The Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo

Happy #FlashbackFriday! Looks like Zookeeper Lee and Edward had matching smiles that day! Who wouldn’t be happy with that bowl of deliciousness coming their way? Can you guess what Edward was about to chow down?

What do you call an important English Snake? Sir Pent. How should you address this incredible snake shown above? Your Hiss-ness! Because this is a Kingsnake! (Awesome photo captured by Rob Steele)

A peek into the new JMZ! The JMZ will re-open next year when it’s safe to do so, but in the meantime, here is a quick update on one of the projects we have underway!

The crayfish eggs have come and gone but now there are so many miniature crayfish at the JMZ! Did you know, some crayfish can lay more than 500 eggs? Although not all of them hatch or survive to reproduce, imagine how full our aquarium could get!

#FlashbackFriday! Now we know where Loki and friends liked to have fun...at Raccoon Creek!

Have you ever seen a bird more beautiful? This is the Mandarin Duck, known world-wide for its colorful and unique plumes. These birds are also incredible and agile fliers, able to fly through trees with remarked maneuverability.

In recognition of this Monday’s Indigenous People’s Day, participants of our #ScienceOutdoors programs learned about the past tools and habits of the natives that lived in the Bay. One of these activities included grounding acorns as a food source! Sign ups are open for similar programs at Arastradero and Baylands! https://bit.ly/3fOU5IT

Creativity and exploration can occur both outdoors and virtually too! So to spotlight a virtual experience, beloved JMZ and Art Center instructor Sharon Reich is offering a unique virtual class this fallVirtual Artist’s Workshops. Kids can hone their observation and creative skills as they make sculptures and paintings using a wide range of materials. Sign up today: bit.ly/3ixcMSN For more programs: www.cityofpaloalto.org/enjoy

It’s #FlashbackFriday and this Solar Power exhibit was electrifyingly fun! Kids could connect circuits and learn what happens when light is blocked from a solar power panel.

It’s International Raccoon Appreciation Day! (Oof, that was a mouth-full ) In honor of this special day, we’ve grouped up some photos of Loki, our favorite one-eyed raccoon. Raccoons are often spotted washing things they’ve found. Although it seems like they’re following those wash before use tags, wetting their hands actually enhances the feelings in their paws! This adaptation helps them get a better of what they’re holding and in some cases, what they are about to eat. Check out these Loki photos and a #throwback to the awesome mask that Zookeeper Lee has been strutting!

It’s a Hedgehog mukbang! Larry isn’t one to shy away from the camera, especially with a feast in front of him! Can anyone see what makes up a balanced hedgehog diet?

Animals are great and all, but we got to give our geology collection some love too! Here, at the JMZ, we often use specimens in our collection to give kids a hands-on experience on how diverse and fascinating geology can be!

Attention Families! Junior Museum outdoor afterschool science classes are filling up fast, but there is still space in our Foothills Park program starting in October! We have classes for kids in 1st through 5th grades. Covid prevention protocols, including mandatory mask wearing, social distancing and hand sanitizing, will be strictly maintained. Periodic sessions will be cancelled due to poor air quality and appropriate refunds will be made for cancelled classes. To learn more, or to register, please copy and paste the following URL into your browser: https://bit.ly/3fOU5IT . Questions can be addressed to [email protected].

*Yawn* I feel you, Duncan. Monday mornings, they never get easier. At least our yawning ferret might brighten someone else’s day! Good morning!

Excited for our new building! Check out our installment in the front! #Repost from @charlessowersstudios First run of my new piece at the JMZ - The floppy black things are temporary padding to protect the building when I lash the poles to one side until I get my locking mechanism in place. - - Thanks to @bartontroutman for installation assistance. - #kineticsculpture @publicartpa

Zzz Cooley must’ve gotten the hint that it’s a #holiday, today because our gopher snake has been all cozied up this long weekend. We take this day to show our deep appreciation to our American workforce, especially the essential workers who’ve made it possible to have a bit of normalcy and safety during this time. Happy Labor Day, everyone!

It’s starting!!! As the school year starts, so does our afterschool programming! Over at Outdoor Science, we’re starting our journey through nature at the Baylands Open Space Preserve. We can’t wait to explore the marshland with you all! Sign-ups for this program are still open so tell your friends and family! If September does not work with your schedule, Outdoor Science is also hosting programs at Foothills Park and Arastradero Preserve in October and November, respectively. To learn more, or to register, please visit https://bit.ly/3fOU5IT.

During JMZ Zoo Programs, students have virtually experienced Edward, our African spurred tortoise, munching on his favorite #snack! Can you guess what it is? Comment below! Virtual Zoo Programs are available for sign-ups now! For more information: https://bit.ly/32zzCTX.

The Junior Museum is offering a new virtual zoo program, Wednesdays in September and October, right after school! For kids in 1st through 5th grade, 3:00pm-3:50pm Junior Museum Virtual Zoo Do you love animals? Get a virtual close up view of our animals and their lives at our zoo,... from our littlest bugs to our playful ferrets! Watch them eat, play, and explore all while we learn about what it takes to be a zookeeper! Zoom link to class will be emailed to registrants 2 days prior to the start of class. For more information, or to register, please visit https://bit.ly/32zzCTX. See more