On view October 1 -- December 11, 2025This exhibition draws on archival materials from the Aga Khan Documentation Center at MIT (AKDC) to explore a century of cultural heritage preservation in Aleppo, Syria. It takes as its point of departure the work of Kamil al-Ghazzi (1853–1933), the pioneering Aleppine historian whose influential three-volume chronicle, Nahr al-Dhahab fī Tārīkh Ḥalab (The River of Gold in the History of Aleppo), was published between 1924 and 1926.Ink, Stone, and Silver Light presents three modes of documentation—manuscript, built form, and photography—through which Aleppo’s urban memory has been recorded and preserved. Featuring figures such as Michel Écochard and Yasser Tabbaa alongside al-Ghazzi, the exhibition traces overlapping efforts to capture the spirit of a city shaped by commerce, craft, and coexistence. At a time when Syria again confronts upheaval and displacement, these archival fragments offer models for preserving the past while envisioning futures rooted in dignity, knowledge, and place.

The irony of artificial intelligence is that it often reveals more about human intelligence than machines themselves.From AI in the home to robots in the workplace, the presence of AI all around us compels us to question its potential and recognize the risks. What has become clear is that the more we advance AI technology and consider machine ability versus human ability, the more we need to mind the gap.Researchers at MIT have been at the forefront of this evolving field. The work presented in this exhibition builds on the pioneering contributions of figures such as Claude Shannon and Seymour Papert, while highlighting contemporary research that spans computer science, mechanical engineering, neuroscience, and the social sciences.As research probes the connections between human and machine intelligence, it also underscores the profound differences. With AI now embedded in everyday life — from smart assistants in our homes to robots in the workplace — we are challenged to ask critical questions about its potential, its risks, and the boundaries between machine ability and human capability.Join us in shining light on the tremendous promise, unforeseen impacts, and everyday misconceptions of AI in this riveting, interactive exhibition.Learn more about the exhibition.

Imagine different worlds in Cosmograph: Speculative Fictions for the New Space Age, an exhibition that brings art and science together to examine possible futures where outer space is both a frontier for human exploration and a new territory for exploitation and development by private enterprise.We are living at the dawn of a New Space Age. What will the future hold? Will space elevators bring humanity's space junk to turn it into useful material here on Earth? Will asteroid mining be the next frontier in prospecting? Will the promise of geo-engineering turn into a nightmare of unintended consequences?Explore these possibilities and more in our new exhibition that blurs the lines between fact and fantasy, and art and science.

MIT is not a place so much as it is a unique collection of exceptional people.What is essential at MIT is asking questions others may not ask, trying the unexpected in pursuit of a greater solution, and embracing distinctive skills and combinations of talents. Whether encompassing global issues, ventures into space, or efforts to improve our daily lives, stories told in this exhibit showcase the process of discovery that sits at the heart of MIT.Delve into the experimental culture and collaborative spirit of the MIT community in this dynamic and interactive exploration of groundbreaking projects and ongoing innovation."MIT’s greatest invention may be itself—an unusual concentration of unusual talent, forever reinventing itself on a mission to make a better world." — President L. Rafael ReifLocated in the Brit J. (1961) and Alex (1949) d'Arbeloff GallerySupported by the Biogen Foundation

How can code be used as a creative tool by artists and designers?This question motivates the work of the Future Sketches group at the MIT Media Lab. Led by artist and educator Zach Lieberman, the group aims to help us “see” code by using it to make artistically controlled, computer-generated visuals.Explore some of the latest research from the group that uses typography and digital tools to create interactive, creative, and immersive work.Located in our Martin J. (1959) and Eleanor C. Gruber Gallery.

Experience the captivating work of Arthur Ganson, where his perceptions of the world are choreographed into the subtle movements and gestures of his artistic machines."These machines are daydreams condensed into physical form, computer programs manifesting in three-dimensional space." - Arthur GansonArthur Ganson's medium is a feeling or idea inspired by the world he perceives around him – from the delicate fluttering of paper to the sheer scale of the universe. Combining engineering genius with whimsical choreography, he creates machines to encode those ideas into the physical world. But he invites everyone to draw their own conclusions on the meaning behind the subtle gestures of the machines.Currently on display are a select group of Arthur Ganson's works from our MIT Museum Collection. We expect to exhibit his work in large numbers in the future.

How can you investigate something you cannot see?The challenge of understanding the unknown motivates scientists today, just as it has inspired curious people for centuries.Using material from the Allen Forbes Collection, this exhibit traces the scientific process of observing, measuring, and describing that turned whales from monsters into mammals.Using prints from the sixteenth through the nineteenth centuries, Monsters of the Deep examines how European knowledge about the creatures of the sea was informed by new information from sailors, scholars, and beachcombers, and how that knowledge transformed what people understood about the natural world.Want a closer look at what we have on view? You can explore digitized versions of exhibition objects here.On view through January 2026.

Hiroshi Ishii and the Tangible Media Group at the MIT Media Lab have pioneered new ways for people to interact with computers, with the invention of the “tangible user interface.”It began with a vision of "Tangible Bits," where users can manipulate ordinary physical objects to access digital information. It evolved into a bolder vision of "Radical Atoms," where materials can change form and reconfigure themselves just as pixels can on a screen. This experimental exhibit of three iconic works — SandScape, inFORM, and TRANSFORM — is part of the MIT Museum's ongoing efforts to collect the physical machines as well as preserve the user experience of, in Ishii's words, making atoms dance.Learn more about the exhibits here, or watch the YouTube video of Hiroshi Ishii's talk at the MIT Museum below.This is an ongoing exhibition in our MIT Collects exhibition.

Janet Echelman's Remembering the Future widens our perspective in time, giving sculptural form to the history of the Earth's climate from the last ice age to the present moment, and then branching out to visualize multiple potential futures.Constructed from colored twines and ropes that are braided, knotted and hand-spliced to create a three-dimensional form, the immersive artwork greets you with its grand scale presiding over the MIT Museum lobby.This large-scale installation by 2022-2024 MIT Distinguished Visiting Artist Janet Echelman, was developed during her residency at the MIT Center for Art, Science & Technology (CAST). Architect, engineer and MIT Associate Professor Caitlin Mueller collaborated on the development of the piece.The title, Remembering the Future was inspired by the writings commonly attributed to Søren Kierkegaard: "The most painful state of being is remembering the future, particularly the one you'll never have."As the culmination of three years of dedicated research and collaboration, this site-specific installation explores Earth's climate timeline, translating historical records and possible futures into sculptural form.Echelman's climate research for this project was guided by Professor Raffaele Ferrari and the MIT Lorenz Center, creators of En-ROADS simulator which uses current climate data and modeling to visualize the impact of environmental policies and actions on energy systems.Learn more about Janet Echelman and the MIT Museum x CAST Collaboration.Learn more about the exhibition at the MIT Museum.

Ten minutes for your mind@2:50 every day at 2:50 pm in multiple time zones:Europa@2:50, EET, Athens, Helsinki (UTC+2) (7:50 am EST) https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88298032734Atlantica@2:50, EST, New York, Toronto (UTC-4) https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85349851047Pacifica@2:50, PST, Los Angeles, Vancouver (UTC=7) (5:50 pm EST) https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85743543699Almost everything works better again if you unplug it for a bit, including your mind. Stop by and unplug. Get the benefits of mindfulness without the fuss.@2:50 meets at the same time every single day for ten minutes of quiet together.No pre-requisite, no registration needed.Visit the website to view all @2:50 time zones each day.at250.org or at250.mit.edu

Talk Title: Seeing “How”Abstract: TBDBio: Chaz Firestone is Associate Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Johns Hopkins University, where he is also appointed in the Department of Philosophy and the Department of Cognitive Science. At JHU, he directs the Perception and Mind Lab, an interdisciplinary group of researchers studying how we see, how we think, and especially how these processes interact.https://perception.jhu.eduFollowed by a reception with food and drink in 3rd floor atrium

Louise Laage (Georgetown University)

In 2020 Coloradoans narrowly passed a referendum to reintroduce wolves. Where many people saw benefits, some livestock producers saw a dismal future with a predator that was extirpated more than 80 years ago. Researchers and educators at Colorado State University formed the Center for Human-Carnivore Coexistence to facilitate finding and distributing solutions. For livestock producers, the team successfully conducted new research and leveraged lessons from other western states where wolves were reintroduced over 25 years earlier. Despite these efforts, and those from the state and other supporters, wolf reintroduction fostered distrust among many producers. Dr. Hoag, a professor of resource and agricultural economics at Colorado State University, will discuss his research and experiences with state wildlife agencies and livestock producers to tell this interesting story about how reintroduction has unfolded.Join Professor Dana Hoag, a J-WAFS Visiting Scholar, for this seminar to learn more on Thursday, November 13 at 4 p.m. ET. The seminar is open to the MIT community as well as community members from surrounding academic institutions. Registration is required. Click the button below to register now.

Suraj Malladi Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management

Prisoner No. 626710 is Present (2023), 60 minutes. | Lalit Vachani (director)Introduction by Sana Aiyar (History)Topic: Citizenship Laws in India, Student Activism, Coming of AgeOn September 13, 2020, Umar Khalid, a charismatic student leader who recently finished his PhD at India’s prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University, was arrested under the draconian UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) – a law that designates individuals as terrorists and allows the Indian state to imprison people without due process. His crime? As an Indian Muslim, he had dared to protest against the new citizenship law that the Indian state was trying to impose on its people.Using found footage of his past speeches along with a forensic analysis of how he was framed by the right-wing, Hindu nationalist media, Umar Khalid’s close friends Banojyotsna Lahiri and Shuddhabrata Sengupta reconstruct the chronology of events that led to his tragic imprisonment. There have been 15 bail hearing adjournments. His case has not yet come up for trial. He and his friends still await a fair hearing in court.Cinema at the Nexus is an institute-wide film series showcasing films/documentaries that grapple with pressing issues of our day aiming to make some sense of what we are experiencing today.Other events in the series:Cinema at the Nexus: "The Cost of AI" | Introduction by Eric Robsky Huntley, October 27Cinema at the Nexus: Citizenfour | Introduction by Mariel Garcia-Montes (HASTS) and Michelle Spektor (SERC), November 4Supported by the SHASS Dean’s grant, hosted by the MIT Libraries.Pizza and light refreshments will be served.

A series of talks on OR-related topics. For more information see: https://orc.mit.edu/seminars-events/

Speaker: Yonghwan Kim (MIT)

Bissera V. Pentcheva, Stanford University The Pursuit of Heights: Romanesque Architecture, Aquitanian Notation, and the Office of Sainte-Foy at Conques Presented with the HTC Forum Part of the MIT Fall 2025 Architecture Lecture Series.With rare exceptions medieval art is predominantly studied through the visual and textual, even though it was originally designed to be experienced in the temporal medium of sound: chant, recitation, prayer. In character, medieval art resembles other more recent multi-media art forms such as opera and film. I draw inspiration from the latter, especially in the concept of AudioVision introduced by the composer and film scholar Michel Chion. My work on Hagia Sophia and the interaction of architecture, acoustics, and chant, has helped articulate this new direction of studies in the audiovisuality of premodern art.A few sites offer unique richness of artistic media–architecture, sculpture, music, poetry – that have survived by serendipity but were originally designed to be experienced simultaneously. This medieval archive was meant to double as a repertoire. The monastery of Sainte-Foy at Conques offers one such example: it boasts the ninth-century golden statue of its eponymous saint, which is considered the earliest extant three-dimensional sculpture in the post-Classical Latin West. Its Romanesque church harkens back to the 1040s and together with the relief sculpture of the 1060s-1115 offers the stage for the liturgical performance. Finally and most importantly for this study, the monastery preserves a medieval Office (festal liturgy) designed in the eleventh century at Conques for the patron Sainte-Foy and intended to be performed across a long duration (from vespers on the eve of the feast, throughout the night and then the day of the feast finishing at compline). The Office is transmitted in two medieval MSS (Paris, BnF, MS Lat 1240 and NAL 443) dated to fourth quarter of the eleventh century. Musicologist have largely ignored this medieval repertoire. The project “EnChanted Images” I direct at Stanford University (http: enchantedimages.stanford.edu) has brought this medieval repertoire to the attention of both scholars and performers. Laura Steenberge, a composer and member of the team, has transcribed the Office from the medieval MSS. I had translated the Latin lyrics and have engaged in audiovisual analysis, exploring how the chants and the acoustics of Conques shaped the perception of the saint at Conques.The focus of my talk is on the phenomenon of the pursuit of height. I will trace it in the architecture at Conques that expands the interior volume by building in height; in the hearing of harmonics during the singing of the psalmody; in the development of the Aquitanian music notation (in which the Conques Office is written) that records pitch as height; in the stacking of the sculptural program; and in the melodic design of the chants. I will argue that audiovision activates a series of images in the imagination of the participants which layer over the architectural space and the material objects. These “icons of sound” lack material density and invite us to consider the role of sound in shaping the experience of the metaphysical. In turn, the principle of en-figuring the divine aniconicly through the voice and in the imagination of the participants reveals parallels with Islamic art and invites a dialogue in the study of the two traditions.BioBissera V. Pentcheva is the Victoria and Roger Sant professor of Art at Stanford University. Her innovative work focuses on the interaction of art, architecture, and music in medieval art. She has published three books with Pennsylvania State University Press: Icons and Power: The Mother of God in Byzantium, 2006 (received the Nicholas Brown Prize of the Medieval Academy of America, 2010), The Sensual Icon: Space, Ritual, and the Senses in Byzantium, 2010, and Hagia Sophia: Sound, Space and Spirit in Byzantium, 2017 (received the 2018 American Academy of Religion Award in excellence in historical studies). She has edited two volumes: Aural Architecture in Byzantium: Music, Acoustics, and Ritual, Ashgate 2018 and Icons of Sound: Architecture, Music and Imagination in Medieval Art, Routledge, Routledge 2020. Her work is informed by anthropology, music, and phenomenology, placing the attention on the changing appearance of objects and architectural spaces. She relies on film to capture this temporal animation stirred by candlelight. Another important strand of her work engages the sonic envelope of the visual--music and acoustics--and employs auralizations that digitally imprint the performance of chant with the acoustic signature of the specific interior for which it was composed. Her current book project explores the art and music of Ste. Foy at Conques. Pentcheva's research has been supported by a number of prestigious fellowships: Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin (2018-2019), J. S. Guggenheim (2017-2018), American Academy in Rome (2017-2018), Mellon New Directions (2010-2012), Humboldt (2006-2009) and a Dumbarton Oaks Junior Fellowship (2000-2001).This lecture will be held in person in Long Lounge, 7-429 and streamed online on YouTube.Lectures are free and open to the public. Lectures will be held Thursdays at 6 PM ET in 7-429 (Long Lounge) and streamed online unless otherwise noted. HTC Forum events are made possible with the generous support of Thomas Beischer through the Lipstadt-Stieber Fund.

Silent Meditation in the Chapel on Thursdays 6-8pm, open to everyone in the MIT Community. Some sessions include Guided Meditation at 6:30pm.

Time: 7:00 PM ET (4:00 PM PT)Location: Pasadena, CA