Media Room Keyword outdoor play spaces

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

CA Live! Visits the Museum

CA Live! on NBC Bay Area
September 14, 2023

California Live's Jobeth Devera and her film crew from NBC 11 explored Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose with visits to Amazing AirMaze, the Voyage to Vietnam immersive exhibit, and WaterWays - highlighting oodles of reasons to visit the big, purple museum. Learn More

General Museum, Inclusion & Cultural Competence

Museum is on “Closer Look” Radio Show

K-LOVE 107.3
March 9, 2023

Director of Marketing & Communications Joey Sanchez joins Kindra Ponzio on "Closer Look," an in-depth radio program that airs on K-LOVE 107.3, KRTY 953. and Air1 97.7 stations. Tune in here to learn more about their wide-reaching conversation about all the happenings at the museum. Learn More

Creativity through the Arts, Early Childhood Development, Environmental Stewardship, General Museum, Inclusion & Cultural Competence, 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

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

Bestselling Author and Nature Advocate Richard Louv to Help Dedicate Bill’s Backyard

September 19, 2017

Bill’s Backyard: Bridge to Nature, San Jose's newest outdoor learning environment, will double the museum’s current exhibit space and provide endless opportunities for fun and learning with a focus on environmental and science education. Bestselling author and chairman emeritus of Children & Nature Network Richard Louv will give the keynote address at the dedication on Thursday, October 19 at 11 a.m. San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo will speak about the museum’s leading role in making San Jose a nature-rich city for all children. Learn More

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

Marilee Jennings Shares Vision for Outdoor Expansion

Content Magazine
July 1, 2017

Executive Director Marilee Jennings shares her vision for Bill's Backyard: Bridge to Nature - the museum's new outdoor learning environment opening in October. After 26 years, the museum is bursting through its purple walls and connecting kids to nature with outdoor play and environmental and science education. Learn More

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

Museum Breaks Ground on Outdoor Expansion

The Mercury News
November 23, 2016

It was only fitting that more than 100 first graders seeded the bare ground in preparation for construction of Bill's Backyard: Bridge to Nature. This new space will connect kids to nature for fun and learning with a lookout tower, fort building area, a dig pit, a tree climbing structure linked with a suspension bridge and much more. Learn More

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