Our pop-up speakeasy
In 2024, LabX hosted a one-of-a-kind speakeasy to celebrate the National Academy of Sciences building's 100-year anniversary. So for four nights throughout the year, we transformed our illustrious Members Center into a pop-up speakeasy in full 1920s style!
Each night, we had a specialty cocktail, a surprise secret event for a select number of attendees, and a tour of our NAS Great Hall.
But of course, it wouldn't be a proper evening without a nightcap, so we had a distinguished speaker for every night of the event to give our audience insights into a topic of their choosing. Scroll down for details and photos from each event!
Our 4-part speakeasy series is a collaboration between LabX and the Cultural Programs of The National Academy of Sciences celebrating the NAS building's 100th anniversary in 2024.
The fourth and final round of our science speakeasy was one for the books. Instead of just one scientist, we figured we'd get seven scientists for seven rounds of speed dating!
The 1924: Superstition
Our third round was about the science of superstition. We had fortune readers and spooky storytellers with a specialty gin fizz cocktail. In the end, we had Bill Hallmann, a Distinguished Professor at Rutgers, talk about risk perception and psychology.
The 1924: Home
Our second round featured drag queens, DJs, and magic! After some drinks, our guests were treated to a talk with Neda Atanasoski, chair of the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program at the University of Maryland.
The 1924: Bats
Our first edition was entirely bat-themed - our little homage to the building's amazing soundscape and its perfectly sound-designed auditorium. So we opened up our building for a pop-up speakeasy and we were thrilled to sell out to an audience of first-time visitors to the Academy.