Join the maverick Materials Library for an experimental and experiential insight into the art and science of hair and its connection to the human body, culture and society. Come and enjoy an evening of specially created hands-on activities in the 'Medicine Man' and 'Medicine Now' galleries, as well as talks from hair specialists. Guests will have the opportunity to reacquaint themselves with the materiality of hair and to explore our obsession with it through a series of encounters, including spinning, knitting, shaving, styling, waxing and microscopic analysis. Cut, shave, wax and wear hair with experts such as wig makers, barbers, hair stylists, chemists, theatrical make-up artists and canine coiffeurs. Come with your own exciting hairstyle, beard or moustache to show off - or simply try one out while you are here.

This event has been produced by Materials Library

View highlights from 'Flesh', a previous Materials Library event at Wellcome Collection.

Materials Library

We are a group that explores the beauty, strangeness and science of matter. We are materials scientist Mark Miodownik, artist Zoe Laughlin and designer Martin Conreen. We also run a physical archive that specialises in new and advanced materials collected from research labs all around the world. It is a collection of some of the most extraordinary materials on Earth, such as: a chunk of aerogel from NASA, which, at 99.8 per cent air, is the world's lightest solid and is used to collect space dust; a tile of aluminium nitride that conducts the heat from one's hand efficiently enough to cut ice like butter; and a vial of a totally inert fluorocarbon liquid into which one can place any electronic equipment while continuing to operate it, without any ill-effects. These materials are gathered together not only for scientific interest, but also for their ability to fire the imagination and advance conceptualisation.