This is a great place for young children. They can learn about science in a hands-on environment, while having fun. There are also areas appropriate for babies. There are animal and insect exhibits, as well as a book area. The suggested donation is $5 per person and they take cash or cards (which is great for getting a tax receipt). There are two vending machines, an outdoor grass area and restrooms, too.

Great place that is also free. Staff are extremely nice and welcoming. Totally recommend going on a Sunday when you can see the Bald eagle and actually touch it. We came last year around this time and it was great. Unfortunately there werent that many exhibits but there arent many ppl

It is amazing how they managed to put so many things in pretty tight space.There are quite a few interactive stands for kids: couple tennis ball operated stands, electric circuit do-it-yourself stands with hydro/light powered elements, bugs collections and free play zones.There is even separate playground for little ones.Also they have small but well packed zoo that is in good condition.This place is donation-based and does not accept credit cards for donations, so prepare some cash/check for it.

Great place to take your kids for a fun, educational afternoon that they’ll love!

Great place. Many thing to experience for kids. However it was under construction and I couldnt see animals.

Open space full of scientific experiences for kids. Great casual spot to bring the kids, even for a short while, since admittance is free (they accept donations instead)

Good old times, this is still my favorite museum even tho Im a bit too old for this amazing place. I went here back in 2009 when i was still a kid.

Our kids enjoyed a lot here.very nice places

My 2yr old granddaughter loves the Jr. museum. We go frequently. Great place for toddlers!

Awesome for the under 5 set. Feel very fortunate to have this place as a local resource.

Kids love this place. Its a nice place to spend a weekend afternoon in

Great place for kids under age 7 or so. Free with suggested $5 donation per person

The site is being renovated. So, not much of activities. However, the staff is very nice to explain and give instructions. Good place to spend time with your kids though. Would have given 5 stars.

Kids love this small kid museum. Nice little zoo with a few animals. Good for 1-8yr

My son favourite place. Awesome place for kids

Great place to take the kids to learn and to have fun. It has a big park adjacent to it where the kids can run around and play in the playground.

A little disappointed. When we arrived we just learned that the zoo park is closed temporarily and will reopen next fall.The museum is still open and it is fun.

Palo Altos Junior Museum and Zoo is a delightful place to take your young children for a couple of hours of fun. The interactive areas inside keep the children engaged and learning. The little zoo is a great place for educating kids about animals, and how we can better care for their natural environments as well as enjoy seeing the resident animals close up. There is also a small playground and park outside the museum to extend the length of your stay at this site. Zoo Camp at the Jr Museum was one of our daughters favorite Palo Alto camps, and the science programs done for the public schools are fabulous. Sadly, the Junior Museum and zoo are currently being completely redone and will not reopen at this site for quite some time. They do have a facility operating at Cubberly in the meantime though. Enjoy this local resource.

Great Free Place for kids to explore and play!

Loved the small yet amazing place.

Great plants, large critters, cute bunnies

Great options to the kids and a very nice environment for learning. Few animals, bit its a nice place.

I have been a going to the Junior Museum since grade school, I took my dauter there regularly. Many hands on things for kids to dicover and several animal attractions to see. Some of the setups change from year to year. There are also classes for younger kids available. A cool place to take younger kids for sure.

We love it here! Weve been a few times and its always a hit for my 3 year old. Its small inside, but it doesnt bother my daughter. Last time we went there was a new installation, similar to a life size lite brite, very fun!!

A little bit crazy you have to be ... to go to this place! It is loud and kids play everywhere! If does not bother you then you are right here. #peace #children two ladybugs for you.

My son loved this place. They have exhibits that lets kids play and create electricity. Theres also an outside mini zoo. Be sure to visit Edward the turtle. Hes the star attraction. We didnt want to leave. Its also close to downtown Palo Alto so you can have lunch and make a day of it.

Pretty well-maintained children’s area inside with a separate infant/young toddler area. Very strange array of animals in the zoo, evidently mostly obtained from the local SPCA—big cats that fat cats bought for kicks and couldn’t maintain; domesticated rabbits, some reptiles, a tortoise. Some bats. Seemed pretty humane in the way that a house that mostly ignores the existence of its pets, save to feed and water them and change their bedding is pretty humane.

Especially great for toddlers and younger children..also babies who are quite Visual and learn from Hands-On stimulation

A great and free (donation based) place for kids. My 2 years old loves it. It has an educational value and teaches about since, nature and more. There is an indoor option for too hot or rainy days and also a park with a great playground outside.

The Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo is such a gem for parents with small children! My husband heard about it from one of his coworkers as a place our daughter could see rabbits. We took her with minimal expectations, especially since we heard they dont charge admission and just encourage a $5 donation, but we were completely blown away by how many activities and learning stations there are, not to mention the great miniature zoo. They have all kinds of animals. We were very impressed and most importantly our daughter loved her visit!

Small but lot of entertainment for kids. From experiments (water and solar energy) to animals and bugs to be discovered. Free but $5 donation suggested

Wow, this place is amazing and very kid friendly! Lots of fascinating exhibits for kids up to about 8 or 9 years old. Theres a baby area and the zoos most amazing resident is a gorgeous peacock! Parking can be a problem, so your best bet is to get there as it opens. If not there is nearby street parking.

Very good place for toddlers and infants. They can run around on their own as its a small little park which few creatures. Theres also an attached a science lab for kids to play and understand electricity, power, butterflies etc. The raccoon enclosure is very cute and the wild cat is a major attraction. Also youll spot several kids trying to find lizards in the huge enclosure which is quite fun.

Nice friendly place, and free too

Mostly for kids but adults can enjoy too. They have small animals and I would say that the biggest attraction are the bob cats. They have interesting stuff like beehive view holes through which you can see bees making honey. Also, there are many snacking areas where we can have a nice picnic style of outing.

A great, quaint museum/zoo for kids. Its small, but still has many interesting things for little ones to see, touch and explore. Our two year old had a blast here.

The kids love this place. We have been a number of times. It is a fun place to go when the cousins are in town from Arizona. It is small, but they have a lot to see and do, but it does not seem too crowded. This is a must see if you have small children.

My grandson loves this place. He loves to play with the exhibits and loves it when the staff brings out the animals.

Great space for young kids. Mine love it here. Also, the price cant be beat(though donations are encouraged). I especially appreciate a budget friendly enrichment option here in Palo Alto.

Wonderful! It was small but seemed lovingly created and run. I loved the little museum that was filled with hands-on (and whimsical) activities and decorations, and the secure baby area (with stairs and a tiny slope, which my toddler LOVED). The zoo was also lovingly created so that kids could learn from the little creatures. My 1.5-, 5- and 7-yo all had a great time.

What could be better than seeing cool animals for free*? This nifty little zoo hosts a huge variety for such a small (but not crowded-feeling) space: peacock, raccoons, bats, weaver birds, fish, a pond that all sorts of beautiful water fowl call home... Thanks to the enclosure design, its easy to get up close and personal. Inside the museum you can learn about tons of insects by looking at live creatures in tanks, examining pinned and encased specimens, and even dressing up as them and climbing on a web. There are also rotating exhibits about non-animal topics. The one we saw was about electricity and had tons of interactive features (crank this, connect these, cover that...). Though its target audience is probably under 10, its an awesome experience for all ages. *You should definitely donate.

Great place for toddlers. It is small but that makes it easy and nice when your kid wants to explore. Fun gadgets inside the museum, zoo has small critters, a giant tortoise, bobcat, birds and bats. Overall, a fun way to spend an hour and let your kid have a hands on experience.

Young children can look, listen, touch and manipulate displays and exhibits. Adult guidance and conversation enhances their experience. After taking our grandsons here multiple times, Im changing the rating to 5 stars!

Just the right size childrens museum for preschoolers. It has enough hands on exhibits for the little ones to try but not too many to feel overwhelmed. The mini zoo is also lovely.

Small but great for my preschooler and infant.

This place is very awesome!! My kid loves here especially zoo. We can meet a tortoise.Then we had a cool animal birthday here and took science class.

Great fun and quite a quick place to get through. Some green spaces outside if you take a picnic.

Great place for kids and parents

Family friendly mini zoo for entertaining small children. There is also a small indoor hands on activity center. Can be very crowded on weekends. Donations at door recommended.

Nice little place for kids to spend an hour or two. Few real animals and some really good cement sculptures.. the museum is an interesting place with few machines that excite the little ones. Definitely recommend to visitors with kids who look to pass a couple of hours.

This is one of those many places that makes Palo Alto magical. It promised to be packed in a rare rain day, but on normal days it is a great bet, the insider play area keeps kids engaged and the outdoor space has enough small animals to keep small kids interested.

Love the zoo! Its such a lovely place to pop in, play with the indoor games and see the animals outside. Though its free admission, we always donate. The playground next door is always a stopover as well. If coming midday, parking is limited.

We loved this place. They cram so much into a small space and the kids have a blast. You cant beat the donation for what you get. We will definitely be visiting again.

Great place to spend a few hours with kids. Fun hands on exhibits and a cute little zoo. Also right next to a park to round out the day.

This museum & zoo is pretty small but very cozy and well maintained. Multiple interactive toys are to keep your toddler busy. Interesting animals like African bats and fish. Many options for summer camps and classes. And its free!!!!

Usually very crowded and noisy on a rainy or cold day. Employees are not usually around which isnt a problem because its a small area and easy to keep an eye on your kids. The zoo outside is a nice place to let kids roam around but the animals arent very exciting. For a free museum its part and worth a visit.

It is an educational and inspirational small showcase of animals and some scientific experience for kids. The animals in this zoo may be seen in the wild in the Bay Area, but some of them were pets no longer kept by their owners or raccoons that have impaired eyes. The education of life provided here means a zoo is not a place to incarcerate animals but sometimes to foster them.

Nice place to bring your kids. Exhibits are fun and informative. Tennis ball launching can be a lttle loud but you get used to it pretty fast. Spent a couple hours here. Inside gets a little crowded when it rains.

The grandkids enjoyed their visit

Too small but fun

Good place for kids

Small but mighty. Small place but its cool place to go, brought my daughter when she was around 2 and she loved it. Took her again and now shes 5 and same reaction she loved it. I personally like the bat cave located in the zoo, just dont go on a Sunday the bat cave is closed on Sundays.

Great place to bring children of all ages. I took my daughter (3), son (1), and nephew (7) for their play date, and they all had an amazing time and love playing here.

My 4year old son loved it. Its creative. The zoo was closed when we went there

The zoo is under construction. The zoo will be open in summer 2020.

Nothing overly special, but a good inexpensive place to take small children plus its close to 2 parks. Makes for a good morning or afternoon out with the kids.

So much fun! It is really cool and fun! It is aimed at younger kids (I would say 3-9) but older kids will have some fun too! My kids are 10 and 14 and they both loved it!

Great fun toddler place! Interesting interactive exhibits inside, simple animal exhibits that are easy for the little ones to see.

As an adult I love the zoo here. Its small, which allows intimate viewing of the animals, many of which are rescues. I especially like the raccoons and the bats. Also, on Owl Day you can pet an owl!

A wonderful combination of educational and fun. Lots of ball mazes to play with, dress up, tons of insect specimens and a fun assortment of animals.

We were impressed with how many animals were in the zoo area. A great place to take your little ones!

My 22 month old daughter had a blast here. This place has an indoor area and an outdoor area and a separate gated area for infants. The place is very well designed and educational as well as fun for kids.

Kids will enjoy. A small place with few animals & insects. Some interactive exhibits helps kids learn science. A play ground next to it is a plus.I found bit tough time parking on Sunday. But, there is open parking all around the place.

Nice place to visit with children 3 to 10. Has many educational​ and entertainment activities that you can easily keep them engaged for 2 hours.

This is an experiential science center and zoo. The format is similar to Curiodyssey in San Mateo. The science is slanted towards toddlers. For example, insect costumes and a large-scale web allows for some bug world role play. The ball maze is the highlight since all the kids want to stuff the tennis balls onto tracks and there is always a chase for any escaped balls. Watch your littlest ones here, the big kids can be aggressive to get the balls.The wildlife area is arranged to feel like natural landscape. All exhibits are accessible and allow for the littlest ones to view the animals without hoisting them up.Admission is free, but donations are accepted.Theres a park with swings and slides along the side.

Wonderful place to spend few hours with kids, for now check and go as there was some construction planned for the place ...

We come here often when we need something to do to kill a couple of hours. Great for kids of all ages

Small but a great stop while in town. My kid lives it here. There is a playground right next to it that we usually visit after.

Nice place to take a child 1-6 years old. It is free to enter, but they have a $5 suggested donation. The highlight for my son was playing with all the tennis ball machines.

Such a great place, has exhibits on science but also the outdoor part (zoo) is sure to please kids. Best of all, entrance is free (suggested donation $5).

We were not greeted not were we acknowledged at all!! All the other mothers were acknowledged and asked if they have been there before and were explained about the facility etc. WHY were WE not acknowledged!! We donated and everything and still nothing they just sat there. The exibits are awesome its small they have bars in a bay cave and a bob cat, some ferrets and other exibits.

I used to love taking the kids to this place when we used to live in Palo Alto. It’s a nice and fun free activity on a rainy or sunny day!

Its free they only take a suggested $5 donation, its a great place to take your kids. The zoo is amazing!

Nice kid friendly museum with hands on exhibits and a small collection of animals. They do not charge to get on but recommend a small donation.

A great place to hang with kids. A combination of animals and some engineering-y games

Nice little place for kids. Theres actually quite a bit of interesting stuff packed in a small space.

Very thoughtful exhibits. Cant wait to see the renovations.

Great free museum! Lots of hands on exhibits and a zoo outside. Mainly attracts the under 5 crowd.

Fun museum for toddlers and preschoolers. Small enough that you dont have to worry much about them getting lost. Big enough to keep them occupied for hours. A few vending machines in the lobby, but no restaurants or cafes within a mile of the location.

Love to visit this museum with my kids. Usually less crowded in the afternoon than morning. Very good size to visit with kids under 5-6.

Nice small spot to take your kids for a little fun, its not that big but the kids enjoy it. Fun little science activities.

Free admission children museum and zoo.A bit difficult to find for the first time.Very small zoo - my daughter spent 15-20 minutes and viewed all animals. Children museum is small too, but has interesting exhibits so children can get busy for some time

Very good place for kids.. no entry fee, only donations accepted.. huge play area n animals n birds

This place is amazing for my 1 year old

It was a nice place. Very small. Probably best suited for kids 5 and under.

Great for kids! They are moving in May 2018 to Cubberley center while renovations are being done.

So interactive, so exciting. My niece was entertained for hours.

Its a nice place you can bring your kids for free and have some fun

This museum and zoo is quite small but entry fee is by donation. The zoo doesnt have many animals at all, but I believe theyre all rescue animals, so its great that theyre rescuing and looking after them. Although the museum part is small too, my kids can spend an hour playing with the tennis ball machine.

A nice place but it was far too busy for children to enjoy its features