Blog

Often the most indelible imprints left on our memories are those that come from “out of the box” observations and experiences outside of traditional learning venues. Today, progressive museums are using creative adventures and fun programs to “teach,” and five of the best of these are located right here in San Francisco. First, billing itself as “an aquarium, planetarium, rainforest, and natural history museum,” the California Academy of Sciences acts as an advocate for environmental and sustainability education, and for science that may just save the planet. Next, the Exploratorium aims to transform the learning process by encouraging questions, use of hands-on experiences, and urging individual discovery.

The city's Cable Car Museum offers a combination of history and an up-close observation of the “last working system of its kind in the world.” The Conservatory of Flowers provides opportunities to observe rare flora and fauna with five galleries; each one spotlighting a different ecosystem. One such example is a Dracula orchid, which is native to Andean Cloud Forests. Lastly, in addition to mochi pounding, the Asian Art Museum offers storytelling using myths and folk stories enhanced by works of fine art to expose kids of all ages to Asian culture and the museum’s collection.