Five Reasons to Leave the House This Weekend

Os Gemeos mural photo by Benjamin Lindsay.

Art
Os Gêmeos at the ICA
You may have noticed the splash of Brazilian folklore and corral of bold, crisp hues that now enliven the Rose F. Kennedy Greenway in Dewey Square. This giant, 70′ x 70′ mural was created by Brazil’s famed urban artists Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo, known to most as Os Gêmeos, or “the twins” in Portuguese. Dewey Square’s mural is one of two set for Os Gêmeos’s first solo U.S. museum exhibition, the second of which adorns the side of downtown’s Revere Hotel. Featuring 13 unique works by the world-renowned duo, Os Gêmeos was organized by ICA adjunct curator Pedro Alonzo and is on view at the Institute of Contemporary Art until November 25, 2012. Plus, pending the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s approval, the Greenway’s mural could remain up for as long as 18 months, giving all of Boston plenty of time to appreciate its kaleidoscopic splendor.
General Admission—$15, Seniors—$13, Students—$10, Members and youth 17 and under—free. August 1 – November 25, Institute of Contemporary Art, 100 Northern Ave., Fort Point, 617-478-3100, icaboston.org.

Nature
Perseid Meteor Shower
Each August, tiny fragments from Comet 109P—otherwise known as Comet Swift-Tuttel—break off the mother mass and sweep through the night sky at 133,200 miles per hour. Though these shooting stars can be seen all week, this much-anticipated night-sky wonder will reach its momentous peak (approximately 25-50 meteors per hour) late Saturday night and early Sunday morning. And because the moon will be a waning crescent, there’s no need to worry about moonlight hindering the view. If you can’t make it to the Cape or Newport area for less light pollution, your best bet to get a glimpse in Boston is the Gilliland Observatory at the Museum of Science this Friday.
Free, 8:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. on August 10, Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, West End, 617-723-2500, mos.org.

Arithmetic
Slide Rule Olympics
Developed by English mathematician William Oughtred in the early 17th century, the slide rule is a mathematical tool used in science, engineering, and logarithms. Though it may seem archaic today, this pre-calculator device led some of history’s most brilliant minds down the road to epiphany. The MIT Museum’s Slide Rule Olympics is one of the many featured Second Friday events in its after-hours program series. After teaching minds young and old the basics of this “slipstick” craft, the evening closes with a rousing race against the clock and some mind-teasing family fun.
Free, 5:00 p.m – 8:00 p.m., August 10, MIT Museum, 265 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-253-5927, mit.edu.

Theater
Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s Family Day
With its successful run of the Bard’s classic, Coriolanus, coming to a close this Sunday, the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company invites theater-goers to join them for Family Day. The afternoon starts with the lively Boston Circus Guild. Comprised of some of New England’s finest jugglers, aerialists, acrobats, and contortionists, the Guild is sure to bring slapstick thrills for the whole family. The festivities progress with Boston’s up-and-coming youth talent in staged performances by CSC’s Summer BARDS program and City Stage. CSC’s Apprentice Program wraps it up with Shakespeare on Love, an engrossing, contemporary take on Shakespeare’s depictions of this toiling emotion.
Free, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., August 11, The Boston Common-Parkman Bandstand, 145 Tremont St., Downtown, 617-426-0863, commshakes.org.

Dance
24-Hour ChoreoFest Concert
Luminarium Dance Company is putting their choreographic juices to the test. Six dance companies from Boston and New York are locking themselves in Central Square’s Dance Complex for the first ever 24-hour choreography festival. After choosing a hat-drawn theme, each choreographer must create an all-new piece. The lockdown process will live stream on Luminarium’s website, and come Saturday, two matinee performances of the six final products will be staged for the public. The best part? All proceeds for this event will be donated to a Boston-based charity in support of the arts.
$15, 2 p.m. & 4 p.m., August 11, The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-547-9363, luminariumdance.org.