The Chemical Heritage Foundation joins over 40 Old City Philadelphia museums, galleries, and shops in hosting an open house the first Friday evening of every month. In addition to extending our gallery hours until 8:00 p.m., each month's event features guest speakers and hands-on activities that bring the exhibits to life.
March 2010: Opening of Marvels and Ciphers and Kaleidoscope Workshop
Marjorie Gapp, CHF’s curator of art and images, was on-hand in the Hach Gallery to share the inside story of CHF's newest exhibit. Elsewhere in the museum, visitors made their own kaleidoscopes—and took a look at the world through a new lens.
December 2009: Ornamental Bonding: Papier-Mâché Workshop
For the final First Friday of 2009, visitors made holiday ornaments while CHF staff presented the science behind papier-mâché.
November 2009: Carnivorous Plant Feeding
November's event featured feedings of carnivorous plants. The terrarium-enclosed insect eaters tied in to the sLowlife exhibit. The program featured Martha Miller, educator and carnivorous plant expert, and Joe Rucker, chemist and carnivorous plant enthusiast.
October 2009: First Anniversary Celebration
Our party in honor of the first anniversary of the museum opening featured Michael McCaulley, the wine director and partner of Tria. McCaulley discussed the science of winemaking and offered tastes of Spanish cava, a double-fermented sparkling wine. The festivities also included a Periodic Table of Cupcakes by Jennifer McCafferty of JPM Catering.
August 2009: Flip, Twist, and Sprout
Participants assembled flipbooks using images of plants and flowers from sLowlife, the traveling multimedia exhibit at CHF that explores plants as complex, living beings.
July 2009: Make Your Own Batteries
For our Independence Day First Friday we celebrated the spirit of Founding Father Ben Franklin by learning how to generate electric currents using everyday household items.
June 2009: Botanical Sunprints
June's event featured local photographer and UArts TA Laurie Beck Peterson teaching attendees how to make science beautiful through the process of botanical sunprinting. Participants learned how to create their own botanical sunprints using only photographic paper, water, and botanicals.
May 2009: Hyperbolic Crochet
At May's installment of CHF's First Friday series, we spun a "yarn" or two about science — in crochet form. Participants learned about hyperbolic curves and single-celled organisms and how scientists use models to visualize the molecular world. Special thanks to Loop for providing hooks and yarn!
April 2009: Molecular Origami
For our April First Friday event, we took on molecules you can make yourself—in origami! Visitors learned some things about how molecules form and made replicas of buckminsterfullerene, ammonia, and methane to take home.
