Our after-hours event is stacked with exciting ways to create connections, innovate creative processes, and participate in craft and culture. Hear from featured artists and work with local creators to explore the materials, concepts, and techniques found in the exhibitions. Round out the night with our always-on-point playlist, beverages, and bar bites provided by local businesses! MAKE invites you into the neon-bending process with exhibition-inspired activations developed by local artists and museum staff. Bask in your creative glow and connect to those around you through making!

Pre-registration is encouraged. All activities are free with admission.
Tickets: $10 for General Admission, $8 for Students and Seniors, MCD members FREE.

Cash/Square bar for guests 21+. Complimentary drink tickets for MCD members and sponsors. ID required. Non-alcoholic beverages and snack options are available. All ages are welcome!

**ACCESS HOUR**

For the first time, MAKE will open its doors at 4:30 PM. This early access hour is designed to prioritize access and inclusion in MCD’s public programs, specifically for members of the disability community, including those who are blind, low vision, and Autistic visitors.

Enjoy ‘Neon Revealed” and “Crossing Colors” MakeArt Activations, partake in a highly descriptive tour of the exhibition, and avoid the crowds as you craft to connect in a more sensory-friendly environment.

Pre-registration for Access Hour is encouraged, attendance is capped at 35 people, and the guided tour will start at 4:40pm. 

THIS MONTH’S MAKE ACTIVATIONS

Neon Revealed

Learn through touch and even make neon light up! Vince Koloski is a multimedia artist and former neon bender, once even bringing neon tubes to Burning Man! Explore neon through the eyes of an expert and build your appreciation for the neon works in MCD and beyond.

Crossing Colors

Alex Eppler of Vexed Industries plays with color, inviting you to create moving designs inspired by neon in motion. Light tables are used to create individual designs before being projected onto MCD’s walls using an analog projector.

Patterned Pyrography

Both patterns and heat are essential to neon work. Patterns guide benders as they melt glass tubes over the open flame. Heat melts glass, making the material less fragile and allowing the tubes to bend as gravity pulls them down.

Tanya Herrera facilitates a pyrography activation. Powered by heat, pyrography is the art of wood burning. Find inspiration in the neon on display or create your own pattern to follow!

Electric Buzzing Sculptures

NGC Karen combines art and engineering by creating kinetic sculptures. Embodying the sculptural aspect of neon, this activation invites you to create 3D art abuzz with electricity – the same current running through neon tubes

Luminous Letterforms

Inspired by the Philadelphia residency, calligraphy artist Jojo Liu invites you to use neon calligraphy ink to create a glowing mind map connecting your own ideas.

Neon Needlework

A well-made pattern is the crucial first step in neon bending. These paper maps indicate the length of glass tubes, weld points, and the location of electrical components. Artists place hot glass onto patterns to check their bends, leaving behind charred paper. Trade molten glass for embroidery thread and follow your paper pattern – no fire required!

Ghostly Light of Exhibitions Past

Our spooky Halloween craft combines the glow of neon tubes with the haunting of past exhibitions. Revisit a craft from Where Words Fail and find ghosts in vintage photo films to create a lit MAKE bracelet.

MCD MEMBERS

Make the most of your MCD Membership. This event is FREE for Members and members receive two complimentary drink tickets. Don’t forget to stop by the Museum Store on your way out and get your 10% off discount!

Not an MCD Member? Join today and get free and discounted tickets to MCD’s signature programs, events, tours, and more!