5 Free Things to do at Duke in March

For many around here, March is a time to indulge their passion for college basketball. But if you’re not hoops-crazed, or if you are and would simply like a change of pace, there are plenty of free things to do at Duke this month.

Each month during the academic year, the Working@Duke editorial team searches the Duke Event Calendar for five free things to do at Duke. Check back during the first week of April for more.

March 7 – Blade Runner: The Final Cut

Set against a backdrop of urban decay in 2019 Los Angeles, director Ridley Scott’s 1982 thriller Blade Runner is considered a sci-fi noir masterpiece. Starring Harrison Ford, the film is loosely based on Philip K. Dick’s novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”

Released in 2007, “The Final Cut” version of the film is closest to Scott’s initial vision.

The version will be shown as part of the Program in the Arts of the Moving Image’s Screen/Society series.

The film will be shown at 7 p.m. at the Rubenstein Arts Center Film Theatre.

March 9, March 23 – Stargazing

Members of Duke’s Physics Department will lead two trips this month to the Duke Teaching Observatory in Duke Forest to enjoy the view from the 10-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes.

The viewing takes place outdoors from 7-9 p.m., so visitors are encouraged to dress warmly. But with the observatory’s telescopes able to show details on the lunar surface, the moons of Jupiter and details of Saturn’s rings, the trek is worth it.

The event is heavily dependent on the weather, as cloud cover could make viewing celestial objects difficult. Check the observatory’s website for updates.

March 18 – Free Family Day at the Nasher

The Nasher Museum of Art teams up with the Sarah P. Duke Gardens and the Duke Chemistry Society to explore the intersections between art and science in a family-friendly afternoon of activities.

Check out artistic chemical reactions and beautiful designs created by nature. There will also be a close-up magic show and a stage show with magician Joshua Lozoff.

The event runs from noon-4:30 p.m.

March 20 – Duke Chorale Spring Tour Concert

Fresh off of its tour of the northeast, the Duke Chorale will perform its spring concert program at 8 p.m. in Baldwin Auditorium.

The group will sing diverse selection of songs, ranging from Renaissance pieces to contemporary works, with an emphasis on American folk songs and spirituals.

The group, which consists of 50 voices, most of which are undergraduate students, is the main choral group in Duke’s Department of Music.

March 28 – Women of Inspiration: How the Power of One Can Impact our World

The Pratt School of Engineering showcases women in science with a film screening and panel discussion.

Entitled “Women of Inspiration: How the Power of One Can Impact Our World,” the event features a showing of “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” a 2017 film telling the story of one woman’s contribution to medical research. The film will be paired with conversations with Duke faculty members Nimmi Ramanujam and Carla W. Brady.

The event begins at 5 p.m. in the Ahmadieh Family Auditorium in Gross Hall.

Those interested in attending are encouraged to RSVP to prattevents@duke.edu

For more Duke events, visit the calendar.