Distance is one of the most familiar concepts in everyday life. We measure the miles between cities, estimate the time it takes to travel somewhere, and describe objects as being near or far apart. Yet the mathematical idea of distance is richer and more subtle than it first appears.
The exhibit Are We There Yet? An Exploration of Distance will be on display at the Math Festival that is part of the free public programming offered in conjunction with the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM). The Math Festival will be held on July 24-25, 2026 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The Math Festival, and all ICM public events, are free with registration.
Designed for visitors of all ages, the exhibit provides an opportunity for the broader community to engage with mathematical ideas through hands-on exploration and discovery. Through interactive activities, puzzles, and visualizations, participants will investigate questions such as: What makes a good measure of distance? Are there different ways to measure how far apart two points are? How does the notion of distance change when we move beyond ordinary geometry? Visitors will encounter examples that challenge intuition and demonstrate how changing the definition of distance can fundamentally alter the way we understand a problem.
No specialized mathematical background is required. The activities are designed to be accessible to the general public while also offering opportunities for deeper investigation. By inviting visitors to explore multiple ways of measuring and thinking about distance, the exhibit illustrates how mathematicians use abstraction, creativity, and reasoning to better understand the world around us.
We welcome students, families, educators, and curious learners to join us and experience mathematics as a living, evolving discipline—one that is intellectually rich and open to everyone.