The biggest math conference in the world happens once every four years, and it has not been in the United States since 1986. It lands at the Convention Center this weekend, and two afternoons of it are free and open to anyone, with tables of puzzles set out for kids. Sunday is supposed to hit 90, so two of this week's picks are indoors and air conditioned. Everything below is free.
Friday & Saturday · 2-6 PM
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Hall E · Center City · · Ages 4+
🟢Just show up · free Eventbrite ticket, indoors and air conditioned, and you can stay 30 minutes or three hours
The International Congress of Mathematicians meets once every four years, and it has not been in the United States since 1986. It is at the Convention Center this weekend, and two afternoons of it are open to the public for free. The Math Festival is run by the Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival crew, which means tables of hands-on puzzles and games rather than lectures. Kids sit down, get handed something to fiddle with, and a mathematician wanders over when they get stuck. Grab a free ticket on Eventbrite. Jefferson Station puts you half a block away.
View details →If you have a teenager
Pennsylvania Convention Center · Center City · Friday · 7:15 PM
One of the most well-known mathematicians alive gives a free public talk on what AI is actually doing to math. General audience, free, but it needs registration.
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Saturday · 10 AM-12 PM
Franklin Square · Old City · · Ages 1-10
🟢Just show up · free and no registration, but it is only a two-hour window, so get there closer to 10 than 11
Franklin Square turns 20 and is throwing a free party. Birthday crafts, temporary tattoos, and giant bubbles with YoYo, then a Ben Franklin reenactor leads a singalong at 10:30 and free cupcakes go out while they last. It wraps with the fountain show at noon. The date is also National Carousel Day, so carousel rides are buy one get one until 5 PM, and if your kid finishes the Lantern Festival scavenger hunt they get a ride free.
Sunday · 9 AM-4:30 PM
Please Touch Museum, Memorial Hall · Parkside · · Ages 0-8
🟡Reserve ahead · free but ticketed and it fills, so book before the weekend; free lot parking on site
Sunday is the hottest day of the weekend, and it is also one of only three Sundays all summer that Please Touch is free. It is part of their Ready Set School program, so alongside the usual run of the place there is back-to-school programming and community resource tables. Space is limited and you do need to reserve a ticket ahead of time, so do that before Sunday rather than showing up and hoping. Doors at 9, and early is the better shift if you want room to move.
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Friday · 5-9:30 PM
The Discovery Center · Strawberry Mansion · · Ages 8+ to paddle
🟡Get there early · canoes are first come first served from 5, and the evening walk needs registration
There is a 37-acre reservoir tucked into East Fairmount Park with a bird sanctuary around it, and plenty of people who have lived here for years have never laid eyes on it. Friday evening the Discovery Center opens it up for free. Philadelphia Outward Bound runs canoes from 5 to 8, ages 8 and up, first come first served, so get there early if paddling is the point. Then from 7:30 Audubon leads a walk to survey bats, birds, and insects, binoculars handed out at the start. Bug spray and a layer for after sunset.
View details →That's it for this weekend. Every single pick is free to walk into. If you go to something we recommended, hit reply and tell us how it was. We read every message. See you next Thursday. — TinyJawns 🏠
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