Fort Baker 557 McReynolds Road | |
| 415.339.3900 | |
| contact@baykidsmuseum.org | |
| http://www.baykidsmuseum.org | |
| Hours: Tue-Fri 9am-4pm; Sat & Sun 10am-5pm | |
| Cost: Adults $10; Children (2-17) $8; Children (ages one and under) free | |
| Ages: 1-8 |
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Free Stuff
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Blogs and Sites
Check out some of our favorite blogs!
About Bay Area Discovery Museum
The winner of our 2008 Parents' Picks quest to find the best Enviro-friendly Place in the Bay Area, this museum is about as hands-on as it gets, which means it gets high marks as a kid's destination. Located next to the Golden Gate Bridge, it's housed in a cluster of buildings that were once part of Fort Baker, a military installation that guarded San Francisco Bay.
The exhibits change every so often and successfully engage kids on many levels. The museum's latest permanent addition - Lookout Cove - is a 2.5-acre outdoor adventure zone with a 1595 shipwreck replica, a rocky sea cave, a crow's nest, a two-ton redwood log, and a climbable Golden Gate bridge!
Other constants include a science lab focusing on waves and wind, an arts studio in which kids can create something new to take home, and a Discovery Center for little kids, called Tot Spot, that is so engaging big kids are always trying to sneak in.
Bring lunch and picnic on one of the tables there. Or buy refreshments at the small cafe that caters to kids.
Day Camps: are offered in weekly sessions during the summer, and during the first two weeks of April for Spring Break. Themes include Acrobatic and Aerial Arts, Art Dabbler, Building Blocks of Architecture, Carpenter's Apprentice, Clay Play, Creative Drama, Creature Features, Drumming Magic, Elements of Art, Fort Building, House of Samba, Kids' Chemistry, Mural Magic, On the Bay, On the Spot Improv, San Francisco Science, Shipwrecked, Soapbox Cars, Treasure Hunt, and Water Wonders. Membership saves on camp fees. Materials fees may also apply.
Family Programs: The Museum organizes art workshops, and dramatic performances. Check the website, or the GoCityKids calendar, for upcoming events.
Parties: The museum's birthday party room is available in 90-minute slots on Saturdays and Sundays between 10am-3pm. A birthday party package includes exclusive use of the party room for one and a half hours, and free admission to the Museum for the day for party guests. Limit of 30 children maximum; 30 adults. Cost runs $200 (members), $225 (general), and up.
The exhibits change every so often and successfully engage kids on many levels. The museum's latest permanent addition - Lookout Cove - is a 2.5-acre outdoor adventure zone with a 1595 shipwreck replica, a rocky sea cave, a crow's nest, a two-ton redwood log, and a climbable Golden Gate bridge!
Other constants include a science lab focusing on waves and wind, an arts studio in which kids can create something new to take home, and a Discovery Center for little kids, called Tot Spot, that is so engaging big kids are always trying to sneak in.
Bring lunch and picnic on one of the tables there. Or buy refreshments at the small cafe that caters to kids.
Day Camps: are offered in weekly sessions during the summer, and during the first two weeks of April for Spring Break. Themes include Acrobatic and Aerial Arts, Art Dabbler, Building Blocks of Architecture, Carpenter's Apprentice, Clay Play, Creative Drama, Creature Features, Drumming Magic, Elements of Art, Fort Building, House of Samba, Kids' Chemistry, Mural Magic, On the Bay, On the Spot Improv, San Francisco Science, Shipwrecked, Soapbox Cars, Treasure Hunt, and Water Wonders. Membership saves on camp fees. Materials fees may also apply.
Family Programs: The Museum organizes art workshops, and dramatic performances. Check the website, or the GoCityKids calendar, for upcoming events.
Parties: The museum's birthday party room is available in 90-minute slots on Saturdays and Sundays between 10am-3pm. A birthday party package includes exclusive use of the party room for one and a half hours, and free admission to the Museum for the day for party guests. Limit of 30 children maximum; 30 adults. Cost runs $200 (members), $225 (general), and up.
Tips
Buy a family membership; it pays for itself for a family of four after two visits.
Getting There
Cross Golden Gate Bridge and take the Alexander Avenue Exit. Follow signs to East Fort Baker and the Bay Area Discovery Museum
Bay Area Discovery Museum
- Animal Secrets Exhibit Ongoing Daily except Mon 10/31/09 - 5/9/10
- Hip Kid's Music: Alphabet Rockers 11/14/09
- 20,000 Volts Under the Sea by The Brian Waite Band 11/21/09
- Gingerbread Architecture Extravaganza Ongoing Each Sat, Sun 11/28/09 - 12/20/09
- Free Admission Wednesday 12/2/09
- Hip Kid's Music: Octopretzel 12/5/09
- Dream Circle Holiday Concert 12/19/09
- Free Admission Wednesday 1/6/10
- Free Admission Wednesday 2/3/10
- Free Admission Wednesday 3/3/10
- Free Admission Wednesday 4/7/10
- Free Admission Wednesday 5/5/10
- Free Admission Wednesday 6/2/10
- Free Admission Wednesday 7/7/10
Parent Reviews
(4 reviews)
Average Parent Rating: 
Rated by 5 parents
- It's pricey, so we don't go very often. However, when we do go, my toddler absolutely loves it. She really enjoys the open environment and loves to explore/discover things at her own pace. She especially loves the salmon creek in the tot spot area and the art studio. I highly recommend it!
[Submitted by Anonymous8/28/09 - The concept is good, but we stopped going there after they fixed it up. The staff is always on the kids to not do this and don't touch that, don't go there. This attitude defeats the whole purpose. Very sad.
[Submitted by nanincal5/24/08 - Why do we love the Bay Area Discovery Museum? The Discovery Museum is a great place were children can explore and be free to be kids. We have been going to the Discovery Museum since my now two year old was 6 months old. We have created many great Memory's. Our typical Discovery Museum trip starts at about 10am. We head straight for the Tot Spot. We start inside the Tot Spot room were she climbs into tunnels and end up in ponds with lily pads (little water beds) that she happily bounces around on. Then we move to the outside Tot Spot were there is a stream (built up to tot chest level so there is no concern of them falling in) with a water fall and tons of play fish and crabs to splash around...and a bridge to cross a thousand times. That keeps the tots busy for at least an hour. Then we normally head up to the Meadows were the tots put on butterfly or bee wings and they climb around structures that represent Meadow animal homes. As we leave the tot spot there is always a couple of musicians singing with guitars and plenty of musical instruments the kids are encouraged to pick up and play along, sing or just dance. Then we break for lunch. The cafe serves decent food with healthy choices for kids like PB & J, milk, yogurt, string cheese and decent salads to name a few. After we have lunch we head off to the art room. Were there is great big activity table set up with play dough and tools. There is also plexiglass windows kids can paint on. I have been to the Discovery Museum at least 12 times and there has always been a couple of staff members on hand to replace materials. The staff members have always been happy and excited about being around the kids. In fact on more then one occasion we have had a staff member play side by side with the kids at the play dough table. We normally end the day at Look Out Cove. Were there is a gravel land slide that is great for digging in and playing with giant trucks. There is a real fishing boat that kids can climb around on as well as another great tidal water feature to explore. The view of the Golden Gate isn't bad either....it makes for GREAT pictures!!
[Submitted by Leah8/29/07
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