Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose

What's New

Adventures with nature and art

Climb • Build • Play • Explore • Go Out on a Limb!

New Exhibit
Now Open!

Out on a Limb, CDM’s newest, original exhibit, is a 1,200 square-foot sculptural, interactive, imaginative environment that promotes nature-play and outdoor exploration. Check out the “Tree House,” build a fort, climb and balance, experience nature using your senses in “Light Play” and “Forest Jam,” and more. The grown-ups in your life may have as much fun reminiscing as you do playing, and after you leave, you can all continue to become more closely acquainted with the natural world around you . . . even in your own backyard!

Children of the Dragon

Vietnamese Community Celebration

• Saturday, April 4th, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Sunday, April 5th, 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Music, dance, art . . . even food tasting. . . will highlight this exciting, colorful, and culturally rich two-day event featuring members of the local Vietnamese community. Have fun honoring and sharing your own culture, or discovering the celebrations of your neighbors.

Workshop - Music Together

Music Together is an internationally-recognized early childhood music program for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, Kindergartners, and the adults who love them. Come and experience the joy of family music with licensed instructor Kristine Lundgren Ortega.

• Thursday April 9th – June 11th (10 meetings)
• 2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
• For ages to 4 years

Fee: Members: $150.00, $135.00 for each additional sibling
Non-Members $180.00, $165.00 for each additional sibling
Materials fee: $40.00 per family
Children 8 months and under are free with a paid sibling.
Registration: Begins Thursday, March 5th. To register or for more information, call CDM’s Reservationist at (408) 298-5437 ext. 259.

It's So Easy Being Green Week

• Monday, April 13th – Friday, April 17th
• 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Celebrate the Earth! All week long, local conservation organizations will be on hand with fun activities and information to help you reduce, reuse, recycle and RE-THINK your impact on our world. Learn how to cook with the energy of the sun, make sustainable food choices, or even start your own organic farm. Find out how you can help preserve our city’s natural resources, get up close and personal with local wildlife, and much, much more! Visit Children’s Discovery Museum during Green Week and learn to live lightly on the earth!

Summer of Service

Children’s Discovery Museum offers a nationally-recognized Summer Day Camp for youth entering grades 7 – 10.

Children’s Discovery Museum offers a unique and innovative summer program where youth can have fun, make new friends, meet new challenges, and make a difference in the community. Summer of Service (SOS) responds to the needs of young teens too old for the traditional day camp, but too young for employment. SOS has been changing lives for eleven years, and is a recipient of the prestigious Promising Practices Award as an outstanding opportunity for youth.

The SOS program is an ongoing part of many young lives. Museum floor staff, volunteer staff, and SOS facilitators include a number of SOS graduates who have developed a bond with the Museum and wish to continue working to benefit their community.

Theatre Experiences

A potpourri of programs including drop-in workshops, live performances, and films is offered in The Lee and Diane Brandenburg Theatre.

Musical Storytelling with Michael Corner
The Three Bears
Thursday, March 19th
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Golden Thread Productions
Magic Journeys
Saturday, March 21st
1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Nick Barone Puppets
Tales from the Enchanted Forest
Saturday, March 28th
12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

This program is made possible in part by a grant from FIRST 5 Santa Clara County.

Jerry Falek
Saturday, April 11th
1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Tuesday, April 7th, 21st, and 28th
10:30 and 11:30

Fou Fou Ha!
The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss
Saturday, April 18th
12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m

This program is made possible in part by a grant from FIRST 5 Santa Clara County.

David Sharpe and the PapaHugs Band
Saturday, April 25th
11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. in the Museum
3:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. in Discovery Meadow

This program is made possible in part by a grant from FIRST 5 Santa Clara County.

Sunday Matinees

We’ll make a good movie even better with an activity inspired by the short film we will see.

Snowflake Bentley
February 22nd, 2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Sunday January 18th, 1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni
Sundays in March and April, except March 15th and April 5th and 12th
2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Drop-In Theatre Workshops
No experience necessary.

That’s What Actors Do
Tuesday and Thursday, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Move to the Music
Wednesday and Friday, 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Volunteer Alert

Summer Volunteer Orientation

Volunteer orientations for high school and college summer volunteers are being scheduled now. The Museum’s Volunteer Program offers a fun, interactive environment where students can earn community service hours while working alongside staff.

To reserve your seat at an upcoming orientation, call (408) 298-5437 ext. 279 or e-mail: volunteer@cdm.org

Fun with Volunteering

Volunteer at Children’s Discovery Museum with your child!

On weekends, a parent or mentor and child can volunteer together and facilitate an art project specially designed for family fun! Share the joy of volunteering with your youngster in a familiar, fun, and safe environment.

Pre-registration required: call (408) 298-5437 ext. 279 or e-mail: volunteer@cdm.org.

Art Matters

The Art Loft

(Ages 4 – 10 and their caregivers; siblings welcome)

Monday – Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Sunday, 12:00a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
(also open during Members' Hour 11:00 a.m. – noon)

This 900 square foot space at the top of the stairs was designed to offer quality visual art activities that children are not likely to experience elsewhere. Using found man-made and natural objects, and traditional art-making materials and tools in unique ways, children can explore their ideas and develop new skills.

February: A contiguous line, that begins in the Art Gallery and serves as the backdrop for the exhibition A Line Drawn from Taipei, will wind its way into the Art Loft, where we’ll be featuring visual arts experiences and an installation that explore lines, too! Activities will vary, but all will be related to this one art concept.

March and April: Create a design inspired by nature, scratch it into Styrofoam, ink its surface, and press the inked design onto paper to make an original print.

Printed Works by Pearlyn Tan
Tuesday, April 7th - Sunday, May 24th
Graphic designer and printmaker, Pearlyn Tan, will display prints on paper and textiles.

Meet the Artist:
Pearlyn Tan
Saturday, April 18th
11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., 1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Pearlyn Tan was born and raised in Singapore, and currently works as a graphic designer based in San Francisco. Tan is constantly experimenting with new media and projects. In addition to graphic design, she dabbles in everything from drawing to sewing, silk screen print-making, and styling hair. Join artist Tan as she talks about her work and current projects, and demonstrates silk screen techniques.