Imagining the future: Leonardo da Vinci

An After-Hours Experience at the MLK Library

Explore the mind of an Italian genius as we celebrate the arrival of the Codex Atlanticus, Leonardo Da Vinci’s original works with a can't miss after-hours experience complete with live performances.

The DC Public Library is proud to host Imagining the future. Leonardo da Vinci: in the mind of an Italian genius, an extraordinary monographic exhibit featuring 12 original Leonardo da Vinci drawings from the Codex Atlanticus. This Codex is the largest collection of original drawings and texts by Leonardo da Vinci in the world, and this marks the first time that such a number will be on display in the United States.

In celebration of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see these incredible pieces, DC Public Library and the DC Public Library Foundation invite you for a special after-hours experience at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. Visit Imagining the future and view Leonardo da Vinci's drawings and enjoy family-friendly activities at Leonardo's Lab on the second floor of the library. Then immerse yourself in the period of the Renaissance with live performances as the rooftop garden is transformed into an Italian piazza.

About Imagining the future

The exhibit is presented by Confindustria, the largest association representing manufacturing and service companies in Italy; in partnership with Biblioteca Ambrosiana, a true Italian treasure trove comprising a public library, an art gallery, and an academy; and under the patronage of the Embassy of Italy in Washington D.C. and the Italian Cultural Institute of Washington D.C. Supported by contributions from some of the most esteemed Italian companies, the exhibition represents an initiative of the highest artistic and symbolic value: an unconventional way to promote entrepreneurial spirit as a way of encouraging economic, social, and civic development. The Imagining the future - Leonardo da Vinci: In the mind of an Italian genius exhibition is open to art, history and innovation enthusiasts and those interested in the interplay of art and science. 

About Leonardo's Lab

A fun hands-on exhibit that allows children to explore some of Leonardo’s designs and ideas through building, sketching and testing activities. Explore the inventions, art, and ideas of the original Renaissance man, as you engage in a dozen hands-on activities. Create a ‘copter, solve math puzzles, try your hand at backward writing, make your own Mona Lisa masterpiece, and engineer towers, bridges, and simple machines. Multi-user ‘workshop tables’ allow individuals or groups to learn about Leonardo da Vinci’s many areas of interest in science and art. This exhibit was developed by the Carnegie Science Center and brought to DC Public Library by the DC Public Library Foundation. 

This event is generously sponsored by the DC Public Library Foundation.

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