Campus Events

A new exhibition curated by students in Penn's School of Arts & Sciences will explore the deep human history associated with the color blue. Into the Blue will span 4,000 years—displaying 20 objects from across the Penn Museum’s collections, including select artifacts from the Middle East, China, Africa, ancient Egypt, and Central America. The exhibition will examine three themes: Obtaining Blue, Making Blue, and Synthesizing Blue. On view through spring 2026. Included with Museum admission.

This exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Art marks the first major museum survey dedicated to the work and life of Jamaican-born artist Mavis Pusey (1928-2019), an important figure in geometric abstraction, featuring over 60 artworks from her prolific 50-year career.

This exhibition continues the collaboration between ICA and New York-based textile studio Maharam, which invites artists to reimagine the windows of ICA’s façade. For the 2025-26 edition, Philadelphia-based artist Xenobia Bailey created a design that reflects her “Funktional” aesthetic and rooted in her decades-long fiber arts practice.

Hung Liu was a Chinese-born American contemporary artist whose work spanned painting, mixed-media, and site-specific installations. Liu, who came of age during the era of Mao Zedong, was trained as an artist in the official Socialist Realist style. Happy and Gay is a traveling exhibition that presents a selection of Liu’s works from 2011-2013.

Focusing on the work of the Midwestern Contre Coup Press, and founded as the passion project of psychologist and self-taught printer Timothy Hawley, this Penn Libraries exhibit reveals the craftsmanship and creativity behind modern bookmaking. Free and open to the public.

Speakers in the Weitzman Fall 2025 Lecture Series offer perspective on some of the most pressing issues facing built environment professionals, cultural leaders, and policymakers today. Spanning more than 20 events, the series will explore the theme of adaptive reuse in various contexts. Free and open to the public. Registration is required for some events.

Visitors can view a selection of posters by Penn alumnus Sam Maitin, whose signature bold colors and playful forms created the backdrop for artistic and civic life in Philadelphia for decades. Free and open to the public.

Celebrated for their signature blend of roots, blues, indie rockers, and singer-songwriters, the outdoor XPoNential Music Festival features WXPN’s “impeccably curated” mix of established, emerging, and local artists. WXPN, a nationally recognized leader in Triple A radio, is the public radio service of the University of Pennsylvania. WXPN members receive up to a 50% discount on festival tickets.

Hope Harvey, assistant professor of public policy at the University of Kentucky, will present “Doubled Up: Shared Households and the Precarious Lives of Families,” focused on her research into the experiences of families with children who live doubled-up in shared households.

“Hafu” follows the lives of five “hafus,” the Japanese term for people who are half-Japanese. Through a film screening and Q&A with co-director Megumi Nishikura, attendees will explore the intricacies of mixed-race Japanese people and their multicultural experience in modern day Japan.

Penn students will discover how the library can fuel imagination. Participants will explore makerspaces, digital tools, and creative resources that support innovative thinking, learning, and problem-solving.

Nimo Patel—Penn alumnus and founder of Empty Hands Music—will share his experiences with supporting underserved populations through music, dance, and community empowerment initiatives. Attendees will learn how the performing arts can foster unity and empower the next generation of changemakers. Register to attend.

Monique Dowd, assistant practice professor of nutrition science and assistant director of undergraduate nutrition programs, will share a presentation about the value of food as medicine through a cultural lens. Attendees can then browse the career fair to network with local community health professionals and learn more about working in community health centers. Register by Sept. 12 to attend.

PAC Con is an annual, multi-day gathering—hosted by the Platt Student Performing Arts House—for performing arts groups to learn, share, and build community. Programming features informational and topical sessions led by arts-related centers and departments across campus.

This webinar, hosted by Lucy Fowler Williams, associate curator and Jeremy Sabloff Senior Keeper of American Collections at the Penn Museum, will highlight the new Native North America Gallery currently in development (opening November 2025). The talk will explore stewardship and repatriation, traditional and contemporary Indigenous art, and Tribal sovereignty to amplify the knowledge, resilience, and activism of Native American communities across the country. Register to attend.

This session of Wharton’s AI Horizons webinar series will explore how AI shapes the quality and diversity of creative ideas—and what this means for innovation across industries. The panel will discuss both the opportunities AI creates for expanding creative possibilities and the potential risks of narrowing idea diversity. Free and open to the public. Register to attend.

Perry World House will host a conversation with President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of Namibia, who began her term in March 2025. The second woman to be elected president in Africa, and the first in Namibia, President Nandi-Ndaitwah will speak with the Penn community about her commitment to democracy, gender equality, improved governance, and economic growth. Register to attend.

Penn employees are invited to join this virtual information session to learn how to make the most of their employee tuition benefits by taking classes—or earning a degree—with the College of Liberal and Professional Studies. Register to attend.

Penn students will learn effective AI prompt writing and visual content creation for college projects in this hands-on workshop covering ChatGPT techniques, AI art generation, and ethical AI use in academic settings. This session includes hands-on demonstrations and interactive ChatGPT activities. Register to attend.

This interactive session—part of the AI Principles & Practices Series, supported by the Draw Down the Lightning grant initiative—will explore ways to support student education by integrating AI into teaching, setting expectations, and encouraging open dialogue around student AI use. This workshop is ideal for faculty and instructional staff who have a basic understanding of generative AI tools. Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop. Refreshments will be provided. Register to attend.

Students, faculty, and staff are invited to celebrate the start of fall at the Greenfield Intercultural Center’s Intercultural Dessert Fest. Attendees will have an opportunity to connect with fellow students, enjoy delicious desserts from around the world, and celebrate the rich diversity of the Penn community.

Hosted by the Center for the Advanced Study of India and Perry World House, Navroz K. Dubash, Professor of Public and International Affairs and the High Meadows Environmental Institute at Princeton, will examine the slow “domestication” of climate change in India through narrative shifts, institutional embedding, strategic direction setting, and geopolitical alignment. Register to attend.

Conversations about computer-generated text often omit the long history of work in this area, instead focusing on the launch of ChatGPT in 2022. A panel of editors of and contributors to the anthology, “Output: An Anthology of Computer-Generated Text, 1953–2023,” will discuss, contextualize, and celebrate milestones in generation systems and software over seven decades. Register to attend.

This university-wide career fair will feature a range of employers representing the biosciences, including opportunities to meet recruiters and Penn alumni in different biosciences fields. Attendees can learn more about internships, full-time jobs, or connect and network with employers of interest. Register to attend.

In this workshop, participants will learn to use basic wood engraving tools to practice a range of mark-making strategies and produce a sampler. Then, attendees will have the opportunity to begin a block of their own design. Participants should come prepared with a simple 2”x2” drawing, design, photograph, or letterform to work from. Register to attend.

This celebration commemorates the launch of the Center for Analysis of Archaeological Materials curriculum and research facilities and its achievements over the last 10 years. Attendees will learn how laboratory-based analysis opens exciting new vistas into the everyday lives of people in the past.

Penn students, faculty, and staff are invited to celebrate the arrival of fall at Houston Hall! The annual Porch Party will feature fall-themed festive treats, crafts, and giveaways.

Participants in this Morris Arboretum & Gardens program will say goodbye to migrating butterflies and hummingbirds with songs, poems, and crafts—and welcome the autumn season. Free with Penn ID.

Participants will engage in a discussion of Toni Morrison’s “Beloved” with Herman Beavers, Julie Beren Platt and Marc E. Platt President’s Distinguished Professor of English and Africana Studies. Register to attend.

In May, the Pandemic Agreement was adopted at the World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization, aspiring to improve global cooperation in pandemic preparedness. Meanwhile, infectious diseases like avian influenza and West Nile virus pose threats to public health. Perry World House will host an expert panel on these evolving risks and what should be done to address them. Free and open to the Penn community. Register to attend.

During this Penn Science Café, Michael Weisberg, Bess W. Heyman President's Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, will discuss how communities affected by rising waters are coping with the realities of climate change. Meanwhile, Mantha Zarmakoupi, Morris Russell and Josephine Chidsey Williams Asst Professor in Roman Architecture, will share what underwater exploration can teach us about ancient cultures. Free and open to the Penn community. Refreshments will be provided. Register to attend.

A panel of Penn alumni journalists, writers, and editors will discuss media-related career paths, internships, graduate school opportunities, and more. The conversation, organized and hosted by the Nora Magid Mentorship Prize Advisory Committee, will provide insight around preparing for first jobs and careers in print, broadcast and online media, publishing, and similar fields.

This session, designed for international students, those planning to study abroad, or students planning to do research in languages other than English, will provide an overview of Penn’s Global Collections. Participants will learn how to find resources across hundreds of languages at and beyond Penn. Geared toward speakers of any language, this session will be taught by librarians with different language skills. Register to attend.

This session, co-facilitated by the Weingarten Center and International Student and Scholar Services, will help attendees develop strategies to express themselves better in English and learn about language resources available at Penn. A Penn graduate ID is required.

This workshop introduces the concepts of health literacy and health communication, outlines components of clear health communication, and identifies online resources from the National Library of Medicine, government agencies, and other recognized resources for health literacy and health communication. Open to the Penn community. Register to attend.

This interactive workshop, hosted by the Environmental Innovations Initiative and led by award-winning author Jeff Golden, will explore why happiness has been declining for decades—and how reconnecting with presence, purpose, and community can help us heal both ourselves and the planet. This Climate Week at Penn event is free and open to the public.

Through the rich and varied Aristotelian materials held in the Penn Libraries' collections, this exhibit explores how perceptions of Aristotle have evolved over the centuries—across cultures, disciplines, and imaginations. Free and open to the public.

This panel will trace the legacy of student leadership and community-building that gave rise to the Asian Pacific Student Coalition, the Pan-Asian American Community House, and other vital API spaces at Penn. Featuring multiple Penn alumni, the conversation will highlight the collective efforts of students, faculty, and staff that have fueled API community-building on campus.

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and Penn Institute for Urban Research will host a discussion about community-driven efforts to make Philadelphia cleaner, greener, and safer for all. Panelists will address how non-profit leaders, community organizers, and researchers work to improve and maintain Philadelphia’s diverse public and underutilized spaces. Open to the public. Register for free tickets.

Join Fels Distinguished Fellow Joseph Pierce for a conversation with special guest Vaughn Ross, founder and principal of Rvesta Consulting. Ross served as the first deputy chief of staff to Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney from 2016-21. In his time with Mayor Kenney, he retained a portfolio of departments focused on economic development, including the department of Planning and Development; the Commerce Department; and the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability.

Visitors are invited to celebrate the opening of Reinventing Aristotle, a new exhibit exploring how perceptions of Aristotle have evolved over the centuries. The evening will conclude with a reception. Register to attend.

During this documentary screening and panel discussion, participants will learn more about Positioned for Success, a mentoring program launched by Penn students for Philadelphia middle schoolers and funded by a Penn Projects for Progress award. Open to the public. Register for free tickets.

Faculty, staff, postdocs, and their friends and family are invited to Shoemaker Green and historic Franklin Field for games, sports, ice skating, cultural activities, and more. Employees can order up to four free tickets for the 11:30 a.m. Tailgate Party and the 1:00 p.m. football game. Additional tickets are $8 each.

Penn students, faculty, and staff are invited to learn how to write autumn-related poetry and phrases in traditional calligraphy, as well as enjoy mooncakes, music, and social time.

Part of the Global Discovery Lecture Series in which Penn professors share innovative research, this lecture will feature Cam Grey, professor of classical studies in the School of Arts & Sciences, discussing what it means to “live with risk.” Grey will draw upon anecdotes from the (late) Roman world and present day. Open to the Penn community. Register to attend.

This annual Penn Libraries showcase will display new acquisitions from the past year by Kislak Center curators and colleagues. This is a drop-in event; registration is not required. Free and open to the public.

Ethnomusicologist and re-mastering engineer Christopher King will reflect on the pivotal role of migrant communities and early American record labels in the dissemination of Eastern Mediterranean music. Recordings from King’s collection of 78 rpm discs will be paired with a live musical performance. Registration is required for guests outside of the Penn community.

The U.S. Navy and the Marine Corps were founded in Philadelphia in 1775 and will mark their 250th anniversary in October 2025. To coincide with the anniversary, this conference will unite scholars of various periods of U.S. history to discuss the Navy and Marine Corps in their respective contexts.