WIRED editor and virtual reality expert Peter Rubin presents his new book Future Presence, a captivating, candid glimpse into the future realities of emerging VR technology.
Learn the ancient art of rhetoric and verbally explore the issues that are shaping our world with SFDebate, a privately organized, bi-monthly event open to the Mechanics' Institute community.
Wesley Yang’s The Souls of Yellow Folk marks a fresh contribution to the conversation about race in America today.
In January 2012, journalist Michael Scott Moore traveled to the Horn of Africa to write about piracy. But in a terrible twist of fate, he was kidnapped by Somali pirates, and subjected to conditions that break even the strongest spirits: physical abuse, starvation, isolation, and terror.
Using the guidelines described in Writing Without Teachers, join this member-led "come as you are" writing group.
Are you interested in becoming more adept at public speaking? If so come to this open house and enjoy a bit of lunch with the "Crownmasters" -- a local chapter of Toastmasters.
Mokhtar Alkhanshali is 24 and working as a doorman when he discovers the astonishing history of coffee and Yemen’s central place in it.
When do you start marketing your book? Find out the surprising answer at this dynamic panel with the San Francisco chapter of the Women's National Book Association.
Christopher Phillips, an acclaimed, bestselling author and noted philosopher, explores the political and philosophical divides among us in these polarizing times.
A good Halloween story has those elements, the basics. "I Believe in Halloween" is just that, from interviews with kids telling us what Halloween means to them and fun music videos, to vintage footage and photos, antique postcards, advertisements, decorations, and costumes.
Using the guidelines described in Writing Without Teachers, join this member-led "come as you are" writing group.
Local celebrity and KGO talk show host John Rothmann will examine current events and election issues today. Join this conversation on hot topics and keep public discourse alive and well!
Are you a crafty member of the Mechanics’ Institute? Knit happens, but we’d love to see your crochet too! Bring a project and get to know your fellow Mechanics’ Institute members and staff. Deb, our Library Director, will be on hand to help with any difficult projects.
Using the guidelines described in Writing Without Teachers, join this member-led "come as you are" writing group.
“Latinx” (pronounced “La-teen-ex”) is the term that covers the largest racial minority in the United States, 17 percent of the country.
Using the guidelines described in Writing Without Teachers, join this member-led "come as you are" writing group.
Winner of the 2017 Prix Goncourt, this behind-the-scenes account of the manipulation, hubris, and greed that together led to Nazi Germany's annexation of Austria brilliantly dismantles the myth of an effortless victory and offers a dire warning for our current political crisis.
Using the guidelines described in Writing Without Teachers, join this member-led "come as you are" writing group.
Adrienne Mayor tells the fascinating story of how ancient Greek, Roman, Indian, and Chinese myths envisioned artificial life, automata, self-moving devices, and human enhancements.
In this talk, Jessica Levine will discuss how two basic currents in literature, the dramatic and episodic exemplified by Greek drama and epic, have influenced the modern novel.
70 years before the Golden Gate International Exposition and its theme of Pacific Unity took place in 1939, San Francisco’s Mechanics' Institute began reaching out to the Pacific Rim with its Industrial Expositions that displayed and promoted the products of local entrepreneurs and inventors.
Terrance Gelenter (Your American Friend in Paris), former CinemaLit curator shares his life and work in Paris as a tour guide and explorer of culture and people
Using the guidelines described in Writing Without Teachers, join this member-led "come as you are" writing group.
Are you a crafty member of the Mechanics’ Institute? Knit happens, but we’d love to see your crochet too! Bring a project and get to know your fellow Mechanics’ Institute members and staff. Deb, our Library Director, will be on hand to help with any difficult projects.
In this large, comprehensive, revelatory biography, Jane De Hart explores the central experiences that crucially shaped Ginsburg’s passion for justice
Using the guidelines described in Writing Without Teachers, join this member-led "come as you are" writing group.
Join The Bonanza King author Gregory Crouch in conversation with filmmaker Geordie Lynch for a riveting discussion about the richest silver strike in US history.
If you are a new, long-time, or prospective member the Tour of the Institute will orient you to our building, include an overview of our history and mission, and outline our current services and the benefits of membership.
Join the MI writing community for a celebration honoring MI members recent publishing endeavors.
