MoMI Announces 2026 Season of Open Worlds: Science Programs

The Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) has announced the 2026 season of its Open Worlds: Science series, a free public program blending science, storytelling, and movies. Running from May through October, the series explores how scientific ideas shape everyday life through talks, screenings, performances, and hands-on activities.

Backed by the Simons Foundation’s Science, Society & Culture division, the program continues MoMI’s broader Open Worlds initiative, which turns the museum’s ground-floor space and courtyard into a public hub for free cultural and educational programming.

This year’s lineup spans topics that move fluidly between science and imagination—ranging from brain health and urban ecology to mycelium networks, alien contact, and the idea of infinity.

Kicking Off with Walking and Brain Health

The next event, New York Loves to Walk (May 30), opens the season with a mix of neuroscience, cinema, and a guided neighborhood walk. Psychologist Catherine Hartley (NYU) will discuss how novel experiences like walking unfamiliar routes can increase brain activity and support well-being. The program also includes a screening of The World Before Your Feet, followed by a community walk from MoMI to Socrates Sculpture Park.

A Season of Science-Inspired Experiences

The rest of the season continues with a wide range of interdisciplinary programs:

• June 20 – Signal from the Soil: A Day of Mycelium, Sound & Story
  Exploring plant and fungal communication through sound art, live performance, and workshops.
• July 18 – First Contact: Alien Encounters in Science and Fiction
  A mix of science writing, film analysis, and discussion on how humanity imagines extraterrestrial life.
• August 8 – ∞ Infinity Day
  A full-day celebration of mathematics, infinity, and the aesthetics of the universe.
• September 19 – Wild City
  A focus on New York’s urban wildlife, from coyotes to whales and peregrine falcons.
• October 16–18 – Alt.Ctrl Arcade
  A weekend of experimental video games using alternative controllers, alongside talks on creative coding and game design.

Science, Storytelling, and Public Space

Organized by MoMI’s public programming team, Open Worlds: Science is designed to make scientific thinking more accessible through cultural and cinematic experiences. Programs are free and take place at the museum in Astoria, with many events encouraging RSVP due to limited capacity.

By blending film, live discussion, and interactive experiences, MoMI continues to position science not as something distant or abstract, but as something embedded in daily life—from walking city streets to understanding the unseen systems of nature and the universe.

More details and reservations are available through the Museum of the Moving Image’s Open Worlds programming page here: https://movingimage.org/series/open-worlds-science-2026/