museum visitors

Water History, Oyster Tasting, and Aquatic Bugs Draw Large Crowds at Institute’s First Annual Curious Histories Fest

Science lovers of all ages gather for ‘A Taste of Water,’ a daylong celebration of H2O.

June 15, 2023

The Science History Institute welcomed more than 350 visitors to our first annual Curious Histories Fest on Saturday, June 10. Science lovers of all ages gathered for “A Taste of Water,” a free, daylong celebration of H2O that featured the history and science behind the food we eat from it, the drinks we make with it, and the creatures that live in it.

Guests enjoyed oysters from the Choptank Oyster Company; learned about pH, minerals, and natural carbonation by tasting waters from around the world; met the aquatic macroinvertebrates that play a role in our freshwater ecosystems; sampled beer from Wissahickon Brewing Company and iced tea from Craft Tea; used their senses to investigate untreated waters; created water-inspired crafts and listened to a water-themed story with author Thembi Palmer; explored strange and wonderous water histories through our archives and museum collections; and learned about the history of tea from Institute staff and about taste and smell from water scientist Gary Burlingame.

“A Taste of Water” also featured Pitruco Pizza and Schmear It bagel food trucks and music by DJ DuiJi Mshinda and Mr. DJ Smith. Local partners including the Philadelphia Water Department, Stroud Water Research Center, and the Global Water Alliance were also on site.

At the end of the celebration, the Institute received a prestigious National Historic Chemical Landmark plaque from the American Chemical Society in recognition of our contributions to enhancing the public’s appreciation of the chemical sciences and to mark our 40th anniversary. The award comes on the heels of Philadelphia Mayor James F. Kenney declaring June 10 “Science History Day” and inviting the public to join in celebrating the history of science.

Thanks to everyone—our visitors, vendors, partners, sponsors, and staff members—who made our inaugural Curious Histories Fest such a huge success! Join us again in June 2024 for our second annual celebration of science, history, exploration, and experimentation with the theme of color.

More News

Lunchtime logo hero
news

Explore the History of Science on the School Food Tray with Institute’s New ‘Lunchtime’ Exhibition Opening September 27

Visitors will uncover the surprising story behind the school lunch.

people attending a conference
news

Science History Institute Hosts 2024 Gordon Cain Conference

“Storytelling as Pedagogy” program explored using scientific biographies in the classroom and beyond.

Fellows at work in the Othmer Library at the Institute.
news

Science History Institute Welcomes 2024–2025 Beckman Center Fellows

Our scholars study a wide range of topics in the history and social studies of chemistry, chemical engineering, and the life sciences.

    Republish

    Copy the above HTML to republish this content. We have formatted the material to follow our guidelines, which include our credit requirements. Please review our full list of guidelines for more information. By republishing this content, you agree to our republication requirements.