Science Activities Around the Bay

The Bay Area Discovery Museum - www.baykidsmuseum.org/ at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge

557 Mcreynolds Rd, Sausalito, CA 94965

The Museum is recognized as the leading children�s museum dedicated to nurturing childhood creativity, fostering future generations of creative thinkers and innovators. With this emphasis on creativity through play, the Museum encourages children ages 6 months to 8 years to develop into curious, creative, adventurous lifelong learners and explorers. Its unique programs feature hands-on art, science and environmental exhibitions, performances, special events, cultural festivals and ongoing educational curricula... all with a focus on fun!

The Bay Model Visitor Center - www.spn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/BayModelVisitorCenter.aspx

2100 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA 94965

A fully accessible educational center operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers. It is a working hydraulic model of the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento - San Joaquin River Delta

Black Diamond Mines - www.ebparks.org/parks/black_diamond

5175 Somersville Road, Antioch, CA 94509

From the 1860s to the turn of the century there was coal mining here.  From the mid-1920s to the mid-1940s, the Hazel-Atlas Mine produced silica sand to make jars, bottles, and other glass items. Today, tour participants can take a 800-foot walk into the mine to see mine workings, ore chutes, the shifter's office (mine boss), and ancient geological features.  See website for other details.

 

California Academy of Sciences - www.calacademy.org/

Golden Gate Park 55 Music Concourse, San Francisco, CA

There is a planetarium, tropical rain forest, and aquarium with hands-on exhibits and a living roof.

 

 Chabot Space & Science Center - www.chabotspace.org/

10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland, CA 94619

Chabot Space & Science Center inspires and educates students of all ages about our Planet Earth and the Universe. Its observatory, planetarium, exhibits, and natural park setting are a place where a diverse population of students, teachers, and the public can imagine, understand, and learn to shape their future through science.

Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose - www.cdm.org

180 Woz Way, San Jose, CA 95110

Encompassing the broad themes of community, connections and creativity, exhibits invite self-directed, open-ended explorations, while programs provide facilitated, focused, and sustained interactions.

 

Computer History Museum - www.computerhistory.org

1401 N Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View, CA 94043

Discover the Museum's many offerings. The Computer History Museum offers a wide variety of information, exhibits, research and a rich library of multimedia content garnered from some of the most influential people of the computing era. Take some time to dig deeper into computing history and the one-of-a-kind information available here.

Coyote Point Museum - www.coyoteptmuseum.org

1651 Coyote Point Dr., San Mateo, CA 94401

A learning center that inspires each of us to make a lifelong commitment to act responsibly in caring for the earth. We provide engaging, educational experiences for our diverse, multi-generational Bay Area community through wildlife, gardens, exhibitions, and programs that relate to the global environment.

East Bay Regional Parks -  www.ebparks.org/parks

There are many parks which have weekly science-related activities, nature walks and hands-on hikes.

Exploratorium - www.exploratorium.edu/

3601 Lyon St., San Francisco, CA 94123

An experimental, hands-on museum designed to spark curiosity.

Habitot Children's Museum - www.habitot.org

2065 Kittredge Street, Berkeley, CA 94704

The East Bay's Discovery Museum for young children 7 and younger. Our hands-on exhibits and drop-in art activities are perfectly tailored for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and families. Habitot offers children's classes and camps, preschool field trips, birthday parties, parenting classes and parent support groups.

Hall of Health - www.hallofhealth.org

2230 Shattuck Ave. (lower level), Berkeley, CA 94704

The Hall of Health, sponsored by Children's Hospital & Research Center at Oakland, is a community health-education museum and science center dedicated to promoting wellness and individual responsibility for health. The philosophy of the Hall of Health is that health and human biology go hand in hand: an understanding of how the body works provides a meaningful context for all of the practices that promote good health.  It includes interactive, hands-on exhibits to learn about the workings of the body, the value of sound diet and exercise, and the destructive effects of smoking and drug abuse.

Hiller Aviation Museum - www.hiller.org/index.shtml

601 Skyway Road, San Carlos, CA 94070

See historic aircraft as if they were in full flight, and visions of future flight. Also, try out their high-tech flight simulator

Junior Center of Art and Science - www.juniorcenter.org/

Lakeside Park

558 Bellevue Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610

Dedicated to encouraging children's active wonder and creative response through artistic and scientific exploration of their natural urban environment.  The center's classes, workshops, exhibits and events integrate art and science.

Lawrence Hall of Science - www.lhs.berkeley.edu/

Centennial Drive, Berkeley, CA

A renowned resource center for preschool through high school science and mathematics education, and a public science center with exciting hands-on experiences for learners of all ages.

Lindsay Wildlife Museum - http://www.wildlife-museum.org/

1931 First Ave, Walnut Creek, CA 94597

Oldest and largest wildlife rehabilitation center in America.  At Lindsay Wildlife Museum you can have close encounters with many live, non-releasable wild animals such as an eagle, hawk, fox, snake or coyote. An on-site wildlife hospital treats more than 6,000 native California animals every year. The museum also features changing art and natural history exhibits, classes for children and adults, and a discovery room with hands-on activities for children.

Monterey Bay Aquarium - http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/vi/

886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA

Monterey Bay Aquarium is located on the site of a former sardine cannery on Cannery Row. Sealife on exhibit includes stingrays, jellyfish, sea otters, an 11 lb. lobster over 50 years old, and numerous other native marine species, which can be viewed above and below the waterline.

NASA Ames Exploration Center - http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/home/exploration.html

Moffett Field, California 94035

Visitors can experience NASA technology and missions first hand, recently added a number of fresh and exciting exhibits open to the public at no charge

Oakland Zoo - http://www.oaklandzoo.org/

9777 Golf Links Rd., Oakland, CA

Home to more than 660 native and exotic animals.

Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History - http://www.pgmuseum.org/

At the corner of Forest & Central Avenues, Pacific Grove, CA

Dedicated to exhibiting and interpreting the natural history of Monterey County, California.

1451 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, CA 94301

 

Zoo houses nearly 50 different species.  In the museum explore a variety of science concepts related to physics, math, geometry and earth science through 14 different hands-on exhibits. Visitors experiment with gravity, motion, and forces of nature like wind and water.  They build, problem solve and let their imaginations soar as they learn about the connection between cause and effect.  And they practice important social skills as they team up with other families to move objects through our giant Ball Machine.

 

Randall Museum - www.randallmuseum.org/

199 Museum Way, San Francisco, CA 94114.

 

Wild in the City exhibit focuses on animals that live in urban settings, such as raccoons, skunks and coyotes. There's also a live animal exhibit that features primarily rescued animals, including three owls and a hawk.

 

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History -www.santacruzmuseums.org/

1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95062

 

The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History exists to foster relationships between people and nature, and to inspire stewardship of the natural world.

 

SF Recycling and Disposal Tour - www.sfrecycling.com/AIR/sculpturegarden.php?t=d
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501 Tunnel Ave, San Francisco, CA 94134

 

During the tour you will spend 45 minutes in the classroom watching a video, talking about recycling and environmental topics and the Artist in Residence Program. Then we will go to the studio to meet the current artist, then visit the Hazardous Waste Facility, the Transfer Station, the Sculpture Garden and finally walk through the Public Disposal Area. This part of the tour takes about one hour. To make a reservation for a Saturday tour, please call Deborah Munk at (415) 330-1415.

 

US Geological Survey - www.usgs.gov

Mission: The USGS serves the Nation by providing reliable scientific information to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.

Vision: USGS has become a world leader in the natural sciences thanks to our scientific excellence and responsiveness to society's needs.

 

 

Sulphur Creek Nature Center - www.haywardrec.org/sulphurcreek.html

 

1801 D Street, Hayward, CA

 

A wildlife education and rehabilitation facility with an animal lending library and wildlife discovery center.

 

Tech Museum of Innovation - www.thetech.org/

201 South Market Street, San Jose, CA 95113-2008

 

It engages people of all ages and backgrounds in exploring and experiencing the technologies affecting their lives, and aims to inspire the innovator in everyone. An expansive variety of interactive exhibits and unique floor programs showcase not just how technology works, but how it affects who we are and how we live, work, play and learn

 

University of California Botanical Garden - botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/

Established in 1890, the Garden, which is open to the public year round, has over 13,000 different kinds of plants from around the world, cultivated by region in naturalistic landscapes over its 34 acres.

AFTER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT

Mad Science of the Bay Area - register.madscience.org/southbay/
Science classes offered throughout the year for a fee

 

Math - Science Nucleus - msnucleus.org/

4074 Eggers Drive, Fremont, CA  94536

Located near Washington High School.  It offers science hands-on classes as well as a Children's Natural History Museum, and community service work at Tule Ponds at Tyson Lagoon in Fremont.