Gateway Science Museum, California State University, Chico

Join our curiosity guides in June for fun, innovative Saturday activities — Free with admission. 💫

🌌 June 13: Pin Hole Constellations - Make constellations from craft materials!

☀️ June 20: Sun Prints - Create art with the power of the sun.

🚀 June 27: Paper Rockets - Construct an out-of-this-world rocket!

Please note there is no activity on June 6 due to the museum being closed for maintenance.

Get ready for a great summer adventure with your Gateway Plus Membership! By being a member, you can get free or reduced admission at participating museums and science centers thanks to the ASTC Travel Passport Program. ☀️

✨ Member Benefits:
• Free or discounted general admission to 300+ Association of Science and Technology Centers participants nationwide
• Gateway members receive 1/2 price admission at Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding
• Unlimited free general admission to Gateway for one year
• Members receive a 10% discount on museum merchandise

Memberships can be purchased in-person, on our website, or by phone!

📚 The next Community Science Book Club meets on Saturday, June 13, at 11am in Gateway Science Museum’s Weibel Community Room. Participate in a lively discussion of “Entangled Life” by Merlin Sheldrake.

Please RSVP via email to [email protected] if you plan to attend!

📖 Previous Book Club picks include:
- Turning to Stone by Marcia Bjornerud
- Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green
- Why We Remember by Charan Ranganath
- California Against the Sea by Rosanna Xia
- The Science of Interstellar by Kip Thorne
- Becoming Earth by Ferris Jabr

🌍 We're excited for another fun summer of hands-on exhibits, science, and exploration! Visitors, please take note of these summer dates and hours of operation:

✨ Gateway's normal open hours continue to be 11:00am - 4:00pm, Thursday-Saturday.

Additionally, our special open Wednesdays been extended into July! If you're looking for bonus time at the museum, drop by on these dates from 3:00 - 7:00pm:
🌟 May 13,
🌟 June 10
🌟 July 8

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The museum will be CLOSED on the following dates, so please plan your visit accordingly:
May 21, May 22 and May 23
June 5 and 6
July 4

🌱 This Saturday, May 9, join California Climate Action Corps in taking action to refresh our gardens. Grab your friends, de-stress before finals by trimming the trails or learning about compost - every hand makes a difference. 🌿

10:00am-12:00pm | Saturday, May 9. Open to the community! Sign up to volunteer: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdeqOPe1Prq7cIDp3ojHeqJgg48demurji1v0CowW2jne_grw/viewform?usp=header

💥 Mark your calendars for the last day to view our exhibits: Motion Mania and TinkerTopia — both close Saturday, May 16.

On the way is A-MAZE-D — a cave-themed walkthrough maze designed exclusively by Dave Phillips, acclaimed puzzle designer, and painted by Chico State art students and alumni.

A-MAZE-D officially opens on May 28, with a special Members Only preview on May 27 from 4-6pm! For more information on how to become a member, visit our website. ✨

Please note the museum will be closed May 21-23 to prepare for this exciting exhibit change.

All of May, join us for activities centered around experiments! Free with admission.

🧲 May 2: Get Magnetic - Chico State 204B students showcase their final projects! Event begins at 11am.

🪥 May 9: Elephant Toothpaste - A fun chemistry experiment!

🌋 May 16: Lava Lamp - Create a homemade lava lamp.

🐟 May 30: Floating Fish - Can drawings of fish still swim?

Please note there is no activity on May 23 due to the museum being closed for exhibit change.

Soon-to-be Chico State graduate and current Gateway Field Trip Guide and Curiosity Guide, Trynnitty has evolved through the years right alongside Gateway. From visiting the museum as a kid during class field trips, to now leading kids in their own exploration– she has really carved out a special place for herself at Gateway.

“My favorite memory from Gateway as a kid was visiting on a field trip! When I was in fifth grade, my class came and learned about the Earth, the water cycle, and fossils! Back then, I remember how tall the short face bear was, which still fascinates me till this day.

From visiting as a kid to now working as a guide, it has been the best experience I could ask for. It’s so fun to work behind the scenes and see new visitors enjoy our exhibits. Sometimes kids are curious about the same things I was as a kid, and it feels very full circle to me.

The biggest thing I try to do is remember the field trip guides before me. Guides are a huge part of the experience! Being a behavioral and social science major now, seeing people like you in STEM really matters. I love it when kids take an interest in science because it was made fun for them, and now I get to be part of that process!” –Trynnitty

Meet the Gateway team… as kids. ✨

Day in and day out, this group brings so much life and energy to the museum, keeping all our activities and programming running. As the semester comes to a close, some will be graduating and moving on so be sure to say hi 👋 next time you visit!