Campus Events

Part of America 250 at Penn programming, this exhibit explores the overlooked yet essential role of nurses during the American Revolution, whose vital work helped shape early American healthcare. It challenges the widespread belief that nursing began in the 19th century with Florence Nightingale by providing rare evidence of a world of nursing and caretaking that thrived before, during, and after the American Revolution. Free and open to the Penn community.

This exhibition, on view in the Annenberg Center lobby and curated by the Arthur Ross Gallery inaugural faculty director Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw, will present a selection of recent paintings by Penn alum Allison Zuckerman that exemplify her exuberant, layered approach to image-making. Using paint and collage, Zuckerman creates densely constructed compositions that draw from art history, popular culture, and the internet. Her paintings celebrate the history of the image-making medium while reimagining who has the power to shape its future. Free and open to the public.

Participants of all ages and backgrounds are invited to this Common Press workshop to print a copy of the Declaration of Independence. The composition will be set in Caslon metal type and ready to print on the studio’s 1889 cast-iron handpress. These hour-long demonstrations are part of America 250 at Penn programming. Groups of up to 20 people are welcome. Reserve a time slot.

The Arthur Ross Gallery’s fall exhibition, “At Liberty: Life in the City of Brotherly Love During the Early Republic,” will explore Philadelphia during the nation’s formative years through paintings, sculptures, and works on paper drawn from major regional and national collections. The exhibition is curated by Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw, inaugural faculty director of the Arthur Ross Gallery, and will include images of the era made to celebrate important national anniversaries, such as the marking of America’s 150th in 1926, through to the present moment. Free and open to the public.

From Aug. 29th through Dec. 13th, Penn students will offer comprehensive tours of the Arthur Ross Gallery’s fall exhibit “At Liberty: Life in the City of Brotherly Love During the Early Republic.” Visitors are invited to explore, ask questions, and connect with the history of Philadelphia through the Revolutionary social landscape. Tours are offered on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the run of the show on Wednesdays from 4:00-6:00 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00-3:00 p.m. The tours are limited to groups of 10. Free and open to the public. No preregistration is required.

This exhibition explores the history behind what was often a fraught relationship between women students and scholars and Penn faculty and administration. It highlights how women moved beyond earlier stereotypes to integrate themselves into all academic and professional disciplines, including all aspects of University life. From early memorabilia and photographs of women on campus to athletics, literary journals, and community work, the vast and ongoing influence of women on the evolution of the University will be on display. Free and open to the public.

The Weitzman Fall 2026 Lecture Series offers perspective on some of the most pressing issues facing built environment professionals, cultural leaders, and policymakers today. Spanning over 25 events, the series welcomes more than 40 designers, artists, scholars, and policymakers from the U.S. and abroad who are tackling sociocultural and environmental issues. Free and open to the public. Registration is required for some events.

The Burrison Art Gallery presents “Beyond Exactitude: Works by Rob Mooij,” curated by Andreea Dimofte. A retired physicist, Mooij finds beauty in those aspects of the world allowing for exact description. Inspired by artists like Soutine, Vuillard, Auerbach, and Ann Gale, he embraces portraiture and landscapes, and is experimenting with abstraction. The Gallery, located adjacent to the dining room on the 2nd floor of the Inn at Penn, features monthly exhibitions and member receptions. Free and open to the Penn community.

Led by Sarah Guérin of Penn’s History of Art Department, these welcoming, all-levels sessions offer participants an opportunity to fully inhabit their body while surrounded by art. No prior yoga experience is necessary. Attendees should bring their own yoga mat and wear comfortable clothes. Registration is available for multiple sessions or drop-inss, and is required for each session. Space is limited.

For this installment in the Institute of Contemporary Arts’s “Entryways” project series, the vividly-colored, abstract work of artist Saif Azzuz—a member of the Yurok Tribe, whose ancestral lands are located in present-day northern California—will fill ICA’s Sansom Street-facing windows. The project—informed by research into the natural history of Philadelphia—and its placement on the ICA building exterior is designed to prompt conversations about how communities and the natural environment can support each other. The ICA’s gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with extended evening hours on Thursday until 8:00 p.m. Free and open to the public.

This group-exhibition project, developed by Zairong Xiang of Duke Kunshan University in Shanghai and Denise Ryner of the University of Pennsylvania, focuses on historical and social circumstances of solidarity as a process through artistic investigations of primarily Black, African, and Chinese diasporic and economic networks. The exhibit will feature the work of nine artists—representing the Caribbean, South Pacific, West Africa, Taiwan, China, and the U.S.—including video projections, installations, prints, and archival reproductions. The ICA’s gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with extended evening hours on Thursday until 8:00 p.m. Free and open to the public.

In the inaugural iteration of the Institute of Contemporary Art’s new research residency program, interdisciplinary artist Wilmer Wilson IV will explore how squirrels can reflect shifting ideals of American behavior and belonging. Wilson will follow the squirrel across a range of overlooked cultural and political histories—such as Benjamin Franklin’s rodent diplomat Mungo to the recent viral controversies of TikTok star Peanut—and will examine how categories such as “pet,” “pest,” and “wildlife” produce hierarchies of care, visibility, and disposability. The ICA’s gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with extended evening hours on Thursday until 8:00 p.m. Free and open to the public.

Waste Scenes is a two-channel video created by artists Maia Chao and Fred Schmidt-Arenales during the Philadelphia-based Recycled Artist in Residency. Working inside an active recycling center, they built short, performative vignettes choreographed by various materials including discarded books and old tapes found on site. Through episodic narration, Schmidt-Arenales and Chao reinterpret material decomposition to encourage recognition of the throwaway culture of contemporary America. The ICA’s gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with extended evening hours on Thursday until 8:00 p.m. Free and open to the public.

The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation will host a series of information sessions during the month of October to review our 2027 grant opportunities. Applicants are encouraged to attend for a chance to learn about each opportunity in discussion with Sachs Program staff and previous grantees. Sachs Program 2027 grant cycle information sessions will be held in the Annenberg Center lobby on the following dates. Each session is scheduled from 12:00-1:30 p.m.

Presented by the Sachs Program for Arts Innovation and Penn Live Arts in partnership with Sruti, Philadelphia’s Indian Music and Dance Society, “Chrysalis” is an exhibition of paintings by artist Pragya Gupta, whose work explores the tension between the selves we construct and the more intimate parts of ourselves that can be harder to hear. This exhibition features a new series of tetraptychs (four-paneled artworks) alongside Gupta’s earlier works that trace the evolution of this inquiry. Free and open to the public. Registration is requested but not required to attend.

This exhibition, curated by Penn Libraries’ Sean Quimby and Samantha Hill—along with Penn Chaplain Chaz Howard and Philadelphia-based art director Eric Battle—traces the evolution of Black characters and creators through the history of comic books in America. Through iconic characters such as Lion Man, Black Panther, Storm, Luke Cage, and Miles Morales, and by examining the parallel journeys of the creators behind these stories, the exhibition invites visitors to consider the power of representation and question who gets to be a hero—and why it matters. Free and open to the public.

The Manuscript Studies Interest Group (MSIG) is a regular meeting for people who want to get up close and personal with a variety of handwritten objects and explore the diversity of manuscript traditions from across time periods and geographical areas. This MSIG program will investigate historical fashion from around the world. Free and open to the public. Register to attend.

This reception will mark the opening of “Chrysalis,” an exhibition of paintings by artist Pragya Gupta, whose work explores the tension between the selves we construct and the more intimate parts of ourselves that can be harder to hear. Free and open to the public. Registration is requested but not required to attend.

Allison Hoffman, William Maul Measey Professor of Law at Penn Carey Law, will moderate a conversation between Shauhin Talesh, professor of law at the University of California, Irvine, Tom Baker, Henry R. Silverman Professor of Law at Penn Carey Law, and Mark Greisiger, president of NetDiligence, about policy recommendations for how insurers and governments can work together to improve cybersecurity and foster algorithmic justice. Free and open to the public. CLE credits available. Register to attend.

Emmy-winning television host, writer, and editor Christian Cooper will join Penn Chaplain and exhibit co-curator Chaz Howard for a wide-ranging conversation about race and representation in American comics to mark the launch of the Penn Libraries exhibition, “The Black Hero’s Journey.” Free and open to the public. Register to attend.

This talk featuring Vishal Mahadevia, co-chair of Penn’s Center for the Advance Study of India’s International Advisory Board, and Regina Abrami, Chang Sun Term Professor and faculty director of the Global Program and Strategic Initiatives, Lauder Institute of Management and International Studies at Penn, examines how India’s early liberalization transformed its trade and the performance of its corporate sector, and what this new era of rising protectionism means for India at this turning point. A reception will follow the lecture. Free and open to the public. Register to attend.

Australian contemporary circus company, Gravity & Other Myths, debuts in Philadelphia with its acclaimed hit, “Ten Thousand Hours.” Accompanied by live percussion, eight acrobats blend physicality with comedy in this performance tribute to the time, effort, and dedication it takes to hone a skill. After a sold-out run at Edinburgh Festival Fringe with a host of five-star reviews, this group honors the human body and the extraordinary things it can do. Students receive a discount with Penn ID.

The Penn Learning Network (PLN) Fall Symposium is an annual gathering of educators, school and district leaders, and higher education professionals, exploring a timely theme through the lens of research, practice, and collaboration. This year’s theme, Future Ready, asks what it means to prepare learners for a rapidly evolving world between AI, changing workforce demands, and increasingly complex educational settings. Free and open to the public; geared toward classroom teachers, instructional coaches, school or district leaders, and higher education professionals. ACT 48 credits available for in-person attendees only. Registration is required.

With the race to select the 10th United Nations Secretary-General underway, Perry World House will host a virtual roundtable bringing together experts to discuss the most pressing issues across the UN’s core pillars: peace and security, development, and human rights. The discussion will focus on the top priorities the incoming Secretary-General must confront from day one, the reforms needed to restore trust and effectiveness across the UN system, and the openings this moment of crisis creates for more innovative and accountable global leadership. Free and open to the public. Register to attend.

The Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing, in collaboration with the McNeil Center for Early American Studies, welcomes nurse and nursing history collector Chris Foard and historian Meg E. Roberts. Foard will share rare archival documents and objects from his personal collection of Revolutionary War nursing materials with participants in this hybrid seminar. Lunch will be provided for in-person attendees. Free and open to the public. Register to attend.

Marcia Chatelain, acclaimed scholar and Penn Presidential Compact Professor of Africana Studies, will discuss her new book, “How Bright the Path Grows,” illuminating the stories of the Black women who helped organize and lead the March on Washington in 1963 during the U.S. civil rights movement. Free and open to the public. Register to attend.

Penn alum Roopika Risam, professor of digital humanities and social engagement at Dartmouth College, explores how histories of race, empire, and technology shape the modern world. “Data Empire,” her most recent book, reveals the hidden history of information as a technology of power. Spanning from the first written records in ancient Mesopotamia to today’s algorithmic systems, Risam shows how data has long shaped who counts, who belongs, and who can be governed—and why understanding that history is essential to navigating the age of AI. Free and open to the public. Register to attend.

Penn’s Department of Music will host a presentation and panel discussion marking the publication of “Defending the Music: Michael Steinberg at the Boston Globe (1964–1976),” co-edited by Penn graduate student in historical musicology Jacob Jahiel alongside Susan Feder and Marc Mandel. This program, free and open to the public, will examine the evolving place of music criticism in contemporary culture as the conversation shifts from traditional newspapers to digital platforms, podcasts, newsletters, and social media. The event will be followed by a reception with light refreshments.

This launch event for the Schlein Center for Cybersecurity is themed “Cybersecurity at the Crossroads: Technology, Security, and Society in the Age of AI.” Speakers include Penn President J. Larry Jameson; Ted Schlein, chairman and general partner of Ballistic Ventures and Trustee of the University of Pennsylvania; Vijay Kumar, Nemirovsky Family Dean and Professor at Penn Engineering; Michael Hicks, Cecilia Fitler Moore Professor, Computer and Information Science and director of the Schlein Center for Cybersecurity at Penn Engineering, and others. Free and open to the Penn community. Register to attend.

The 2026 Annenberg Lecture will feature a conversation between Columbia University professor Timothy Wu and Annenberg School for Communication professor Victor Pickard. The annual Annenberg Lecture, hosted by the Annenberg School and the Annenberg Public Policy Center, brings to Penn leaders in academia, politics, public policy, or the media. The program will include opening and closing receptions. Free and open to the Penn community. Register to attend.

Inspired by her experiences on a 2008 Penn summer archaeology dig in Greece, Penn alumna Kate Myers’s national bestselling novel “Excavations” is now a comedy TV series, “Dig,” soon to air on Peacock, starring Amy Poehler and Hugh Laurie. The author will reflect on the archaeological fieldwork that shaped her novel and its journey from page to screen. The program will include an introduction by Provost John L. Jackson, Jr., a moderated conversation with Williams Director of the Penn Museum Christopher Woods, an audience Q&A, and a book signing. Open to the public. Free with Penn ID. For those without a Penn ID, in-person tickets are $10 and virtual tickets are $5.

So-Rim Lee, a Korea Foundation Assistant Professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at Penn, will discuss her new book “Remedying the Body: Plastic Surgery and the Politics of Embodiment in Korea.” Pulling together archival and cultural materials from the 1950s to the 2020s, Lee will frame Korea as a paradigmatic example to reimagine coalitional ways of surviving a world governed by oppressive bodily norms. A reception will follow. Free and open to the public.

This free screening of award-winning filmmaker Rita Coburn’s documentary “W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With A Cause,” which is part of PBS’s American Masters series, will give attendees an opportunity to learn more about Du Bois’s life and legacy as a writer, historian, and civil rights activist. Provost John L. Jackson, Jr. will provide opening remarks, which will be followed by a 40-minute excerpt from the film and subsequent Q&A session. Open to the public.

In conjunction with the Arthur Ross Gallery’s “At Liberty” exhibit, Philadelphia-based artist Eileen Neff traces the evolution of an ongoing photographic project framed by the conversation surrounding natural habitat dioramas. Her research extends to the collections featured in the natural history museum of Charles Willson Peale—whose legacy figures prominently in “At Liberty”—and where Neff has observed a troubled balance between the impulses of conservation and exploitation. Free and open to the public. Register to attend.

During the Penn Law Review’s annual symposium, leading scholars and practitioners will discuss the implications of recent Supreme Court decisions on administrative law, as well as actions of the current administration in Washington, D.C., examining issues such as agency autonomy in the wake of Trump v. Slaughter, rebuilding trust in the administrative state, and the future of administrative agencies, administrative procedure, and judicial review. Free and open to the public. CLE credits available. Register by Oct. 19 to attend in person. Register by Oct. 22 to attend virtually.

The Penn Department of Cinema & Media Studies will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its Penn Cinema & Media Pioneers conference. Alumni, faculty, and students will discuss their careers in film and media. Friday, Oct. 23 will entail an undergraduate workshop and mixer from 4:30-6:00 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 will feature a daylong conference from 9:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., followed by a closing reception between 5:00-6:00 p.m. Free and open to the public. No registration is required.

This panel, hosted by Penn’s Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, will examine the evolving GLP-1 policy landscape, with a focus on cost, access, and health system-wide implications related to Medicare, Medicaid, private insurers, and patients and their families. Free and open to the public. Register to attend.

SAS Commons engages students, scholars, and the public with the goal of exploring a single theme across the arts and sciences over a two-year period. Ahead of the U.S. midterm elections and aligned with the 2026–28 theme “Democracy and Knowledge,” this wide-ranging discussion—featuring Penn faculty and guest speakers—will focus on the mathematical foundations of democracy, from districting and electoral maps to voting itself. Free and open to the public.

Día de los Muertos dates back 3,000 years to pre-Columbian Mesoamerica and is observed across Latin America and in Latine communities worldwide. Participants will explore the unique history, traditions, and expressions of this celebration of life and death. Hosted by the Penn Museum, this family-friendly festival includes an arts activity, dance and music performances, an artisan market, and a traditional ofrenda (altar) installation. Free with Penn ID.

Attendees will join an experienced garden educator in discovering and identifying the Mid-Atlantic oaks in the Morris Arboretum & Gardens’ extensive collection. Participants will learn how to differentiate between local oaks and explore the acorn variety of different trees. Meet at the Welcome Center. Free with Penn ID.

Attendees will enjoy a night of music with the Penn Symphony Orchestra, including Rimsky-Korsakov's Russian Easter Festival and Scheherazade. The ensemble, founded in 1878 and led by Thomas Hong, is comprised of musicians from across the Penn community. Free and open to the public.

Rebecca Branconi, founder and coordinator of ZARATAN Marine Research and Higher Education Center, and teaching assistant professor at Pennsylvania State University, will discuss how climate-driven habitat changes affect the complex social lives of reef fish. Organized by Penn Climate, this program is free and open to the public. Register to attend.

Hosted by the McNeil Center for Early American Studies, Andrew Shankman, professor of history at Rutgers University–Camden, will present the first lecture in the Benjamin Franklin Distinguished Lecture Series, “Most Indubitable Features of the Revolution: Some Thoughts About 1776 in 2026.” Free and open to the public. Register to attend.

Wellness at Penn will host free STI testing in their medical care office. Testing will be for syphilis, HIV, chlamydia, and gonorrhea, and will not be submitted through any insurance; Wellness at Penn will cover the full cost. Testing times will be Oct. 27 from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Oct. 28 from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; and Oct. 29 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. To schedule an appointment, call 215-746-WELL (ext. 9355). Online scheduling will be available closer to the event.

Political and health communication scholar Dhavan Shah will speak on AI opinion simulation in political and health communication research, focused on the influence of mass media, interpersonal communication, and digital media on AI-related social judgments, political engagement, and health support. Free and open to the public. Register to attend.

Hosted by the McNeil Center for Early American Studies, Carol Soltis, project associate curator of American art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, will present the second lecture in the Benjamin Franklin Distinguished Lecture Series, “Re-imagining Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin West’s Celebration of an American Patriot.” Free and open to the public. Register to attend.