The Exploratorium in San Francisco is not your average museum. In fact, it’s pretty much unlike any other museum I’ve visited so I won’t call it that. It’s an imagination-boosting, mind-bending, tinker-encouraging, eye-opening, fun-filled space for science and discovery. It was another stop during our recent trip to San Francisco with Disney Canada and Travel San Francisco that left us filled with awe and wonder.

Our group was guided around the building by Rob Semper, Exploratorium Executive Associate Director. In about an hour we learned about the history of this educational centre and the future of the learning laboratory that builds thought-provoking exhibits, tools, programs, and experiences that ignite curiosity. I’ve heard it described as “part Willy Wonka’s factory and part high school shop class”, which is pretty spot on.

History of The Exploratorium

Rob Semper, Exploratorium Executive Associate Director, in front of a photo of Frank Oppenheimer

“It makes you an active learner and is designed to encourage curiosity.”

The Exploratorium opened up at its brand new location at Pier 15 — along the Embarcadero, below Coit Tower — back in April of this year although it was originally founded in 1969 and lived in the Palace of Fine Arts until that time. This was all the brain-child of physicist Frank Oppenheimer:

“He’d been a university professor and worked beside his brother, J. Robert Oppenheimer (known to some as the “father” of the atomic bomb), on the Manhattan Project of the 1940s. Barred from pursuing scientific research during the McCarthy era of the 1950s, Frank retreated to small-town Colorado and became a cattle rancher. Before long, his passion for knowledge and learning led him back to teaching, and he began to share his view of the world with students at the local high school.

Considering the richness of his own life experiences, Frank was no typical science teacher. He put down the textbook and filled his classroom with the hands-on tools and materials that had become his trademark and that would ultimately lead him to create the Exploratorium. In 1969, Frank’s dream of transforming science education brought him to San Francisco and to the cavernous—and very empty—Palace of Fine Arts, which was once part of the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco’s Marina District.

Frank poured heart and soul into his “San Francisco Project,” working alongside the artists, educators, and developers whose job it was to build and maintain Exploratorium exhibits and help visitors use them. He served as the museum’s director until just before his death in 1985.”

Now at 330,000 square feet, The Exploratorium has three times the size of its previous space and offers hundreds of additional exhibits along with 1.5 acres of freely accessible public space at Piers 15 and 17.

Galleries

Semper told our group that the whole idea is to get people in the mood to play and you’ll find plenty of opportunities to do just that in The Exploratorium’s galleries. These include Human Phenomena (West Gallery), Tinkering (South Gallery), Seeing and Listening (Central Gallery), Living Systems (East Gallery), Landscape Observation (Bay Observatory Gallery), and the outdoor gallery.

View a PDF visitor map.

The Tinkering Studio is inspired by the Maker movement, like Maker Faire events, 3D printing, and all that fun stuff. If you look closely at the instructions and information placards on the exhibits you might even find one that was built by Oppenheimer himself.

You can touch, turn, crank, swing, and pull everything. From optical illusions to mechanics, all of the exhibits are built and repaired on-site and staff are aptly called “Explainers”. The Explainers give demos including the hourly cow’s eye dissection in the Life Sciences area. However, Semper said that they don’t want to explain everything to you – the goal is to get you exploring during your visit.

The Algae Chandelier allows visitors to pump oxygen to nourish tanks of beautiful colored algae, also known as phytoplankton. These microscopic organisms grow by the millions in the bay and ocean, forming greenish clouds up to a few hundreds miles wide. Image by Amy Snyder © Exploratorium. All rights reserved.

(Left) Legendary kinetic and mechanical sculptor Arthur Ganson’s ingenious work Machine With Concrete is on loan to the Exploratorium. A motor is attached to a block of concrete. The gear reductions mean the machine runs smoothly, even though the final gear, embedded in the concrete block, will only complete its first revolution after roughly 13.7 billion years. Image by Amy Snyder © Exploratorium. All rights reserved.

(Right) Visible Pinball by artist Michael Schiess Play a free game on a transparent pinball machine with visible mechanical and electromagnetic parts. Visible Pinball serves as a striking introduction to the Exploratorium’s classic electricity and magnetism exhibit collection. Image by Gayle Laird © Exploratorium. All rights reserved

A highlight for us, aside from all of the hands-on fun and learning, was the Bay Observatory Gallery. You could check out recorded fog and weather patterns on relief maps with cool overlaid projections then turn and look right outside at the bay (and step out onto a large patio area). It supplied some very San Francisco-specific content for us, learning about atmospheric and geological conditions, the bay, the endless steamroller of fog in the sky, and more.

Visit The Exploratorium in San Francisco

Located at Pier 15, you can either spend a full day at The Exploratorium or walk between the popular tourist-oriented Pier 39 and/or the Ferry Building Marketplace at Pier 1. Be sure to check out the hours of operation to give yourself enough time to play and explore (I’d say at least 2 hours, with kids or not). You can grab a bite at one of the eateries on site and sit indoors or venture outside into their pier-side courtyard where you’ll find even more exhibits and functional works of art.

The Exploratorium is a captivating experience for all ages and they also have adult-only “After Dark” evenings for 18+. Semper actually told us that 2/3 of their audience is over the age of 18 and 1/2 of those have children. Check out their special events calendar when planning your visit.

Follow

Learn more about The Exploratorium (and how you’ll want to make it a San Francisco destination) by following along on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google +.

The Vancouver Public Space Network (“VPSN”) has lunched PS (Public Space) I Love U, a photo hunt to celebrate the city’s public spaces. Registration is now open for the event which will take place Saturday, September 21st, 2013.

It’s pretty easy to find Vancouver’s more famous landmarks, like Science World and the Olympic Cauldron. But, do you know where your closest neighbourhood pop-up library is, or where Mountain View Cemetery’s first burial was laid to rest? We’ve compiled a checklist of the city’s hidden local treasures, some are well known and some… not so much. This five-hour photo hunt will challenge people to discover the fun public spaces that exist throughout the city. Our extensive list includes unconventional public art, community-inspired fixtures, and just fun and odd things that are exclusively Vancouver.

Photo credit: bcbusinesshub on Flickr

Photo credit: Stephen Reese & Matzuda & S. Vegas on Flickr

Late September is a great time to explore the city, even more so to participate in a public spaces photo hunt. To sign up your team for free or to read the official rules and event information, check out the PS I Love U website and follow on Twitter and Facebook.

This weekend we’ll be celebrating the 125th anniversary of Vancouver’s crown jewel, Stanley Park. This peninsula means a lot of many of us with its forest trails, Seawall paths, attractions, beaches, and as Xwayxway, a traditional village site of the Squamish First Nation. On Saturday, August 24th and Sunday, August 25th, you will be able to enjoy free activities and live concerts — along with a Stanley Park Brewing Beer Garden — to celebrate everything we love about the park.

Stanley Park 125 Festival Schedule

A full schedule of events is available online, and you can search by festival location and date, or you can download this PDF. There are free daytime entertainment and activities from 12:00pm to 8:00pm as well as ticketed events with Theatre Under the Stars and Boca del Lupo.

Second Beach Live Concerts

Live at Second Beach: The Stanley Park Live stage at Second Beach features a full line-up of amazing musical performances, food concessions, outdoor sports, and a premium licensed area to enjoy Stanley Park Brewery’s fine selection of beers.

Festival Zones

Family Stage at the Arch:
Family stage with local children’s entertainers like Bobs & Lolo and Music with Marnie, Coast Salish artisans and cultural displays, Stanley Park Ecology Society’s Discovery trail walks and BioBlitz ecology study, stilt walkers, interactive workshops and the Aquarium’s Aqua Van.

Memory Lane at the Gardens:
Historical tours and displays in the rose garden and Shakespearean sonnets and soliloquys. Evening ticketed performances including Theatre under the Stars at Malkin Bowl and Boca del Lupo at the Stanley Park Service Yard parking lot.

Brockton Sportsapalooza:
Rugby and cricket games and demos with a licensed area, traditional Coast Salish Slahal games, and open house at HMCS Discovery at Deadman’s island.

Lost Lagoon Ecoharmony:
Nature displays, games and events hosted by Stanley Park Ecology Society including naturalist-led wildlife trail walks and mural art workshops at the Nature House, plus musical performances at the Lost Lagoon stage and roving entertainers.

Check out the Stanley Park 125 website for more information and updates.

The Pacific Salmon Foundation’s Pink Salmon Festival is happening Sunday, August 25, 2013 at Vanier/Hadden Park in Kitsilano.

From 12:00pm until 5:00pm participants will be able to sample pink salmon prepared by local chefs including Robert Clark (formerly of C Restaurant) , Ronnie Shewchuk (international BBQ winner) and Garrett Schack (Chateau Victoria). All sampling is by donation.

Organizers say the festival is to celebrate the return of the pink salmon. With 9 million pinks forecasted to flood the Fraser, and recent reports of Sockeye collapses, the message is that Pinks are a tasty and sustainable alternative to other species:

We, as consumers, have the power to ensure that salmon have a healthy future in BC. Salmon are a keystone species in British Columbia from a cultural, environmental and economic perspective. Pink salmon, which are expected to be particularly abundant this year in the Fraser River, have the ability to serve as an abundant human food source while also adequately supporting ecosystems that depend on them for survival. Pink salmon can truly be sustainable seafood in practice and not just words. [Pink Salmon FAQ]

The Pink Salmon Festival will not only have tasty samples but this family-friendly event will include live music, interactive displays, and more. Follow the Pacific Salmon Foundation on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about this event and the PSF’s various initiatives.

Update I received an email from Elayne with the PSF who let me know that after the event they had plenty of leftovers — 650 pounds of pink salmon donated by Canadian Fishing Company/Goldseal. It didn’t go to waste though, it was donated to the Union Gospel Mission in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

The annual Scotiabank & BC SPCA Paws for a Cause walk is coming up on Sunday, September 8, 2013 in 35 communities throughout BC. It’s lovingly referred to as the biggest doggy party of the year and it helps to raise much-needed funds which stay right in local communities.

The goal for this year’s Scotiabank & BC SPCA Paws for a Cause is to raise $1 million to fight animal cruelty in BC. You can sign up to participate in the walk or donate to a participant to support the cause.

My friend Keira has done the walk for several years and she is participating with her rescued pal Jordy once again this year in Comox:

Photo: Keira

“Last year my then three-year-old niece joined me in the Comox Valley for her first-ever Paws for a Cause walk and was absolutely delighted! She constantly shrieked with joy at being surrounded by dogs of all shapes, sizes, colours and breeds. My participation in Paws for a Cause will always primarily be for the sake of the animals but I know now that I’m also setting an example of love and compassion for all creatures – whether furry, scaly, sweet or stinky.”

To get the word out about Paws for the Cause walks around BC – whether you would like to participate or support a participant – Pile of Pillows has supplied the BC SPCA with NOVOpets® pet beds and I get to give away three of them.

The pet bed is cozy, scratch-proof and easy care. The removable, washable cover makes care easy. A water resistant cover on the inner bed cushion offers added protection from drool, wet paws and accidents. All NOVOpets® Pet Pillows are filled with GeoBlend®, a fill that lowers your carbon footprint. GeoBlend® is a soft, synthetic fill that is eco and pet friendly. All pet beds are made in Canada.

Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
• Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

I will draw three winners at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Thursday, August 29, 2013. Each winner will receive one gift certificate code that they can use online at Pile of Pillows. The prize is valued at $60 for a large pet bed (pictured above). Follow the BC SPCA on Facebook and Twitter for more information about their work and special events.

Update The winners are Kelly, Riley, and Nicole!