Luminous Circle Founder Offerings 2026
photograph by: Abelardo Morell
Founder Patron Benefits
Founder Members (individual and dual) may attend:
• Two Patron Salons
• Two Patron Experiences
• One Patron Dinner (Prioritize selections. One is included in membership, additional are self-pay.)
Advance registration is appreciated
2026 Luminous Circle Founder Offerings
Thank you for joining our Luminous Circle!
Here are some of the things you have access to as part of your patronage:
Patron Salons
SAVE THE DATES
Saturday, March 21 Inaugural Patron Reception
Designing the Invisible at Studio Echelman. Radical Softness: The Responsive Art of Janet Echelman, Remembering the Future MIT Museum catalog, Catalyst Conversations bookmark
Saturday, November 14 Celebrate Humans
Patron and Community Salon Soiree - Winter Celebration Details TBA
Patron Experiences
SELECT TWO
Sunday, April 12 – 4:00 PM
Immersive Experience with Historic Scientific Instruments: hands-on exploration with science historian and curator Dr. Emma Broder at the Harvard Collection of Historic Scientific Instruments REGISTER
Summer Reading Circle
Attention is Discovery: The Life and Legacy of Astronomer Henrietta Leavitt by artist, researcher, author Anna Von Mertens Book Discussion Dinner with the Artist/Author September TBA
Sunday, October 25 - 2:00 PM
A Taste of Koji: Fermentation as Flavor and Social Practice with chef and food anthropologist Yoko Bryden, Founder of Hungry Ninja Catering.
In this immersive Catalyst Conversations gathering, we explore koji, a living fermentation culture central to Japanese cuisine, as both a culinary practice and a lens for thinking about transformation, interdependence, and care.
December, Weekend TBA
The Vanguard of Sustainable Fashion Studio visit with innovative eco-conscious fashion designer and MIT materials scientists collaborating to develop new textiles in residence Newport, RI
Patron Dinner Offerings
PRIORITIZE CHOICES
Tuesday, February 10 (PAST)
Founders Dinner (complimentary) preceding the public program: Inside the Sensorium at the deCordova Museum and Sculpture Park with speakers Christina Agapakis, Jerry Chen, Skooby Laposky, and Meg Younger
Wednesday, April 8
Founders Dinner with the Speakers following the public program: Transcendence & Entanglement with speakers Alan Lightman, Maria Molteni, and Russell Powell. REGISTER
Tuesday, May 12
Founders Dinner with Speakers following the public program: Seeking Beauty: Finding Truth with speakers Shelley Reed and Frank Wilczek
Thursday, September 17
Founders Dinner with the speakers following the public program: Matters of Light: Illumination and the Dark with speakers Sara Seager and Abelardo Morell
Tuesday, November 10
Founders Dinner with the speakers following the public program: Home and Habitat with Shellburne Thurber and poet
