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Exploratorium After Dark
posted February 8, 2012 9:54 AM   RSS | iCal | +googleCal

Thu March 1 at 6:00 PM, Exploratorium
3601 Lyon St, San Francisco, CA, USA (Map & Directions)
Exploratorium After Dark happens on the first Thursday of every month. This month's theme is vinyl (as in records). It includes the guy who has figured out a way to play records by taking pictures of them, who probably deserves a metafilter post of his own.
So we've been to the Cal Academy's "Nightlife" a few times. Reviews were mixed. But there are other, more awesome museums! Like the Exploratorium! Which we should go to! I will stop exclamation-marking!

I saw Carl Haber give a talk a few weeks ago. Somehow he managed to remain calm and not say DUDE I FOUND A WAY TO PLAY RECORDS BY TAKING PICTURES OF THEM! but this is what he has done. Plus there will be drinks! And hopefully mefites! I know you guys like drinks and mefites.
posted by madcaptenor to Meetup (40 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite

But will there be E? E + Tactile Dome == hours of entertainment!
posted by asterix at 10:32 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]


I was just reflecting on the wonders of the Exploratorium because of this AskMe. Unfortunately, we are moving that week and I suspect everything will be a little crazy. I'm gonna go with hooray, but maybe.
posted by chatongriffes at 10:36 AM on February 8, 2012


There is a group discount for 10+ people, if we have that many. It makes it $12 instead of $15.
posted by guster4lovers at 3:09 PM on February 8, 2012


i would LOVE to do this, but i work across town until 6 and the earliest i can get there is likely 7pm. dunno if that would work with a group rate situation...
posted by lapolla at 4:45 PM on February 8, 2012


Yeah, the Exploratorium is kind of awkwardly located. I didn't put it there!
posted by madcaptenor at 5:47 PM on February 8, 2012


I might duck out early to try to make it to this. We'll see how it goes.
posted by aubilenon at 12:02 AM on February 9, 2012


Maybe!
posted by rtha at 5:40 AM on February 9, 2012


Sounds way cool. I'd love to go, but not sure yet, so I'll be a "strong maybe" for the moment.
posted by jasper411 at 10:58 AM on February 9, 2012


Thank you so much for your comments about After Dark at the Exploratorium. I actually just joined to say thanks and let you know I shared your comments with my colleagues who put on After Dark.

I wanted to let you know the besides Carl Haber we have some other pretty wonderful things happening that night.

In addition to Carl, we have two other talks scheduled for the evening. One is with Walter Murch who is an Osher Fellow with us. Wlater was the sound and visual editor for Apocalypse Now, and The Conversation. He was also the sound editor for all of the Star Wars films and also for American Graffitti. He has a wonderful take on the world through his listening skills. He has a beautiful talk he gives about early recording and early cinema.

We also plan on hosting a talk by our museum colleague, Walter Kitundu, artist and instrument builder extrordinaire-and we will have a couple of his instruments on display which are remarkable hybrids of turntables, and African and Western stringed instruments.

Another colleague has an old record cutter which he is attempting to get working. (We need to machine some new parts i think--those are hard to come by these days. And we have managed to find about 160 blanks which we purchased so people --well 160 people will be able to record themselves onto a record blank. Don't worry these are coated cardboard ones not vinyl--so no toxic fumes.

We also have a group working with an experimental technology called Thinfilm which is usually used in talking toys. In our case they are experimenting with using it as a way to create a connected narrative throughout the museum. They have designed listening posts and a kind of nifty narrative game--and there is a rather cool surprise at the end (if it all worlkks--again, it's an experiment.)

Of course there are all of our great exhibits too, which is really our super sekrit evul plan--get adults playing with our exhibits instead of just the kids.

Thanks again for your nice note! I think a colleague is on this board and she passed it along to us. Everyone enjoyed getting it in their mail box this morning!
posted by foam at 11:07 AM on February 9, 2012 [6 favorites]


Thanks, foam! Welcome to mefi, and I hope I can go to this!
posted by rtha at 11:18 AM on February 9, 2012


It's sometimes hard for us to go out in SF on weeknights and still get home to Oakland in time for bed, but this sounds rad!
posted by mostlymartha at 11:39 AM on February 9, 2012


Thanks, foam! I mentioned Carl Haber because I've heard him talk; I'm sure the other things you have scheduled are just as awesome.

martha: yeah, me too. (Although I think you guys have to wake up earlier than I do.)
posted by madcaptenor at 11:53 AM on February 9, 2012


Well, much of our staff lives in Oakland as well. It is a haul if you are on public transit. Its one of the reasons that we are moving to the Embarcadero next year.

The event goes from 6-10PM most of the stuff happens between 7-9:30 --so you can make it to BART but its a haul for sure--we do have parking though -free parking limited but there.
posted by foam at 12:32 PM on February 9, 2012


I just found out about the upcoming move this weekend when I came across the new site while walking around. I'm thrilled that the ExplOratorium will be that much closer to my house!
posted by aubilenon at 1:48 PM on February 9, 2012 [1 favorite]


Oh yeah, this sounds like an awesome thing. I just have to figure out how to get over there.
posted by grapesaresour at 4:46 PM on February 9, 2012


Okay, I'm in, and I can provide transportation.
posted by asterix at 5:33 PM on February 9, 2012


Dear Asterix,

I would like to subscribe to your transportation newsletter!

Otherwise I'll have to take the 30. THROUGH CHINATOWN. The indignity.
posted by grapesaresour at 7:57 PM on February 9, 2012 [2 favorites]


Wow! This sounds really cool. And I do like drinks and mefites. I'm a strong maybe as well. Let's call it a maybe plus.
posted by bendy at 8:52 PM on February 9, 2012


I am 80% yes on this.
posted by rhizome at 10:07 PM on February 9, 2012


This actually isn't too bad from work so yay! Def looking forward to it being directly across from work on the F next year.
posted by politikitty at 1:31 PM on February 10, 2012 [1 favorite]


I'd be interested if somebody can give me a ride there and home. I live near the Glen Park BART station, which is near the 101/280 split.

As a bribe, I can get one person in for free on my membership card. Any takers?
posted by Quietgal at 2:38 PM on February 10, 2012


I drive home on 280 sometimes, so I can get you on the way.
posted by w00bliette at 9:14 AM on February 11, 2012


w00b! I mean woot! I'll send you my contact info by MeMail. Thanks a bunch!
posted by Quietgal at 1:09 PM on February 11, 2012


But will there be E? E + Tactile Dome == hours of entertainment!

I've often wondered about the counter-cultural hijinks that must have gone down at the Exploratorium back in the day. Steward Brand hosted a huge party to celebrate the end of the Whole Earth Catalog and to determine the best use for the magazine's remaining $20K in profit. Chaos ensued. The tactile dome, home to many innocent birthday parties of my youth, has got to have played host to some ridiculous trips.
posted by zachlipton at 9:28 AM on February 13, 2012


I am a "maybe." The timing is tight for me.
posted by jander03 at 9:21 AM on February 18, 2012


Despite being the one who set this up, I'm dropping back to "maybe" - I've been tired lately.
posted by madcaptenor at 5:38 PM on February 28, 2012


I'll have to leave work a bit early, but it's currently looking like that will be possible. So I'll optimistically change my status to "Yes"
posted by aubilenon at 6:04 PM on February 28, 2012


Also: Anyone need a ride from Foster Cityish?
posted by aubilenon at 6:05 PM on February 28, 2012


Quietgal, aubilenon, casarkos, and grapesaresour are here. Where are the rest of you? (We're the nerdy folks with the smartphones.)
posted by asterix at 7:31 PM on March 1, 2012


I'm not there, but I'm guessing that "nerdy folks with the smartphones" doesn't narrow it down all that much.
posted by madcaptenor at 7:31 PM on March 1, 2012


Checking in. I'm wandering aimlessy about these utterly fascinating exhibits.
posted by un petit cadeau at 7:45 PM on March 1, 2012


We're in the back by the cinema and the Pac-Man.
posted by asterix at 7:52 PM on March 1, 2012


Okay, now we're standing under the ladder by the cinema. Come join us!
posted by asterix at 7:56 PM on March 1, 2012


Totally forgot to tell you guys we can't come tonight. Doh. Have fun!
posted by rtha at 8:13 PM on March 1, 2012


Whoops. I think I stopped by but I couldn't pick you guys out. How about now?
posted by un petit cadeau at 8:15 PM on March 1, 2012


We're still under the ladder. Two men and three women.
posted by asterix at 8:17 PM on March 1, 2012


One of us has a Boeing hoodie. And we
don't know what we're watching for, could you provide identifying details?
posted by casarkos at 8:25 PM on March 1, 2012


I just asked someone who I thought was with you guys, but no cigar. I'm the really tall guy wandering around with a goofy look on his face, if that helps.
posted by un petit cadeau at 8:30 PM on March 1, 2012


It doesn't help so we've given up and are just wandering about now.
posted by aubilenon at 8:44 PM on March 1, 2012


That was fun guys! Also, who's making the ladder account? It's clearly a MeFite now.
posted by grapesaresour at 10:52 PM on March 1, 2012



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