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Science and Wonder with William

Liberty and Light: The Scientific Dreams of Our Founders
2026-07-15 18:30:00 2026-07-15 19:30:00 America/Chicago Science and Wonder with William As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, join us for a special session honoring Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, two men who believed that a free nation must also be a curious one. Moorhead Public Library - Presentation Hall North

Wednesday, July 15
6:30pm - 7:30pm

Add to Calendar 2026-07-15 18:30:00 2026-07-15 19:30:00 America/Chicago Science and Wonder with William As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, join us for a special session honoring Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, two men who believed that a free nation must also be a curious one. Moorhead Public Library - Presentation Hall North

Moorhead Public Library

Presentation Hall North

As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, join us for a special session honoring Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, two men who believed that a free nation must also be a curious one.

As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, we go back to the beginning—not just to the politics, but to the science that fueled our founders’ hopes. Join us for a special session honoring Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, two men who believed that a free nation must also be a curious one.

In this interactive session, we will discuss:

The "First American" Scientist: Discover Benjamin Franklin’s playful and profound experiments with electricity and the "Gulf Stream" that connect us to the world.
Jefferson’s Garden Laboratory: Learn how Thomas Jefferson viewed every plant and weather pattern as a vital clue to understanding our new land.
Founders’ Experiments: We will recreate some of their classic demonstrations together (no lightning required!) using simple tools to see what they saw.

Citizen Science Roots: See how your own observations today—from tracking summer pollinators to monitoring the weather—continue the legacy they started.

Come celebrate the spirit of discovery that helped build a nation.

This all ages event is free-of-charge, and registration is not required. Come as you are. Leave with wonder.

AGE GROUP: | All Ages |

EVENT TYPE: | Presentations | Informational Events | Entertainment |

TAGS: | Thomas Jefferson | science | citizen science | Benjamin Franklin | America250 |

Moorhead Public Library
moorhead@larl.org
Phone: 218-233-7594
Branch manager
Megan Krueger
Hours
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We're closed Friday June 19 due to Juneteenth
Mon, Jun 15 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Tue, Jun 16 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Wed, Jun 17 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Thu, Jun 18 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Fri, Jun 19 Closed
(Juneteenth)
Sat, Jun 20 10:00AM to 6:00PM
Sun, Jun 21 Closed
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About the branch

The Moorhead Public Library in The Loop is located in downtown Moorhead in the Loop District. The library offers free WiFi, wireless printing and friendly staff to help you access the library's many resources.

Upcoming Events

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Game Night for Adults - Monday Meetup
Mon, Jun 15, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Presentation Hall South
Join us to play games and chat. Bring your favorite card or board game, or try one of ours! Refreshments will be provided.
Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership Office Hours - Tuesdays (2pm-4:30pm) and Fridays (10am-12pm) at The Loop
Tue, Jun 16, 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Visit with staff from Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership during their Office Hours at Moorhead Public Library. CAPLP offers a variety of resources for community members.
Dementia Friends Minnesota Information Session - Join us to learn how to be a friend to those with dementia
Tue, Jun 16, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Presentation Hall North
Join a growing movement of people who are helping fellow community members living with dementia. A little support can make a big difference in their lives. Learn how to be a Dementia Friend!
Storytime + Craft - An early literacy experience
Tue, Jun 16, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Children's Area
Help your child develop exceptional reading skills by bringing them to Storytime with a fun craft to follow. This week's theme is SUMMER!
Storytime - An early literacy experience
Wed, Jun 17, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Area
Help your child develop exceptional reading skills by bringing them to Storytime. This week's theme is SUMMER!
FastTrac • Plan It! Entrepreneurship Course - For Startups and Early Stage Businesses
Wed, Jun 17, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Presentation Hall North
FastTrac is an 12-week immersive course designed to provide you with relevant content and tools as you design and refine your early stage business or your business idea. 
Register
Origami Club at the Moorhead Library - Origami Club
Wed, Jun 17, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Spark Center
Join us for an Origami Club at the Moorhead Library, led by Mika with the Japan Outreach Initiative. All are welcome to come and practice this paper folding skill.
The Language Exchange - Portuguese Edition
Wed, Jun 17, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Join us for themed conversations on a variety of topics to practice your multilingual skills! The third Wednesday of the month will be dedicated to practicing Portuguese language proficiency.
Senior Social - Join us for a social hour!
Thu, Jun 18, 10:00am - 11:30am
Fireside Commons
Meet up with friends at Moorhead Public Library for a weekly social hour to connect over coffee, play games, and chat.
Baby Bounce - Social and early literacy activities for children 0-3
Thu, Jun 18, 10:30am - 11:15am
Children's Area
Join us on Thursday mornings for songs, stories, and action poems for infants through preschoolers and their caregivers. This week's theme is SUMMERTIME!
Make Your Mark - The Timeless Power of the Printing Press
Thu, Jun 18, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Join us to discover the invention that forever changed how humans share stories. Offered in partnership with the Minnesota Center for Book Arts.
Silent Book Club - Monday Meetup
Mon, Jun 22, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Join us to enjoy some quiet reading time in the Moorhead Library!
Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership Office Hours - Tuesdays (2pm-4:30pm) and Fridays (10am-12pm) at The Loop
Tue, Jun 23, 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Visit with staff from Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership during their Office Hours at Moorhead Public Library. CAPLP offers a variety of resources for community members.
WorkReady Expo - Where Education Meets Employment
Tue, Jun 23, 3:00pm - 6:00pm
Community Loft,Conference Room A ,Conference Room B,Fireside Commons,Focus Room 1,Focus Room 2,Focus Room 3,Presentation Hall,Spark Center
Don't miss a WorkReady Expo with the Rural MN Concentrated Employment Program, Inc. and Career Force! Learn about career paths, training options and much more!
Storytime + Craft - An early literacy experience
Tue, Jun 23, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Children's Area
Help your child develop exceptional reading skills by bringing them to Storytime with a fun craft to follow. This week's theme is DRAGONS!
Storytime - An early literacy experience
Wed, Jun 24, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Area
Help your child develop exceptional reading skills by bringing them to Storytime. This week's theme is DRAGONS!
Red Cross Blood Drive - Blood Donations Save Lives!
Wed, Jun 24, 10:30am - 4:30pm
Presentation Hall
Moorhead Public Library is partnering with the Red Cross for a blood drive! Sign up to help save lives.
Register
FastTrac • Plan It! Entrepreneurship Course - For Startups and Early Stage Businesses
Wed, Jun 24, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
FastTrac is an 12-week immersive course designed to provide you with relevant content and tools as you design and refine your early stage business or your business idea. 
Register
The Language Exchange - Spanish Edition
Wed, Jun 24, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Conference Room A
Join us for themed conversations on a variety of topics to practice your multilingual skills! The fourth Wednesday of the month will be dedicated to practicing Spanish language proficiency.
Senior Fitness Benefits: What's In Your Medicare Plan? - a Senior Social Special Event
Thu, Jun 25, 10:00am - 11:30am
Fireside Commons
Join us for a Senior Social special event with Total Balance Physical Therapy & Fitness to check eligibility and learn more about SilverSneakers, One Pass, and other Medicare fitness benefits.
Baby Bounce - Social and early literacy activities for children 0-3
Thu, Jun 25, 10:30am - 11:15am
Children's Area
Join us on Thursday mornings for songs, stories, and action poems for infants through preschoolers and their caregivers. This week's theme is DRAGONS!
Stories in the Soil - With the Center for Rural Education in Science & Technology
Thu, Jun 25, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Area,Community Loft
Join an outreach team from UMN Crookston's Center for Rural Education in Science and Technology (CREST) and discover how the ground beneath your feet holds a timeline of the past!
Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership Office Hours - Tuesdays (2pm-4:30pm) and Fridays (10am-12pm) at The Loop
Fri, Jun 26, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Fireside Commons
Visit with staff from Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership during their Office Hours at Moorhead Public Library. CAPLP offers a variety of resources for community members.
Wildly Possible - A two-day startup experience for teen girls.
Mon, Jun 29, 9:00am - 5:00pm
Presentation Hall
Wildly Possible is a fun, hands-on entrepreneurship camp where teen girls work in teams to brainstorm ideas, create a product, learn from local entrepreneurs, and pitch their concepts.
Register
Zine Workshop - Monday Meetup
Mon, Jun 29, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Conference Room A
Join us for a Zine Workshop with the Red River Creatives Collective!
Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership Office Hours - Tuesdays (2pm-4:30pm) and Fridays (10am-12pm) at The Loop
Tue, Jun 30, 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Visit with staff from Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership during their Office Hours at Moorhead Public Library. CAPLP offers a variety of resources for community members.
DIY Time Capsules! - Timeless Teen Tuesdays
Tue, Jun 30, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Spark Center
Capture a moment in time by making your very own mini time capsule!
Storytime + Craft - An early literacy experience
Tue, Jun 30, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Children's Area
Help your child develop exceptional reading skills by bringing them to Storytime with a fun craft to follow. This week's theme is SUPERHEROES!
Storytime - An early literacy experience
Wed, Jul 01, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Area
Help your child develop exceptional reading skills by bringing them to Storytime. This week's theme is SUPERHEROES!
Language Exchange - French Edition
Wed, Jul 01, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Join us for themed conversations on a variety of topics to practice your multilingual skills! The first Wednesday of the month will be dedicated to practicing French language proficiency.
Senior Social - Join us for a social hour!
Thu, Jul 02, 10:00am - 11:30am
Fireside Commons
Meet up with friends at Moorhead Public Library for a weekly social hour to connect over coffee, play games, and chat.
Baby Bounce - Social and early literacy activities for children 0-3
Thu, Jul 02, 10:30am - 11:15am
Join us on Thursday mornings for songs, stories, and action poems for infants through preschoolers and their caregivers. This week's theme is SUPERHEROES!
Lutheran Social Services for Seniors Office Hours - First Thursday of the Month from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Thu, Jul 02, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Office hours from Lutheran Social Services are here to connect you to resources in our community that help you where you need it most.
Happy 250th Birthday USA! - A Timeless Celebration
Thu, Jul 02, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children's Area,Community Loft
Celebrate the USA's semiquincentennial with us and the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County!
Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership Office Hours - Tuesdays (2pm-4:30pm) and Fridays (10am-12pm) at The Loop
Fri, Jul 03, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Fireside Commons
Visit with staff from Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership during their Office Hours at Moorhead Public Library. CAPLP offers a variety of resources for community members.
Craft Connection - Monday Meetup
Mon, Jul 06, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Presentation Hall South
Join us to craft and chat! Bring whatever project you are working on and meet up with other local crafters. Refreshments will be provided.
Storytime + Craft - An early literacy experience
Tue, Jul 07, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Area
Help your child develop exceptional reading skills by bringing them to Storytime with a fun craft to follow. This week's theme is SHARKS!
Escape Room - Timeless Teen Tuesdays
Tue, Jul 07, 12:00pm - 5:00pm
Conference Room A
Can you retrieve an ancient artifact in time to save the future? Bring your teams of 3-5 for this Time-Travel Escape Room!
Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership Office Hours - Tuesdays (2pm-4:30pm) and Fridays (10am-12pm) at The Loop
Tue, Jul 07, 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Visit with staff from Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership during their Office Hours at Moorhead Public Library. CAPLP offers a variety of resources for community members.
Mobile Mental Health Crisis Response Office Hours - First Wednesday of the month at Moorhead Public Library
Wed, Jul 08, 10:00am - 11:00am
Fireside Commons
Whether or not you are facing a crisis, the Mobile Mental Health Crisis Response team is here to help you find resources in our community.
Storytime - An early literacy experience
Wed, Jul 08, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Area
Help your child develop exceptional reading skills by bringing them to Storytime. This week's theme is SHARKS!
Cancelled
Spark Bites - Entrepreneur Essentials
Wed, Jul 08, 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Spark Bites: Entrepreneur Essentials is a lunchtime learning series hosted by the Spark Center for Entrepreneurship.
Author Visit with Jill Swenson - Featuring "The Land of Everlasting Sky"
Wed, Jul 08, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Presentation Hall South
Join us for a visit with Jill Swenson, author of "The Land of Everlasting Sky: A Memoir of Loss and Legacy on Lake of the Woods," about the history and heritage of two Minnesota families.
The Language Exchange - Italian Edition
Wed, Jul 08, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Join us for themed conversations on a variety of topics to practice your multilingual skills! The second Wednesday of the month will be dedicated to practicing Italian language proficiency.
Senior Social - Join us for a social hour!
Thu, Jul 09, 10:00am - 11:30am
Fireside Commons
Meet up with friends at Moorhead Public Library for a weekly social hour to connect over coffee, play games, and chat.
Baby Bounce - Social and early literacy activities for children 0-3
Thu, Jul 09, 10:30am - 11:15am
Join us on Thursday mornings for songs, stories, and action poems for infants through preschoolers and their caregivers. This week's theme is SHARKS!
Travel Through Time - At the MSUM Planetarium
Thu, Jul 09, 2:00pm - 2:25pm
"MARS: The Ultimate Voyage"
Take your pick of traveling through time: back to the past or forward to the future! The Planetarium will be offering four separate showings.
Travel Through Time - At the MSUM Planetarium
Thu, Jul 09, 2:30pm - 2:55pm
"MARS: The Ultimate Voyage"
Take your pick of traveling through time: back to the past or forward to the future! The Planetarium will be offering four separate showings.
Travel Through Time - At the MSUM Planetarium
Thu, Jul 09, 3:00pm - 3:25pm
"MARS: The Ultimate Voyage"
Take your pick of traveling through time: back to the past or forward to the future! The Planetarium will be offering four separate showings.
Travel Through Time - At the MSUM Planetarium
Thu, Jul 09, 3:30pm - 3:55pm
"MARS: The Ultimate Voyage"
Take your pick of traveling through time: back to the past or forward to the future! The Planetarium will be offering four separate showings.
Heart-n-Soul Mobile Community Cafe - at the Loop
Thu, Jul 09, 4:30pm - 6:30pm
No dinner plans? Come to Moorhead Public Library to enjoy a delicious, nutritious, and affordable meal prepared by local nonprofit Heart-n-Soul Community Cafe!
Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership Office Hours - Tuesdays (2pm-4:30pm) and Fridays (10am-12pm) at The Loop
Fri, Jul 10, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Fireside Commons
Visit with staff from Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership during their Office Hours at Moorhead Public Library. CAPLP offers a variety of resources for community members.
Best Sellers Book Club - Join us to discuss "The Ministry of Time" by Kaliane Bradley
Mon, Jul 13, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Presentation Hall South
Discuss the latest best sellers with the Moorhead Public Library! This month we'll meet to discuss "The Ministry of Time" by Kaliane Bradley.
Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership Office Hours - Tuesdays (2pm-4:30pm) and Fridays (10am-12pm) at The Loop
Tue, Jul 14, 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Visit with staff from Lakes & Prairies Community Action Partnership during their Office Hours at Moorhead Public Library. CAPLP offers a variety of resources for community members.
Storytime + Craft - An early literacy experience
Tue, Jul 14, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Children's Area
Help your child develop exceptional reading skills by bringing them to Storytime with a fun craft to follow. This week's theme is ROBOTS!
Storytime - An early literacy experience
Wed, Jul 15, 10:30am - 11:30am
Children's Area
Help your child develop exceptional reading skills by bringing them to Storytime. This week's theme is ROBOTS!
Science and Wonder with William - Liberty and Light: The Scientific Dreams of Our Founders
Wed, Jul 15, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Presentation Hall North
As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, join us for a special session honoring Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, two men who believed that a free nation must also be a curious one.
The Language Exchange - Portuguese Edition
Wed, Jul 15, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Fireside Commons
Join us for themed conversations on a variety of topics to practice your multilingual skills! The third Wednesday of the month will be dedicated to practicing Portuguese language proficiency.
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