Children's Natural History Museum

Found this place after searching Google for museums in the East Bay. This was close and we haven't been to this one before, so since the kids were on winter break - we checked it out. My youngest said they felt like Indiana Jones and my eldest said it's their highlight so far of winter vacation. The museum docent handed the kids a scavenger hunt based on their grade level, and it really was quite fun! I would have loved the items in the gift shop for my classroom! Such a fun, educational experience!

This museum is a gem. It is so well done and interactive, good for little kids, maybe 4 and up. My 5 year old had fun with the scavenger hunt and you even get a little prize at the end. My almost 3 year old is a little more difficult since some exhibits you should not touch. They have hands on matching exhibits in every room, several sand boxes to play with. Sooo many amazing skeletons. The gift shop is so cheap I don’t think they are making money. 30 cents for an egg with a plastic dinosaur inside?!!!! Thanks for being here. They don’t have an elevator yet so you have to carry your stroller up the stairs to 2nd floor.

I brought my 5 y.o. here. she doesn't know how to read yet but she had fun. Even though the exhibition is displayed the old fashioned way, she was able to do some of the activities. She enjoyed doing the scavenger hunt sheet that they gave at the entrance. I had fun doing it with her. For $5/person is worth it.

This is how museums should be. Focused on teaching kids about topics, in this case geology and the life on Earth, with details about the local area. Shows like the planetarium and the high voltage exhibit are extremely interesting and keep the attention up. It is clear the volunteers put a lot of effort and create a number of custom devices to enhance the experience. A true gem.