New England Steampunk Festival

A Festival for the Jules Verne Inside You!!!
Museum Opens for One Day Festival.

Jules Verne meets modern technology during the New England Steampunk Festival at the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation in Waltham, MA. On May 1, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., visitors will enjoy hands-on activities, interactive exhibits, vendors, live music, and more at this festival celebrating all things steampunk.

A sci-fi subculture, steampunk offers a fresh, romanticized view of modern technology by mixing it with Edwardian design: for example, a computer with a keyboard made from a 19th century typewriter. The term steampunk developed during the 1980s from a type of popular science fiction literature based in Victorian and Edwardian eras. The aesthetic gradually spread into other art forms including fashion, jewelry, film and animation, video games, and more. Though steampunk is far from a household name, elements of the genre's style and substance are crossing easily into mainstream culture. Films such as Wild Wild West, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and, most recently, The Golden Compass have clearly been influenced by the genre. Stores such as Hot Topics, a teen fashion store, and Restoration Hardware, a home furnishing store chain, carry steampunk inspired merchandise.

Experiencing the New England Steampunk Festival is a must do for all. While visiting the festival, take some time to meet our wide array of exhibitors, attend a steampunk fashion show, listen to live music, join in a victorian dance, or attend a workshop. Do you have a Victorian curiosity for oddities and freaks? Stop by the Eight Corner Globe exhibit where you will see wonders of the world including two-headed animals, shrunken heads, and other curiosities that shocked the Victorians. For younger steampunks, visit our victorian machine area filled with video games, crafts, and more. You can grow your steampunk collection from our gift shop which offers items ranging from postcards to bronze baubles. Finally, don't neglect the fantastic array of raffle items. Be sure to get your tickets before 3:45 p.m. at which time we will announce the winners.

Admission is $6.00 per adult, $4.00 per child. The Museum is located at 154 Moody Street, Waltham, MA 02453. Parking is available at 19 Pine Street. For more information or a list of participating exhibitors visit our Steampunk Festival facebook page or www.crmi.org or call 781 893 5410.