Celebrating Community

Our mission is to ignite and advance creative thinking for all children. We are committed to creating a warm and welcoming environment and meaningful programming for all audiences on a daily basis. This programming intentionally reinforces our mission and brings it to life at every touchpoint, while being broadly accessible to visitors of diverse cultures and socio-economic backgrounds.

Our goal is to have visitation to the Museum reflect the ethnic and socio-economic diversity of the San Francisco Bay Area. Our Celebrating Community initiative is comprised of the following programs:

Download our brochure with complete details about Celebrating Community. (PDF)

Connections

Connections is the centerpiece of our Celebrating Community outreach program. Through Connections, the Museum partners with 35 local subsidized preschools through their parent organizations:

  • Marin Head Start
  • Marin Community Child Development Program
  • San Francisco Unified School District Child Development Program
  • Wu Yee Children’s Services
  • Contra Costa Head Start
  • The Model Centers funded by Mimi and Peter Haas

Through Connections, the Museum will facilitate more than 8,000 visits annually by low income, Latino, Asian, and African-American children and their families this year. Each participating school has committed to work with the Museum for three years to provide focused feedback so Connections can meet the needs of the teachers, the children, the families and the Museum.

Visit our Connections page for complete details, including photos and updates on current programming.

For more information, contact Heather Miller at hmiller(at)badm.org or (415) 339-3916.

Family Access Programs

The Museum offer free days, camp scholarships, low-cost Family Access memberships, and our Open Door Policy. Learn more about Family Access programs.

Festivals and Special Events

Thanks to long-term partnerships with community organizations, the Museum hosts annual events reflecting the Bay Area’s rich cultural diversity.

In fiscal year 2011 (Sept. 1, 2010 – Aug. 31, 2011), the Museum welcomed:

  • 48,991 people received free admissions to the Museum through monthly free days, free cultural festivals, Open Door Access, and fully subsidized community/school programs including:
  • 18,045 visitors to our Free First Wednesdays
  • 1,771 subsidized or free school visits
  • 8,247 visits through Connections
  • 7,154 visitors to our cultural festivals: Kwanzaa, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Chinese New Year, and Cinco de Mayo
  • 500 complimentary tickets to Goblin Jamboree to families in under-served communities.

Donations

The Bay Area Discovery Museum donates passes to hundreds of community organizations and schools every year. Learn more about how to request a donation of passes.

Meet our Park Partners

The Bay Area Discovery Museum is a Partner of the Golden Gate National Parks. Learn more about our Park Partners.

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