending experiences and unique, thought-provoking programs.

Sep
27
After Dark: Time

Thursday, September 27, 2018 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

n 1905, Albert Einstein threw a monkey wrench in our perception of time and space. Join us as we examine a few of these quirks on a conceptual non-mathematical level. Yes, you can age slower than your twin!

Einstein threw a monkey wrench into our perception of time and space. Explore some of these quirks on a conceptual level.

Oct
4
After Dark: Hardly Strictly Science

Thursday, October 4, 2018 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

Join us for an evening tuned to listening, music, and the physics of sound. Inspired by the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival held in Golden Gate Park on October 5–7, tonight’s program features instruments and sonic experiments.

Oct
11
After Dark: Preservation

Thursday, October 11, 2018 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

In a pickle over preservation techniques—for food, foodways, or ways of life? Follow kimchi fermentation at Pairings and archival films with Cinema Arts and delve into different strategies to safeguard today’s treasures for tomorrow.

Oct
18
After Dark: It's Electric!

Thursday, October 18, 2018 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

From the synapses in our bodies to superconductors to Earth’s magnetic field, electricity is everywhere. Get a charge out of Van de Graff generators and Tesla coils and encounter germanium’s potential at Everything Matters.

Oct
25
After Dark: Science Fiction

Thursday, October 25, 2018 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

Alternatives to our current reality begin with imagination. Explore creative visions of tomorrow, reflect on imagined futures past, and encounter science fiction turned fact at Full-Spectrum Science with Ron Hipschman.

Nov
1
After Dark: Vs.

Thursday, November 1, 2018 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

Is thinking about the world in terms of dichotomies all good or all bad? Do direct comparisons help or hinder understanding? Investigate the relationship between this versus that via matter, microorganisms, ecology, and human behavior.

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Sit down and enjoy a delicious, locally sourced meal—and a great view.