The St. Louis Science Center is offering a new way for science fiction fans to express themselves. The free attraction now hosts events called First Fridays, where a variety of science fiction-related activities take place on the first Friday of each month. With each month having a new theme, the Science Center continues to explore different aspects of the genre.

“I think First Friday events motivate people to become more interested in science fiction,” junior Savannah Hart said. “It gives people a chance to find common likes with people they’ve never met.”

Every event sees a wide range of activities, from hands-on projects to group trivia. The theme for each month is related to a specific franchise within the genre, such as Star Wars and Doctor Who, and each night ends with a free movie showing correlating with the theme of the month. The next First Friday will take place on March 3, with a Harry Potter theme.

“I like going because the Science Center puts a very unique spin on my favorite genre,” Science Center visitor Isaac Kelly said. “It’s nice having multiple ways to explore your interests with people who also enjoy it, and having it each month definitely helps boost the variety.”

With multiple things to see and do each month, the attraction focuses on the science portion of the genre with hopes to increase interest and education in science fiction. To help do so, First Fridays also offer free telescope viewings, planetarium shows and educational presentations. The attraction has First Friday events planned through the rest of the year, offering activities that will both inform and intrigue visitors of all ages.

“Learning about these types of things helps us ultimately develop as a species,” senior Tyler Masters said. “It’s important because it broadens our understanding of things like astronomy.”