Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose

Our distinctive purple museum in Silicon Valley has been delighting visitors with hands-on experiences, interactive learning, and opportunities for discovery for more than 26 years. We need your partnership as we prepare to burst forth beyond the purple walls and into the outdoors. Help us as we make way for Bill's Backyard, a 27,500 sq. ft. outdoor play space that will be a bridge to nature for our community's children and families. 

 

RESEARCH SHOWS ACCESS TO NATURE IS ESSENTIAL

 For more than 20 years, the Museum has been successfully delivering environmental education programs that now serve 1,000 students and teachers every year in schools throughout our community

Research increasingly reveals the benefits of spending time in nature for children’s physical and emotional health. Nature play and exploration support child development through multi-sensory experiences, embodied learning, and discovery of natural phenomena.  First-hand nature experiences are also essential to building empathy for the natural world, which is the foundation of environmental stewardship. Bill’s Backyard will make it possible for environmental education to reach 350,000 Museum visitors each year.

 

INTRODUCING CHILDREN TO ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPLORATION

In Children’s Discovery Museum’s outdoor nature exploration space, children will dig and get dirty, climb and roll, taste and touch, build and explore.

Children of all ages will observe demonstration habitats for wildlife such as butterflies and insects, birds, beavers, and other local creatures, and have the chance to gather and learn through special classes, workshops, and informal learning opportunities.

 

PUT YOUR STAKE IN THE GROUND

 For every $250 you donate, you or your designee will be personally recognized with a nameplate on one of the iron stakes that will surround Bill's Backyard.

Our picturesque see-through fence will be made of hundreds of iron stakes that form a heartfelt community embrace expressing our care for the children of our community. You’ll feel proud knowing you’ve helped spark curiosity and love of nature in the next generation of scientists, environmentalists, and engineers.Want to give a smaller gift that has big impact? Learn more about our bee habitat that will be just one of many opportunities to explore nature outdoors. Visit https://www.mightycause.com/us/story/The-Buzz-About-The-Bees.

 

GIFTS OF ANY AMOUNT WELCOME!

Help us include exciting exploration features in our outdoor play space.

Bill’s Backyard is a huge undertaking and every dollar counts. To date, we’ve raised nearly $2.5 million to construct our nature education play space. Now that we’re ready to break ground and build infrastructure, we need your help in supporting all the exciting educational features we have planned—such as native trees and plants, animal habitats, nature play and observation areas, garden beds, and much more.  You can help make it possible for children to play, hide, and explore together in a safe outdoor play space. Together we can make the vision for an outdoor play space a reality.

 

JOIN US

Invest in a lifelong love of nature and commitment to environmental stewardship

Be a community leader! Join the Open Space Authority, the Coastal Conservancy, the Super Bowl 50 Fund, Agilent Technologies Foundation, the City of San Jose,  and the County of Santa Clara. Help create an exceptional and inspiring outdoor space just for kids.  We invite you to become a proud contributor, with an inscribed stake in our Art Fence hugging Bill's Backyard as a lasting tribute to your community spirit. 

 

Put your stake in the ground and donate today!