Media Room Strategic Initiative Inclusion & Cultural Competence

Museum Joins “Museums for All” National Access Program

February 22, 2018

Now even more families from all backgrounds can visit the museum through Museums for All, a national access program that enables qualifying families to visit the museum for the low rate of $2 per person for up to four people. Families simply present one of the following: Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, Medi-Cal Benefits Identification Card (BIC) card, or a Women, Infants and Children Nutrition (WIC) folder. This national initiative represents a huge step in the goal of reaching more children and parents, especially those living in poverty, with the valuable educational resources of hands-on learning. Learn More

General Museum, Inclusion & Cultural Competence, Partnerships & Resource Development

Artist Inspires Visitors by Painting with His Head

The Mercury News
February 5, 2018

Don Ryker struggles to speak, but his paintings talk for him - bright and vibrant, active and intelligent. From the seat of his power wheelchair Don turns blank canvases into works of art by applying acrylic paint with his uniquely adapted hardhat. Cerebral Palsy hasn’t deterred Ryker from many things in life, including learning how to fish and play baseball and video games and now pursuing his dream as a professional artist. As part of the museum's Creativity through the Arts and Inclusiveness and Cultural Competence strategic commitments, Don was at the museum demonstrating his technique. Visitors had the opportunity to experiment with his method of wearing a similarly adapted hard hat. Learn More

Creativity through the Arts, Early Childhood Development, Inclusion & Cultural Competence

Thousands Celebrate 20th Anniversary of The Three Kings Event

The Mercury News
January 7, 2018

Twenty-one years ago the museum launched The Three Kings Celebration as a way to introduce the museum to the large Latino community. This success served as a model for helping the museum meet the changing needs and demographics of Bay Area families and children. Learn More

Creativity through the Arts, Early Childhood Development, General Museum, Inclusion & Cultural Competence, Partnerships & Resource Development

Ringing in the New Year Across the Time Zones Draws Huge Crowds

The Mercury News
January 1, 2018

New Year's Eve may be for adults, but not at the purple museum. Created in 2006 so families could ring in the new year together, the Noon Year's Eve event highlights the diverse community the museum serves with three LED-lit ball drops coinciding with time zones around the world. Fashioned after the famous New York City Times Square Ball Drop, the celebration provides a joyful occasion for all ages. Learn More

Creativity through the Arts, General Museum, Inclusion & Cultural Competence

Immersive Mural Boldly Transforms Museum Entryway

El Observador
December 8, 2017

The museum's massive stucco-covered entry has been transformed into a pallet of brightly colored imagery and bold symbols inspired from community input. Acclaimed multi-media artist Jaque Fragua of Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico, and local curator Juan Carlos Araujo of Empire 7 Studios created the iconographic motifs based on design ideas submitted by 50 Rocketship Alma Academy 2nd – 5th-grade students, EY corporate volunteers, and museum staff. The project supports the museum’s strategic commitment, Creativity through the Arts, and is part of Community Pathways, the museum’s pilot program funded by San Jose’s Office of Cultural Affairs to activate the spaces outside the museum. Learn More

Creativity through the Arts, Early Childhood Development, Inclusion & Cultural Competence, Partnerships & Resource Development

Immersive Mural Transforms Enormous Covered Entryway

November 30, 2017

Creativity is ignited every day inside the museum's purple walls. Now visitors' creative juices will be stoked as they approach the museum. Acclaimed multi-media artist Jaque Fragua of Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico is transforming the museum’s massive stucco covered-entry into a pallet of brightly colored imagery and bold symbols sparked from community input. The artist created the iconographic motifs based on design ideas submitted by 50 Rocketship Alma Academy 2nd – 5th grade students, EY corporate volunteers, and museum staff. Learn More

Community Service Learning, Creativity through the Arts, General Museum, Inclusion & Cultural Competence, Partnerships & Resource Development

Mural-cle of a Makeover

The Mercury News
November 30, 2017

Big, bold, and bright. That's the best way to describe the museum's new mural. Using only the simplest of materials - paint, brushes, and rollers, the mural artists Jaque Fragua and curator Juan Carlos Araujo have transformed the museum's plain, stucco entryway into a stunningly beautiful and welcoming space celebrating creativity and community-building. Learn More

Community Service Learning, Creativity through the Arts, General Museum, Inclusion & Cultural Competence, Partnerships & Resource Development

El Día de los Tres Reyes Magos 20th Anniversary Celebration

January 5, 2018

Freddie, the camel, and Beverly, the mini-donkey, will be the star attraction in a ceremonial procession to kick off the 20th anniversary of the Three Kings weekend. The festivities will bring to life rich traditions and colorful customs of family, gift-giving, music and the arts, based on the Three Kings observances in many Spanish-speaking countries. Visitors can try their hand at papel picado, tortilla-making, sample Rosca De Reyes bread, and enjoy captivating music and dance performances. Learn More

Creativity through the Arts, General Museum, Inclusion & Cultural Competence, Partnerships & Resource Development

Noon Year’s Eve Across the Time Zones: Our Version of the Ball Drop in Times Square

December 29, 2017

Celebrate the arrival of 2018 with the whole family by participating in the “countdown to noon across time zones” with family hugs, a noisy celebration, and the Museum’s version of the famous Ball Drop in Times Square with lots of confetti. At the ball drops, we give “shout outs” to different countries and what people in those countries might be doing at these times. Learn More

General Museum, Inclusion & Cultural Competence, Partnerships & Resource Development

Annual Weekend Celebrates Rainbow of Diversity and Inclusion

The Mercury News
August 27, 2017

Kids and parents braided friendship bracelets, learned what the colors of the rainbow flag represent, and participated in a lively crochet jam, led by social justice artist Ramekon O' Arwisters at this year's annual Proud of My Family event. As part of the museum's Inclusion and Cultural Competence initiative, the program is designed to build awareness and understanding among people of diverse ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, sexual orientations and family configurations. Learn More

Creativity through the Arts, Inclusion & Cultural Competence, Partnerships & Resource Development

Proud of My Family Celebrates Inclusion and Diversity

Bay Area Reporter
August 15, 2017

Families come in all configurations. We celebrate this every day at Children's Discovery Museum and especially during our annual Proud of My Family weekend. This event is an outgrowth of our strategic commitment, Cultural Competence and Inclusion, and the work we do with our LGBTQ advisory committee to support all families in the community. Learn More

Inclusion & Cultural Competence, Partnerships & Resource Development

Common Ground Program Gives Voice to Immigrants

China Daily USA
August 1, 2017

Immigrants from China, Mexico, India, the Philippines, and Vietnam shared their experiences and cultural heritage during one of three dinners as part of the museum's innovative Common Ground gatherings. The year-long, grant-funded program designed to connect people from different backgrounds and encourage sharing and understanding amongst diverse immigrant communities will culminate in an art project to be displayed throughout the South Bay. Learn More

General Museum, Inclusion & Cultural Competence, Partnerships & Resource Development