After Dark: Past Programs

A gel electrophoresis device made from simple materials uses electricity to separate colored dyes.

After Dark: See for Yourself

Thursday, September 29, 2022 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

The Exploratorium is your playground after dark! To experience some of our more time-sensitive exhibits in action, you’ll have to check your watch.

One of two lenses made for the 15-foot Einstein cameras used at the 1922 Eclipse in Wallal, Australia.

After Dark: Evidence

Thursday, September 22, 2022 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

Join us for the opening of the temporary exhibition Einstein Was Right, plus commemorate the day the world was saved from nuclear annihilation thanks to a good understanding of bad data.

Water droplets form during condensation.

After Dark: See for Yourself

Thursday, September 15, 2022 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

The Exploratorium is your playground after dark! Wander the galleries and let a DJ from Hip Hop for Change set the vibe.

The Exploratorium's one-ton NOAA carbon dioxide research buoy is pulled out of the Bay.

After Dark: Seaworthy

Thursday, September 8, 2022 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

Have you ever wondered how oceanic buoys operate, or what critters cling to their undersides? Join marine scientists, technicians, and educators as they pull a one-ton NOAA carbon dioxide buoy out of the water.

Ionized water swirls in pH-indicating dye, creating whirls of bright yellow and green.

After Dark: See for Yourself

Thursday, September 1, 2022 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

Don’t miss your last chance to see the Exploratorium’s Art of Tinkering exhibition at After Dark!

Visitors engage with the Yellow Wiggle, a kinetic wave sculpture by Reuben Margolin.

After Dark: See for Yourself

Thursday, August 25, 2022 • 6:00–10:00 p.m.

Bid farewell to the Exploratorium's Art of Tinkering exhibition before it closes!

Red, arrow-shaped wind indicators from a sailboat illustrate how the laminar flow of wind changes with height.

After Dark: Fly

Thursday, August 18, 2022 • 6:00–10:00 p.m. PT

Tinker with wind tunnels and wind tables, build your own aerodynamic designs, and step into a wind-powered sound garden. Tonight, creativity is in the air!

Performers from the Facing West Shadows production of Hansel and Gretel walk hand-in-hand and cast their silhouettes against a backdrop.

After Dark: Move

Thursday, August 11, 2022 • 6:00–10:00 p.m. PT

Gear up for a night of cogs and contraptions, analog gadgets and Rube Goldberg chain reactions. Featuring a performative talk by Emmy Award–winning Manual Cinema.