If you are a new, long-time, or prospective member the Virtual Tour of the Mechanics' 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.
Award-winning historian Nancy J. Taniguchi, the author of Dirty Deeds: Land, Violence, and the 1856 San Francisco Vigilance Committee, will discuss the life and tragic death of outspoken journalist James King of William and how he, a group of wealthy merchants, and a couple of committed historians shaped San Francisco’s history!
Please join Nick Wright on a journey back in time to experience ultra-high-resolution views of Gold Rush San Francisco.
Join us for our bi-annual Mechanics’ Institute community gathering on Zoom to hear from fellow members, staff, and trustees.
The Writers Lunch is a casual chat with our writers community on the 3rd Friday of each month. Join us, share, and learn! This month we have an editor and a marketing strategist ready to tackle your questions.
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 over Zoom. Knit Happens bimonthly: every second and last Tuesday. All skill levels welcome — join us!
A history of California centered around the lives and legacies of the Indigenous people who shaped it. Cosponsored by California Institute for Community, Art & Nature
Learn more about the development of the Mechanics' Institute's Archives and Special Collections from archivist Diane Lai.
Join author Corey Rosen and his brother Steve Rosen for a rousing presentation of Your Story Well Told. The book will teach you the art of telling stories - how to make the sale, land the client, propose a toast, or impress a date. Corey Rosen is an Emmy-award winning writer and actor with years of experience as a skilled storytelling coach. Steve Rosen is a screenwriter and has also worked extensively as a performer on stage and screen.
What happens when we get stuck? When we have no original ideas and everything we write –if we are writing at all—is awful and boring? How do we keep going during those long days when family issues, financial stresses, fatigue, and career concerns, and other tough distractions peck away at our focus and time? You change your focus—process over outcome-- adapt a growth mindset, and seek out the small wins.
James Baldwin's personal life and literary legacy are explored by writers James Campbell, Clifford Thompson, and Jewelle Gomez. Cosponsored by American Library in Paris.
Annalee Newitz debunks the myth that “lost cities” were miraculously “discovered” by modern archeologists. Cosponsored by Goethe-Institut and Gray Area
Join this session to ensure your romance novel has the necessary elements to satisfy readers, and stand out from the crowd.
Join Frederik H Green and Fiammetta Hsu for a conversation about Xu Xu, one of the most important mid-20th century Chinese writers.
Join author, podcaster, and MI member Matthew Félix for a talk about how to reconnect with your creativity in a post-pandemic world.
A lively and engaging guide to vital habits of mind that can help you think more deeply, write more effectively, and learn more joyfully
