Exploratorium All Events

Science of Baseball Self-Guided Tour

14 May 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Exploratorium
Friday, May 14 – Monday, September 6, 2010

Ever wonder why a curveball curves, or what they put in the middle of a baseball? Find out at our new Science of Baseball self-guided tour, available at the Exploratorium May 14 through September 6. Pick up a handout when you come in, and check out some of our favorite exhibits. You’ll discover why players learn to run on the balls of their feet, what it feels like to soak in the adoration of a crowd, and why the singer needs to wear earplugs to get through the national anthem. This self-guided tour is a fascinating new way to think about America’s favorite pastime.

The tour kicks off May 14 with a special event featuring special activities and an appearance by San Francisco Giants outfielder Mark DeRosa. Click here for details.

Event type: Explo Program

Geometry Playground

25 Jun 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Exploratorium
Friday, June 25 – Monday, September 6, 2010

Geometry Playground Opens June 25
Through September 6, 2010
And Then Travels Nationally

The word “geometry” might dredge up sweaty-palm memories of classrooms, textbooks, and trying to calculate the volume of a cube. But what if geometry instead meant climbing inside cool, giant 3D shapes, or watching yourself in a big curved mirror as you try to play hopscotch? It turns out that seeing things, moving things, and fitting things together are all ways of exploring geometry. And since we’re talking Exploratorium, this exhibition is one where geometry is based on action! Sometimes you’ll use your hands, other times your entire body. And always your brain. Geometry Playground, developed by the Exploratorium over the past three years, includes over twenty exhibits and specially commissioned artworks. It travels to Minneapolis, San Diego, and to other cities nationally. Geometry Playground is made possible by the National Science Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. The exhibition is included in the price of admission.

Event type: Explo Program

Museum Open Labor Day

06 Sep 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Exploratorium
Monday, September 6, 2010

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Labor Day.

Event type: Explo Program

Exploratorium Homeschool Program: Circuits

07 Sep 2010 20:00:00 GMT

Exploratorium
Tuesday, September 7, 2010, 1 – 4pm

The Exploratorium Homeschool Program offers exciting, hands-on workshops for Bay Area families.

Our Homeschool science series explores topics in depth through hands-on activities, exhibit exploration on the museum floor, contributions from experienced teachers, and Internet links for going further. With biology, chemistry, geology, and physics rounding out a brand-new curriculum, we are also including two special “current issues in science” topics: biotechnology and climate change.

In addition to a new curriculum, this year we’re offering two levels of classes to better serve the participants. The levels will differ in approach and depth, yet cover the same topic.

Classes take place Tuesdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the IFI Classrooms for Level 1, and in the TI Classrooms for Level 2.

Level 1
In this workshop, we’ll design and build simple series and parallel circuits using components such as wires, batteries, and bulbs, leading students to an understanding of fundamental electronics concepts.

Level 2
We’ll design and measure series and parallel circuits in this workshop. We’ll calculate resistance, draw circuit diagrams, and compete in a circuit-design challenge.

The price per session is $50 per child. An adult must attend the Level 1 sessions, but there will be no fee for the adult. Adults may attend Level 2 sessions at their discretion. Childcare is not available, but children under age 5 are welcome with parental supervision. Children may attend all or selected sessions. Limit 20 children per session. Openings will be filled on a first-come, first- served basis, with priority given to past participants.

Homeschool Science Series, Fall 2010 Registration Form [PDF]

Event type: Explo Program

Driven: True Stories of Inspiration

11 Sep 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Saturday, September 11, 2010

A Podcast Series

How are creative investigations sparked? What does a state of inspiration feel like? Can inspiration be transmitted from person to person? Join us for Driven: True Stories of Inspiration, a podcast series that explores the fascinating world of how we work creatively, and the human stories behind creative accomplishments. A new podcast will be released every two weeks from mid-July through mid-November, as part of the Exploratorium’s 40th anniversary celebration.

Event type: Explo Program

Black Sand Treasure Hunt at Ocean Beach

11 Sep 2010 17:30:00 GMT

Ocean Beach
Taraval Street and Great Highway
San Francisco, CA
Saturday, September 11, 2010, 10:30am – 12pm

This Excursion is now full. Please call to be placed on a waitlist.

Join Exploratorium educator Ken Finn in search of elusive “black sand” (aka the magnetic mineral magnetite) at Ocean Beach. Tools and materials will be provided, and we’ll send you home with black sand, magnets, and an activity sheet so you can make your own miniature Black Sand exhibit—just like the one at the Exploratorium. Black Sand is one of the most popular exhibits at the museum. Visitors of all ages can’t keep their hands off it! Join us at Taraval & Great Highway, and bring the fun home. Excursions are $15 per person and for Members only; preregistration is required. Call (415) 561-0376 or e-mail memberprograms@exploratorium.edu for more information.

Event type: Explo Program

Back-to-School Kids’ Night Out

12 Sep 2010 00:30:00 GMT

Exploratorium
Saturday, September 11, 2010, 5:30 – 10pm

Give your kids—and yourselves—a night to remember! Children ages 5 and older are invited to spend an evening enjoying special activities, group games, and free time in the Exploratorium while parents have a fun time elsewhere. This Members-only event costs $40 for one child plus $25 for each additional child under the same Membership. A Family level Membership allows participation for up to 4 children, so feel free to bring a friend along! Pre-registration is required and must be completed by September 3. For more information, please visit http://www.exploratorium.edu/membership/events or call (415) 674-2879.

Event type: Explo Program

Exploratorium Homeschool Program: Solutions

14 Sep 2010 20:00:00 GMT

Exploratorium
Tuesday, September 14, 2010, 1 – 4pm

The Exploratorium Homeschool Program offers exciting, hands-on workshops for Bay Area families.

Our Homeschool science series explores topics in depth through hands-on activities, exhibit exploration on the museum floor, contributions from experienced teachers, and Internet links for going further. With biology, chemistry, geology, and physics rounding out a brand-new curriculum, we are also including two special “current issues in science” topics: biotechnology and climate change.

In addition to a new curriculum, this year we’re offering two levels of classes to better serve the participants. The levels will differ in approach and depth, yet cover the same topic.

Classes take place Tuesdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the IFI Classrooms for Level 1, and in the TI Classrooms for Level 2.

Level 1
Beginning with dry mixtures and moving to liquids, we’ll discover the difference between a solute and solvent by investigating the dissolving process. Our investigation will continue with flame-testing solutions to gather clues about their composition.

Level 2
Building on our understanding of solutes and solvents, we’ll explore how chromatography and distillation are used to separate and purify the components of a solution.

The price per session is $50 per child. An adult must attend the Level 1 sessions, but there will be no fee for the adult. Adults may attend Level 2 sessions at their discretion. Childcare is not available, but children under age 5 are welcome with parental supervision. Children may attend all or selected sessions. Limit 20 children per session. Openings will be filled on a first-come, first- served basis, with priority given to past participants.

Homeschool Science Series, Fall 2010 Registration Form [PDF]

Event type: Explo Program

Speaking of Music Rewind: Najma Ahktar

17 Sep 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Friday, September 17, 2010

In celebration of the Exploratorium's 40th Anniversary, we've been combing through our archives and revisiting our rich history. One gem we discovered is the highly regarded Speaking of Music series, which was co-presented by the Exploratorium, Charles Amirkhanian and KPFA radio, and produced by Mr. Amirkhanian from 1983 to 1992. In the series, conversations between Mr. Amirkhanian and prominent musicians and composers took place before a live audience. Today we present Najma Ahktar. We are releasing these archived files as a podcast series called "Speaking of Music Rewind." We'll publish one episode a month for the entire 40th anniversary year, concluding in November 2010.

With a handful of exhibits and a $50,000 grant from the San Francisco Foundation, the Exploratorium’s founder, Dr. Frank Oppenheimer, opened the doors of the museum in 1969 without any fanfare. In the forty years since, the museum has grown enormously, adding groundbreaking educational programs plus playful, thought-provoking exhibitions (on site and online), artworks, Webcasts, events, publications, and much more. We’re celebrating our past, present, and future at the museum and online.

We're offering everything from incredible bubbles to giant bolts of electricity; from behind-the-scenes floor walks to a panel discussion about Frank Oppenheimer’s life and philosophy with his biographer K. C. Cole and other distinguished guests. For more information about the Exploratorium's 40th Anniversary, please visit www.exploratorium.edu/40th.

Event type: Explo Program

Physics of Toys: Space, The Final Frontier

18 Sep 2010 18:00:00 GMT

Exploratorium
Saturday, September 18, 2010, 11am – 3pm

Launch yourself into space and join the Physics of Toys team to explore this final frontier. We will be building rockets and other space-themed toys. Best part? Take home what you make!

Event type: Explo Program

Exploratorium Homeschool Program: Cells

21 Sep 2010 20:00:00 GMT

Exploratorium
Tuesday, September 21, 2010, 1 – 4pm

The Exploratorium Homeschool Program offers exciting, hands-on workshops for Bay Area families.

Our Homeschool science series explores topics in depth through hands-on activities, exhibit exploration on the museum floor, contributions from experienced teachers, and Internet links for going further. With biology, chemistry, geology, and physics rounding out a brand-new curriculum, we are also including two special “current issues in science” topics: biotechnology and climate change.

In addition to a new curriculum, this year we’re offering two levels of classes to better serve the participants. The levels will differ in approach and depth, yet cover the same topic.

Classes take place Tuesdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the IFI Classrooms for Level 1, and in the TI Classrooms for Level 2.

Level 1
All living things are composed of cells, but what are cells made of? We’ll explore cell anatomy and the structure and function of the organelles as we build understanding through the construction of an edible model cell.

Level 2
All living things are composed of cells, but how do they make more cells? We’ll explore sexual reproduction and the cell-division process of meiosis. We’ll also learn about chromosomes and alleles and how these make us who we are.

The price per session is $50 per child. An adult must attend the Level 1 sessions, but there will be no fee for the adult. Adults may attend Level 2 sessions at their discretion. Childcare is not available, but children under age 5 are welcome with parental supervision. Children may attend all or selected sessions. Limit 20 children per session. Openings will be filled on a first-come, first- served basis, with priority given to past participants.

Homeschool Science Series, Fall 2010 Registration Form [PDF]

Event type: Explo Program

Radical Light: Return to Canyon, Program I

23 Sep 2010 14:00:00 GMT

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Thursday, September 23, 2010, 7am

Presented in collaboration with SFMOMA and in association with Canyon Cinema, SF Cinematheque, Pacific Film Archive, Exploratorium’s Cinema Arts Program, and USF Film Studies Program

On a summer day in 1961, in the East Bay community of Canyon, California, filmmaker Bruce Baillie shone a light on a bed sheet screen and Canyon Cinema was born. Over the years, Baillie’s brainchild evolved into the independent distributor Canyon Cinema and the venerable exhibitor, San Francisco Cinematheque. In commencement of Cinematheque’s golden anniversary, Cinematheque celebrates with a gathering of founding figures and luminaries from the early days of the organization, featuring brand-new works and newly preserved masterpieces from Bruce Baillie, Lawrence Jordan, Robert Nelson and Chick Strand. (Steve Polta) Filmmakers Bruce Baillie, Lawrence Jordan and Robert Nelson in person

Films include Lawrence Jordan’s Cosmic Alchemy (2010, 24 min.); Bruce Baillie’s Castro Street (1966, 10 min.) & Here I Am (1962, 11 min.); Robert Nelson’s Confessions of a Black Mother Succuba (1965, 16 min.) and Penny Bright and Jimmy Witherspoon (1967, 4 min.); and Chick Strand’s Fever Dream (1979 7 min.) and Waterfall (1967, 3 min.)

Featured films are subject to change. Members $7; nonmembers $10
canyoncinema.com

Event type: Explo Program

Return to Canyon, Program II

25 Sep 2010 02:00:00 GMT

Outdoor projection in a redwood grove located next to Canyon Elementary School at 187 Pinehurst Road, Canyon, California
Friday, September 24, 2010, 7pm

Presented in collaboration with Canyon Cinema, SF Cinematheque, Exploratorium’s Cinema Arts Program, and the USF Film Studies Program

Outdoor projection in a redwood grove located next to Canyon Elementary School at 187 Pinehurst Road, Canyon, California

Filmmaker Bruce Baillie in person; Curated by Liz Keim, Melinda Stone, and Dominic Angerame

Come join us for a night of celebration under the stars and grand redwoods of Canyon California, the birthplace of Canyon Cinema and San Francisco Cinematheque. This anniversary screening harkens back to the early days of Cinematheque (then one and the same with Canyon Cinema) featuring some of the first films screened in the little hamlet, along with vintage serials, cartoons and the signature Canyon Cinema News. The coveted Frankie Avalon Suit Award will be given to the most flamboyantly dressed audience member so don’t be shy. In the tradition of the founders, the screening will feature a potluck—bring your favorite dish, something to drink, and your own table service. Free popcorn will be served during the show. Films include a contemporary CanyonNewsreel made by the students at Canyon Elementary with the assistance of film students from the University of San Francisco. Special thanks to the teachers and students at Canyon Elementary School and to the community of Canyon for support with the screening.

Other featured films include Chuck Hudina’s Ikarus (1973, 2 min.); Gunvor Nelson’s My Name Is Oona (1969, 10 min.); Chick Strand’s Angel Blue Sweet Wings (1966, 3 min.); Bruce Baillie’s All My Life (1966, 3 min.) and The Gymnasts (1961, 8 min.); Tsen-Chu Bamboo Hsu’s Reflect (2010, 4 min.); Max Fleisher’s Ha! Ha! Ha! (1934, 7 min.); and Kerry Laitala’s Sparkle Plenty (2009, 6 min.). Featured films are subject to change.

Free
canyoncinema.com

Event type: Explo Program

Driven: True Stories of Inspiration

25 Sep 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Saturday, September 25, 2010

A Podcast Series

How are creative investigations sparked? What does a state of inspiration feel like? Can inspiration be transmitted from person to person? Join us for Driven: True Stories of Inspiration, a podcast series that explores the fascinating world of how we work creatively, and the human stories behind creative accomplishments. A new podcast will be released every two weeks from mid-July through mid-November, as part of the Exploratorium’s 40th anniversary celebration.

Event type: Explo Program

Members’ Evening Hours: Celebrate the Mezzanine!

02 Oct 2010 01:00:00 GMT

Exploratorium
Friday, October 1, 2010, 6 – 9pm

The second level of the Exploratorium, otherwise known as the Mezzanine, is always bustling with activity, whether it’s live dissections, a peek at life under a microscope, or a Drawing Board masterpiece. On October 1, special activities will highlight the action on the Mezzanine, where you can visit some of our most classic exhibits as well as discover brand new favorites. The rest of the museum will be open as always, so take a stroll around before joining us upstairs! No reservations are needed, just come with your Membership card and photo ID.

Event type: Explo Program

Free Day

06 Oct 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Exploratorium
Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Free Day is a busy day at the Exploratorium. Here are a few tips for your visit:

General Admission to the Exploratorium is free to the public on the first Wednesday of every month. Free admission is open to everyone—you do not need to be a San Francisco resident to participate.

Groups of 10 or more people are required to make advance reservations. Advance reservations are booked on a first-call, first-served basis, and due to capacity reasons, groups without reservations will not be admitted.

Exploratorium Members can check in at the membership kiosk in the lobby. The membership kiosk is open most free days.

CityPASS ticket holders can check in at the membership kiosk in the lobby. The membership kiosk is open most free days.

Tactile Dome admission is regular price: $20 for general public and $14 for Exploratorium Members (limit 2 tickets per visit). Advance reservations are strongly recommended. Please call (415) 561-0362.

Be prepared for large crowds and extended waiting times. On free days it’s not unusual for the museum to reach capacity early in the day. Once at capacity, waiting times to enter the museum can extend up to and beyond 90 minutes and re-entry may be prohibited.

Event type: Explo Program

Exploratorium After Dark: Sol System: An Alternative Energy Exploration

08 Oct 2010 01:00:00 GMT

Exploratorium
Thursday, October 7, 2010, 6 – 10pm

A cutting-edge evening series for adults
The first Thursday of every month
6:00–10:00 p.m. Please note: The museum will be closed from 5 to 6 p.m. If you arrive before 5 p.m., please be sure to keep your admissions sticker for re-entry to the museum at 6 p.m.

Old Sol isn’t the only alternative energy source (good news for foggy San Francisco). On Thursday, October 7, Sol System: An Alternative Energy Exploration will feature organizations, objects, and activities involved with alternative energy sources. Among the featured exhibits will be a 22-foot-tall flower cum solar panel that opens and tilts towards the sun, features seating and charging stations for laptops and computers, and orients itself to provide visitors with shade.

Experience life After Dark, an evening series exclusively for adults that mixes cocktails, conversation, and playful, innovative science and art events. Not a theater, cabaret, or gallery, After Dark contains aspects of all three. Each evening showcases a different topic—from music to sex to electricity—but all include a cash bar and film screenings, plus an opportunity to play with our hundreds of hands-on exhibits. Join us and mingle with inventive scientists, artists, musicians, programmers, and designers. Enjoy live performances, provocative films, interesting music, cutting-edge technology, unexpected extravaganzas, and more, depending on each evening's lineup. Leave the kids at home and meet friends or take a date. Where else can you find an intellectually stimulating playground for adults—with free parking?

This event is included in the price of museum admission.

Please note a change to our After Dark admission policy: In response to feedback from many attendees, beginning Thursday, October 7, only visitors 18 and older will be admitted to After Dark. Thank you for understanding—and for helping make After Dark a success.

To join the After Dark e-mail list and receive notifications of future events, contact afterdark@exploratorium.edu .

Become an After Dark Member!

Purchase an After Dark Member Pass for $25 and receive free admission to First Thursday evening events — plus a 20% discount at the Exploratorium Store anytime during regular or evening hours. The After Dark Member Pass pays for itself in just two visits and lasts for one year from your date of purchase.

Already an Exploratorium Member? No need to buy an After Dark Member Pass; simply show your Member ID to receive free admission to these events.

Event type: Explo Program

Driven: True Stories of Inspiration

09 Oct 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Saturday, October 9, 2010

A Podcast Series

How are creative investigations sparked? What does a state of inspiration feel like? Can inspiration be transmitted from person to person? Join us for Driven: True Stories of Inspiration, a podcast series that explores the fascinating world of how we work creatively, and the human stories behind creative accomplishments. A new podcast will be released every two weeks from mid-July through mid-November, as part of the Exploratorium’s 40th anniversary celebration.

Event type: Explo Program

San Francisco's Water: A Special Hike in the PUC Watershed

09 Oct 2010 17:30:00 GMT

Crystal Springs Reservoir off Highway 280
Saturday, October 9, 2010, 10:30am – 12:30pm

Did you know that San Francisco's drinking water comes from the Crystal Springs reservoir—which sits right on the San Andreas fault? On this hike through the Public Utilities Commission watershed, join Exploratorium educator Ken Finn to see the system that serves 2.4 million Bay Area residents, the Civil War–era dams that withstood the 1906 quake, old-growth Douglas firs, and, perhaps, the rare and endangered species that thrive here on land that's been protected and pristine since California was settled.

Hikers will meet at a trailhead near Crystal Springs Reservoir off Highway 280, and will receive an e-mail with directions before the hike.

Members only; $15 per person.
Preregistration is required at www.exploratorium.edu/membership/workshops_excursions.

Event type: Explo Program

Short films by Charles and Ray Eames

09 Oct 2010 19:00:00 GMT

Exploratorium
Saturday, October 9, 2010, 12pm

Noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m.

Friends of Exploratorium founder Dr. Frank Oppenheimer, Charles and Ray Eames maintained a close relationship with the museum during their lifetimes and are present as kindred spirits in the twenty-first century. Through their furniture design, books, exhibitions, and films, the Eames’ applied a special blend of playful and intellectual curiosity to a diverse range of subjects, from planetary motion to bread making. The strength of their film work lies in their ability to translate complex principles into elegant mediations on who we are and how we see the world.

Event type: Explo Program

10/10/10 Special Event

10 Oct 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Exploratorium
Sunday, October 10, 2010

In 1977 Ray and Charles Eames made a nine-minute film called Powers of Ten that influenced the way millions of people see the world. This cinematic journey out to the edge of space and time and then back again deep into a carbon atom located in the hand of a man napping at a picnic has inspired artists, educators, scientists and individuals to create exhibitions, paintings, educational activities as well as a host of cinematic homages and affectionate parodies.

Charles and Ray Eames were arguably the most important and egalitarian American designers of the 20th century and contributed to the fields of education, architecture, design, manufacturing, cinema and photography.

“Take your pleasure seriously,” is a famous statement of Charles Eames and we intend to do just that on October 10, 2010 by celebrating the Powers of Ten with activities, demonstrations, conversations, and of course, films, exploring the relative scale of things, and the philosophy and ideas of Charles and Ray Eames. The Eames were friends of Exploratorium founder Frank Oppenheimer. Check back soon for additional times and descriptions of activities.

Event type: Explo Program

Exploratorium Homeschool Program: California Geology

12 Oct 2010 20:00:00 GMT

Exploratorium
Tuesday, October 12, 2010, 1 – 4pm

The Exploratorium Homeschool Program offers exciting, hands-on workshops for Bay Area families.

Our Homeschool science series explores topics in depth through hands-on activities, exhibit exploration on the museum floor, contributions from experienced teachers, and Internet links for going further. With biology, chemistry, geology, and physics rounding out a brand-new curriculum, we are also including two special “current issues in science” topics: biotechnology and climate change.

In addition to a new curriculum, this year we’re offering two levels of classes to better serve the participants. The levels will differ in approach and depth, yet cover the same topic.

Classes take place Tuesdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the IFI Classrooms for Level 1, and in the TI Classrooms for Level 2.

Level 1
Mountains, faults, and volcanoes mean the ground in this state is constantly on the move. This workshop will investigate California geology and plate tectonics as we enjoy some edible hands-on activities along the way.

Level 2
Through hands-on activities, we’ll explore the geologic resources that are of major economic importance, the importance of water to our society, and the principal natural hazards in different California regions. We’ll also analyze published geologic hazard maps of California.

The price per session is $50 per child. An adult must attend the Level 1 sessions, but there will be no fee for the adult. Adults may attend Level 2 sessions at their discretion. Childcare is not available, but children under age 5 are welcome with parental supervision. Children may attend all or selected sessions. Limit 20 children per session. Openings will be filled on a first-come, first- served basis, with priority given to past participants.

Homeschool Science Series, Fall 2010 Registration Form [PDF]

Event type: Explo Program

Speaking of Music Rewind: Steve Reich

15 Oct 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Friday, October 15, 2010

In celebration of the Exploratorium's 40th Anniversary, we've been combing through our archives and revisiting our rich history. One gem we discovered is the highly regarded Speaking of Music series, which was co-presented by the Exploratorium, Charles Amirkhanian and KPFA radio, and produced by Mr. Amirkhanian from 1983 to 1992. In the series, conversations between Mr. Amirkhanian and prominent musicians and composers took place before a live audience. Today, we present Steve Reich. We are releasing these archived files as a podcast series called "Speaking of Music Rewind." We'll publish one episode a month for the entire 40th anniversary year, concluding in November 2010.

With a handful of exhibits and a $50,000 grant from the San Francisco Foundation, the Exploratorium’s founder, Dr. Frank Oppenheimer, opened the doors of the museum in 1969 without any fanfare. In the forty years since, the museum has grown enormously, adding groundbreaking educational programs plus playful, thought-provoking exhibitions (on site and online), artworks, Webcasts, events, publications, and much more. We’re celebrating our past, present, and future at the museum and online.

We're offering everything from incredible bubbles to giant bolts of electricity; from behind-the-scenes floor walks to a panel discussion about Frank Oppenheimer’s life and philosophy with his biographer K. C. Cole and other distinguished guests. For more information about the Exploratorium's 40th Anniversary, please visit www.exploratorium.edu/40th.

Event type: Explo Program

Sustainable Architecture Tour Series: Marin Country Day School

16 Oct 2010 17:00:00 GMT

5221 Paradise Drive
Corte Madera, CA 94925-2107
Saturday, October 16, 2010, 10am – 12pm

The Bay Area is home to many outstanding examples of sustainable architecture. Local architects and engineers are pushing design boundaries to achieve improvements in the places we live, work, learn, and play. This tour is the first in a two-part series of excursions behind the scenes where sustainability supports and infuses academic life.

When Marin Country Day School embarked on a long-range visioning process six years ago, the organization made a commitment to sustainability. That commitment led to a physical and intellectual transformation of the campus in its architecture, curriculum, and workplace practice. MCDS recently completed the second phase of its long-range master plan. The completed building project—designed by San Francisco based EHDD Architecture as the largest zero energy classroom complex in North America—is now also LEED for Schools Platinum certified. It includes a 29,000 square-foot Learning Resource Center with art studios, technology labs, project rooms, library and high-performance classrooms. Join Alice Moore, MCDS Director of Environmental Sustainability, for a tour and discussion of this exceptional learning environment.

Limited to 20 participants
Members $20, Non-members $25

Event type: Explo Program

Physics of Toys: Round and Round in Circles

16 Oct 2010 18:00:00 GMT

Exploratorium
Saturday, October 16, 2010, 11am – 3pm

Let’s get dizzy! We will be making toys that twist, spin, and rotate while learning the science behind circular motions. All materials will be provided. Take home what you make!

Event type: Explo Program

Stop & Go Rides Again Animation Festival

16 Oct 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Exploratorium
Saturday, October 16, 2010, 2pm

With Curator Sarah Klein, in person!

Contemporary animation from Europe and the United States uses stop-motion techniques to tell stories, examine visual phenomena, and make political statements in this collection of short videos. The animators breathe life into magazine cutouts, homemade drawings, everyday objects, and even the body itself. From the simple beauty of a rubber ball to the history of evolution, the result is a selection of videos that are both humorous and poignant.

Event type: Explo Program