This month from March 5th to the 27th, Smithsonian Arts + Industries Building is partnering with the National Museum of Natural History and Smithsonian Gardens to host the Smithsonian debut of “#IfThenSheCan—The Exhibit,” the largest collection of statues of women ever assembled in one location at one time, to be installed around the National Mall. Starting March 7th, select statues will spread out to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and the National Air and Space Museum along the National Mall through the end of the month.
The more than 120 life-size 3D-printed statues are of a diverse coalition of contemporary women STEM innovators and role models leading a variety of fields, from protecting wildlife, discovering galaxies, building YouTube’s platform, to trying to cure cancer.
Events:
Daily Tours through March 27th
Free
12 p.m. : FUTURES Flash: A 15-minute glimpse of the future through a single object.
2 p.m. : Highlights Tour: A 45-minute themed exploration of possible futures.
March 10th: Tell Me More
RSVP here
6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. : Can you believe that the space suits astronauts used in the late 70s are very similar if not identical to what is being used today? In fact, in 2019, an all women spacewalk was canceled because NASA’s space suits were originally created to only fit male bodies and therefore, did not fit the women.
Tell Me More invites you to learn about what it takes to improve and develop spacesuits for ALL astronauts as we pull back the curtains to help you imagine a future where anyone can travel into space.
March 11th: #WomensFuturesMonth
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5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. : Start your weekend off right every Friday with a generous helping of fun and surprising brain snacks. ‘FUTURES’ is open late, plus bonus drop-in tours and special guests. A guided tour takes a spin on Women’s History Month to explore creative visions of the future through art. From the portal of Expanded Present to A.I. portraiture to a Coin-operated Wetland, see how art helps us imagine possible futures.
March 18th: Draw the FUTURES
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5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.: Drawing encourages us to slow down, look closely, and envision the future. We invite you to stop by the FUTURES That Inspire Hall to borrow materials and select a drawing challenge. No prior drawing or art experience needed. All ages are welcome.
March 24th: Gamechangers
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6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.: According to research conducted by AbleGamers, a foundation dedicated to promoting accessibility in the world of video games, there are over 46 million gamers in the US who identify a person with disabilities. This means that those over 46 million people may have a reduced opportunity to fully enjoy playing a standard video game. How are developers working to make the future of video game play more accessible? Take a trip with the women gamers, designers, and therapists of SpecialEffect into an accessible future of game play!
March 25th: Cyborg Birthday Party
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7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.: You’re invited to dance the night away into a post-human future.
In a special Fridays at FUTURES event, the Play Lab will host a night of beats and libations to celebrate Neil Harbisson’s 18th Cyborg Birthday! To reflect on their residencies with FUTURES, cyborg artists Moon Ribas and Neil Harbisson will share unique insights of their art practice with a special performance.
Join us for a party that taps into your senses and explores new realities. Creative attire encouraged!
Meet the Ambassadors
The AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassadors Program is a key element of the IF/THEN® Initiative designed to further women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) by empowering current innovators and inspiring the next generation of pioneers. The program brings together 125 women from a variety of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers to serve as high-profile role models for middle school girls. Ambassadors are taking their outreach to the next level through original entertainment and media content, and direct engagement with middle school girls in formal and informal educational spaces.
Meet the inspiring ambassadors of #IfThenSheCan at www.ifthenshecan.org/ambassadors
Learn more about what they’re doing at www.aaas.org/page/ifthen-ambassadors
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