Media Room Keyword environmental education

Exploration Portal Dedication: San Jose’s newest outdoor educational play space where children will explore the intersection of math and science, art, and nature

June 11, 2024

Children will soon have endless opportunities to discover patterns, proportion, scale and symmetry at the intersection of math, science, and nature. Exploration Portal is the museum's newest outdoor educational space for STEM learning. Learn More

Creativity through the Arts, Early Childhood Development, Environmental Stewardship, Exhibition Development, General Museum, Science Learning

BioSITE Celebrates 30 Years of Teaching Scientific Methods and Water Ecology

April 1, 2024

Over the past 30 years, more than 26,000 students have tested water quality, discovered local plants and animals, and directly learned about the environment and humans' impact in BioSITE, the award-winning field research program. Learn More

Community Service Learning, Early Childhood Development, Environmental Stewardship, General Museum, Learning Research, Partnerships & Resource Development, Science Learning

Museum Receives $124,000 for Exploration Portal

Local News Matters
July 28, 2023

The museum received $124,000 from Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority to develop Exploration Portal, an environmental education space adjacent to Bill's Backyard, which opened in 2017 to enhance children's learning about the natural world. Exploration Portal is slated to open in the summer of 2024. Learn More

Creativity through the Arts, Early Childhood Development, Environmental Stewardship, Exhibition Development, General Museum, Science Learning

Environmental Education Program Culminates with Nature Festival

May 15, 2019

Happy Trails, the innovative program launched last fall by the museum narrows the "nature gap" by removing barriers for inner city families to experience and enjoy the outdoors. Through three facilitated hikes, workshops, and parent resources in Spanish, Vietnamese and English, families gain skills, comfort, and confidence in the outdoors. Learn More

Early Childhood Development, Environmental Stewardship, Science Learning

Question Quest: A Week of Investigating Your World Honors 25th Anniversary of Award-Winning BioSITE Program

April 2, 2019

Did you know that over 70% of the planet is covered by the sea? Or that the Pacific Ocean covers over half the globe? Environmental and science organizations will be at Children’s Discovery Museum April 9 – 13 answering these questions and sparking more with hands-on science activities during Question Quest week. This year’s theme, Blue Planet, celebrates the 25th anniversary of BioSITE (Students Investigating Their Environment), the museum’s field-based environmental science program where students learn watershed ecology and environmental stewardship. Learn More

Early Childhood Development, Environmental Stewardship, General Museum, Partnerships & Resource Development, Science Learning

There’s a New Backyard at the Museum

Bay Area News Group
October 27, 2017

When Bill Sullivan stepped down 10 years ago as CEO of Agilent Technologies, he got an unusual retirement gift from his company: a rendering of an outdoor exhibit space and play area that would be built at Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose and bear his name. “It was a heck of a lot better than receiving a gold watch,” Sullivan told the crowd gathered for the dedication of Bill’s Backyard on Thursday, Oct. 19, at the downtown museum. Learn More

Early Childhood Development, Environmental Stewardship, Exhibition Development, General Museum, Partnerships & Resource Development, Science Learning

Nature NOW! Bill’s Backyard Opens Oct. 29

Red Tricycle
October 22, 2017

Go outside and play. This sentiment is often at odds with the valley's tech-heavy culture, especially in the Bay Area. To encourage kids to put down their devices and engage with the outdoors, Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose recently doubled its exhibit space to add a new outdoor exhibit, Bill’s Backyard: Bridge to Nature, and it’s the tree house and dig pit of childhood dreams. Every detail was meticulously planned from the living roof on the junior ranger station to the life-sized bronze animals hidden throughout the exhibit. Learn More

Early Childhood Development, Environmental Stewardship, Exhibition Development, General Museum, Partnerships & Resource Development, Science Learning

Seventy-five Charming Third Graders Help Dedicate Bill’s Backyard

The Mercury News
October 20, 2017

The same kids who tossed seeds into a patch of dirt last November burst through a commemorative ribbon and helped dedicate the museum's new outdoor space, Bill's Backyard: Bridge to Nature, on Thursday. Mayor Sam Liccardo, Santa Clara County Supervisor Ken Yeager, and representatives from the visionary donors including Open Space Authority Santa Clara County, the California Coastal Conservancy, FIRST 5 Santa Clara County, and Agilent Technologies were among many who were on-hand to mark the occasion and speak about the importance of this new outdoor learning environment to children and the entire region. Learn More

Early Childhood Development, Environmental Stewardship, Exhibition Development, General Museum, Partnerships & Resource Development, Science Learning

Low Tech High Thrills at the Purple Museum

South Bay Accent
October 15, 2017

Executive Director Marilee Jennings talks with South Bay Accent about everything from the early days of the museum to the latest and largest capital project since opening in 1990 - Bill's Backyard. San Jose's newest outdoor learning environment is primed for hours of exploration, discovery, and creativity for all ages, especially inquisitive youngsters. Learn More

Early Childhood Development, Environmental Stewardship, Exhibition Development, General Museum, Partnerships & Resource Development, Science Learning

Executive Director Marilee Jennings Talks with Bay Area Focus

KBCW Bay Area Focus
October 8, 2017

Marilee Jennings joined Michelle Griego, host of KBCW's "Bay Area Focus," to talk about Bill's Backyard and why the museum is venturing outdoors with a half-acre outdoor learning environment focused on environmental and science learning - and, of course, lots of discovery and exploration for children and families. Learn More

Early Childhood Development, Environmental Stewardship, Exhibition Development, General Museum, Science Learning