Dr. Einstein often said he thought in pictures, not words. His imaginative methods for working out problems are well established, but did you know that he intentionally fueled his subconscious by taking breaks to play his violin or piano, or to take long walks? He also carried small puzzles in his pocket, asking people to solve them while he looked on. Talk about pressure!
Our dual 2025 pop-up exhibits offer a glimpse into the workings of the human brain and how one of history’s greatest thinkers used ingenuity, visualizations, experience, and persistence to reveal a wholly new understanding of the universe. Test your own ingenuity! Both are outdoors, free, and open through Labor Day – in two Princeton locations.
In Dohm Alley, By 102 Nassau Street – EINSTEIN’S BRAIN: MIND OF A GENIUS
Einstein’s Brain: Mind of a Genius, was developed for a general audience. Visitors will learn about:
— The Basic Structure of the Human Brain
— Einstein’s Thinking Processes and the Power of Play
— What We Have Learned (Or Not) From Examining Einstein’s Brain
— Where is Einstein’s Brain Today?
— Minds-on Mental Challenges
Above: Sample panels from the Dohm Alley exhibit. Photos of Dr. Einstein’s brain used by permission, OHA 184.06 Harvey Collection, Otis Historical Archives, National Museum of Health and Medicine./
Princeton Shopping Center – “Think Like a Genius”
Think Like a Genius is our second summer exhibit. Located near Concord Pet in the Princeton Shopping Center on North Harrison Street in Princeton, it is designed for families. The show gives a glimpse of how Dr. Einstein thought through problems in his mind, and invites visitors to have fun figuring out visual challenges on their own. Try a few of them for yourself, below.
The PEMS 2025 summer exhibits are sponsored by the Watt Family Foundation and the FirstBank Charitable Foundation. Special summer activities are sponsored by Investors Foundation. Special thanks to the Princeton Shopping Center, Stanley Dohm, Frederick Lepore MD, Experience Princeton, Sustainable Princeton, and the Municipality of Princeton.
