How to Make (Almost) Anything

Give ordinary people the right tools, and they will design and build the most extraordinary things. That's the idea behind Fab Labs, an idea hatched by star physicist and DIY enthusiast Neil Gershenfeld, who teaches a wildly popular course at MIT called How To Make (almost) Anything.

Fab Labs provide access to prototype tools for personal fabrication, like a PC that can output functional objects instead of images on a screen. The labs have spread from their start in inner-city Boston to the bottom of Africa and the top of Norway, with projects tackling applications in areas including healthcare, agriculture, housing, and communications.

Join Dr. Gershenfeld for a peek at the science behind Fab Labs, an introduction to machines that make machines, and a tour around the world to see how these tools are transforming how people live, work, and play.

Seating is limited. Passes are available in the Museum lobby beginning at 5:45 p.m. on the day of the program. First come, first served. Museum members may reserve a limited number of seating passes in advance.

Photo © Claus Mroczynski.

At our March programs, check out homemade DIY kits by artist Lisa Gross, founder of the Urban Homesteaders' League in Cambridge, MA. Learn how to make your own yogurt, skincare products, natural cleaning supplies, and more at home.

This program is part of the DIY series, in which you can "Do It Yourself" with new programs devoted to personal empowerment, good health, and fresh food at your fingertips. Admission to this program is free thanks to the generosity of the Lowell Institute. Additional funding for this program provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities Fund.

How to Make (Almost) Anything

How to Make (Almost) Anything

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How to Make (Almost) Anything

Schedules

Remaining seats appear in parenthesis after event time.

March 10, 2010: 7:00 pm

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How to Make (Almost) Anything

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