Donors Making an Impact

In Memorium – Diantha Reynolds

Turtle Bay lost a wonderful woman and supporter recently. Diantha Reynolds was a key member of the Turtle Bay Volunteer Auction team for more than 20 years! She was particularly instrumental in creating Auction items that helped the event thrive. She was also very generous and always supported the event with a Patron Table Sponsorship. Year after year she gave her time and talent! Turtle Bay will miss her greatly.

Turtle Bay is grateful for supporters like Moore & Bogener, Inc. for their continued annual support of the Park! Aaron Moore and Collin Bogener are North State attorneys with big hearts for our community. Currently, they are Major sponsors of our Summer exhibition Cats & Dogs which highlights the science of animal behaviors to explore the skills, intelligence, and behaviors of cats and dogs. With young families of their own, Moore & Bogener, Inc. believes that it is important to support institutions like Turtle Bay that build community pride, bring cultural enrichment, and contribute to the prosperity of the region.

Turtle Bay For All – Presented by Drs. Promila & Paul Dhanuka and Family

Turtle Bay is proud to offer Turtle Bay for All, a year-round access program offering reduced admission for EBT card holders. The cost of museum admission can be a barrier for many low-income families. With the Dhanuka Family’s help, Turtle Bay is able to offer this discount and make the learning, and fun of Turtle Bay more accessible for all people in our community!

Thursday Sept 14

Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact

Sept 16 - Dec 31

More snow is coming!

Presented by Carolina Girimonte In Memory of Nick L & Claudia Girimonte

Redding has a reputation for sunshine and heat, but we know that it snows here too. And when it snows it REALLY snows. Last winter was wild! Why does this happen some years and not others? Why does it seem like it snows locally more often now than it did 20 years ago... but less often than it did in the 1930s? Just in time for winter, we are hosting OMSI’s Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact. This highly interactive and immersive exhibition explores the vital role that snow plays in our global climate system and available water resources.

Peek inside the snowpack and discover how it changes over time. Meet animals that make their homes there. Walk through a snowstorm to get an up-close look at the crystals that make up different types of storms. Discover how snow shapes and sustains life on Earth and learn about snow’s vital roles in sustaining our water supply and cooling our planet. Explore climate adaptation by balancing resources and making tradeoffs. From the wonder of snowflakes and building snow people to unique stories from the tundra, this is an opportunity to explore all the ways this fundamental weather phenomenon impacts our lives - no matter where we live. In fact, snow is so important to our region that we curated a special companion exhibition about our local snowy icon, Mt. Shasta, and its glaciers!

AI: Your Mind & The Machine

Sept 23 - Jan 7, 2024

Presented by Dr. Eric & Tiffany Blasingame and The Salter Families

What is artificial intelligence?

This may be one of the most exciting and relevant questions of our time. Dive into the meaning of artificial intelligence with AI: Your Mind & The Machine, an exhibition from The Relayer Group. With tons of hands-on interactives, touchscreens, and examples from history and popular cultures, this exhibition gives visitors an up-close look at exactly what thinking machines are… and what they might become. This is the perfect STEAM exhibition to introduce children and adults to the technology of artificial intelligence.

Predator vs Prey

Saturdays, 2pm • Oct 21 - Feb 10, 2024

It’s either eat or be eaten in the wild.

How do prey escape? What makes a predator successful? Come join us for this up close experience and learn what makes our animal ambassadors successful in the role they play in the food web. During this program, guests will see natural behaviors that a prey animal may use to escape, such as running, climbing or flying away; learn how they might hide, and how their senses allow them to hear, see, or feel their way to safety.

Predators must overcome their prey’s adaptations. What weapons might they have to catch a meal, large claws or sharp teeth? They may rely on their hearing to listen for the pitter patter of mouse feet, or follow the scent trail to a rodent burrow. Being a predator is a hard life, but animals have adapted ways to overcome their prey’s defenses, after all, it is the survival of the fittest.

Throughout the winter season, each week will feature different ambassadors. These intimate programs are in the Mill Building, where you will have the animals very up close and personal, a bird may fly right over your head, or you may find yourself with a raccoon sharing your bench. So, come out and spend your winter with us!

Oktoberfest is Coming

Saturday, October 14 • 5pm - 8pm

Beer, Music and Sausages!

Join Turtle Bay Exploration Park for Oktoberfest in Paul Bunyan’s Forest Camp! This annual family event is the perfect way to celebrate fall with beer, tasty food, and live music! Don’t forget to dress in your best Oktoberfest attire! All funds raised support the educational programs and exhibitions at Turtle Bay.

Visit turtlebay.org/oktoberfest for more details!