Past Events

Brain-computer-interface (BCI) devices are among the most promising medical innovations today. Individuals who are paralyzed or speechless due to injury or disease are able to learn to control motion and/or speech by means of a brain-computer-interface device.  This can enable significant independence.  However, brain chip devices might also be developed that would enable programs for mind control. Lukas Meier offers a comprehensive perspective –including technology, history and ethics—for ethical controls on BCI innovations.

We welcome Jamie Loftus—comedian, Emmy-nominated TV writer, and podcaster—to celebrate the paperback release of her New York Times bestseller Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs. She will be joined in conversation by Tori Bedford— radio and television host and reporter at GBH News.

The GBH BPL studio will host Outspoken Saturdays, a spoken word poetry event for emerging artists. Every first Saturday of the month, the series will be created in collaboration with spoken word artist Amanda Shea. Join us!

Registration is encouraged for this free event.

Honor the mother figure in your life with this evening of stories celebrating motherhood in all of its forms. More than just a night out, this storytelling event is a heartfelt tribute to moms, mentors, and caregivers—the ones who lift us up, hold us steady, and shape our lives with love. Whether you are a mother yourself or someone who has been touched by one, these powerful stories will honor the strength, sacrifice, and joy of nurturing loved ones. Through moments of resilience, laughter, and deep connection, our storytellers will remind us why motherhood—however it unfolds—is one of life’s most profound journeys. This evening is a tribute to the mothers in our lives.

At Stories from the Stage, produced by GBH WORLD, ordinary people share extraordinary experiences that you will not soon forget. You’ll hear stories of love and loss, amazing adventures, incredible surprises, and unexpected triumphs. In each taping, we get up-close and personal with storytellers about what inspires them and the craft of storytelling. Join us!


Each ticket includes: 
· A seat on the set of Stories from the Stage: Maternal Instinct
· A drink token for a refreshing glass of wine or beer (additional beverages can be purchased on-site)
· Light nibbles from our partners SamosaMan, Batter + Bloom, and Popped!
· A small potted plant from Mahoney's
· Complimentary parking

6:30pm Doors open to GBH's Atrium where light refreshments are available
7:00pm Doors open to GBH's Calderwood Studio for seating

Complimentary treats will be provided by SamosaMan, Batter + Bloom, and Popped! Small potted plants will be gifted to guests by Mahoney's.


Note all onsite purchases will be credit card only.
Event registration is required. Seating is general admission.The maximum capacity of this event is 130.
All guests must age 21 or older and have a valid ID.


This event is presented with support from our sponsor Liberty Mutual Insurance.
This event is also presented with support from our sponsor UMass Amherst.

Climate change, global disruption, and labor scarcity are forcing us to rethink the underlying principles of industrial society. How can a new generation reanimate the best ideas of our industrial forbearers and begin to build a realistic and human-centered future? Join us at the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation for a conversation with David Mindell who envisions a new form of industrialism that draws upon the first principles of the Industrial Revolution that date back to the 18th Century in his recent book 'The New Lunar Society'.

While discussing new industrialism, he will tell the story of the Lunar Society, a group of engineers, scientists, and industrialists who came together to apply the principles of the Enlightenment to industrial processes. The Lunar Society included pioneers like James Watt, Benjamin Franklin, and Josiah Wedgwood whose conversations both ignited the Industrial Revolution and shaped the founding of the United States.

Join American Experience PBS for an exclusive virtual film preview and discussion of the new documentary film "Mr. Polaroid".

Join the iconic Sasha Velour, season 9 winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, author of "The Big Reveal", and visionary drag artist, in conversation with Giselle Byrd, Executive Director of The Theater Offensive.

Hosted at the Boston Public Library, this talk explores the transformative power of drag, and the revolutionary role of art in shaping inclusive futures.

Come hear Cuban-Spanish flautist Anabel Gil Diaz and her ensemble bring the rhythms of Latin jazz to the BPL!

 India is an emerging major power in world affairs, occupying a pivotal position between China, the United States, and the Global South. Its population size, economy, and geopolitical location ensure that it will be an influential voice in debates and political struggles over global order. What are India’s choices and opportunities for regional and global leadership? How will it maneuver between China and the United States, and what is its role as a voice of the Global South? What opportunities exist for Washington to work with India?

With WorldBoston and Sugata Bose, Former Member of Parliament in India and Professor of Oceanic History and Affairs at Harvard University. 

Carbon gets a bad rap these days, according to author and environmentalist Paul Hawken, who urges us to widen our perception and response to the climate crisis.  Too often carbon is maligned as the “driver” of climate change and blamed for the possible demise of civilization.  However, this narrative is erroneous and misleading. 

Carbon is an intriguing element; the only one that animates the entire living world.  Manifesting in coal and diamonds, it displays a host of different properties because of its ability to bond easily. One vital example is carbon-dioxide, which allows plants to photosynthesize. Though carbon comprises a tiny fraction of Earth’s composition, our planet is lifeless without it. 

Paul Hawken, veteran environmentalist and author, looks at the flow of life through the lens of carbon. Embracing a panoramic view of carbon’s omnipresence, he explores how this ubiquitous and essential element extends into every aperture of existence and shapes the entire fabric of life. Hawken charts a course across our planetary history, guiding us into the realms of plants, animals, insects, fungi, food, and farms to offer a new narrative for embracing carbon’s life-giving power and its possibilities for the future of human endeavor.

Hawken’s latest book, Carbon: The Book of Life illuminates the subtle connections between carbon and our collective human experience and suggests we see nature, carbon, and ourselves as exquisitely intertwined -inseparably connected.