Phantasmagorium: Halloween Night at the Palace of Frights October 31, 2008

Experience Halloween—Exploratorium style! Join us in costume for a ghoulish grab-bag of tricks and treats as we transform the museum into a Phantasmagorium of spooky science and frightful fun. In our first annual Halloween Fright Night, we'll dig into the cultural and scientific phenomena behind Halloween, Dia de los Muertos, and death.

Find out how nature deals with decay and regeneration in our Energy from Death exhibit. Get sucked into leech science with experts from the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses. And visit a graveyard of debunked science, including (R.I.P.) the recently entombed Planet Pluto (1930-2006).

For those with a sweet tooth, we’ll serve up an Iron Science Teacher competition in which educators compete to create compelling science activities. (Halloween candy will be the “special ingredient.”) And we’ll offer a sugar skull candymaking demonstration with master confectioner Irma Ortiz.

In the spirit of All Souls’ Day and Dia de los Muertos, we'll also contemplate death and remembrance. Everyone is invited to bring artifacts and personal mementos to add to our community-built altar for the beloved. Plus, you’ll witness the creative process behind cartoneria (Mexican paper sculpture) with Oakland artist Ruben Guzman, one of the main forces that brought the Dia de los Muertos celebration to the Bay Area. Be sure to check out his Calaveras (paper skulls), skeletons, and other colorful creations.

Official Website: http://www.exploratorium.edu