What are the opening hours?

Monday 10am - 3:15pm Tuesday 10am - 3pm Wednesday 10am - 3pm Thursday 10am - 3pm Friday 10am - 3pm Saturday 11am - 3pm

Youth Science Institute - YSI

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Los Gatos, CA
Youth Science Institute - YSI

Check out our website to register for summer camps, school programs, Science Saturdays, Science Safaris, and more!! www.youthscience.org

Youth Science Institute is a nonprofit organization that partners with nature to teach science to 30,000 preschool through 8th grade students annually. Since 1953, YSI has inspired children's enthusiasm for science and a love of learning, developed critical thinking skills, and forged connections with nature that foster personal health and earth stewardship. YSI delivers school and community progr

ams, summer science camps, after-school programs, and family events at its Science and Nature Centers at Alum Rock, Sanborn, and Vasona Parks, and in schools throughout the Silicon Valley and the Peninsula. YSI’s vision is ambitious: to reach every child in Santa Clara County and Silicon Valley with hands-on science education, and to reach them multiple times each year. One key strategy of our vision is to continue to increase the number of Title One schools and financially and academically at-risk students we serve.

08/26/2026

At Youth Science Institute, every detail of animal care matters, right down to bath time! 🦎✨

While it might look like a simple splash, giving our bearded dragons a warm soak is vital for their daily health and comfort:

Hydration: Bearded dragons rarely drink from water bowls, so shallow baths encourage them to sip and stay properly hydrated.

Shedding Relief: Lukewarm water softens stubborn, dry skin, making the shedding process much easier and pain free.

Digestive Health: Gentle soaking stimulates healthy digestion and helps prevent issues like impaction.

Hygiene: Helps cleans away stray substrate and keeps their scales, claws, and toes healthy and free of buildup.

Splish, splash, and back to basking! Bath day looks a little different for everyone at YSI, while our bearded dragons love a warm splash, other animals prefer a good dirt wiggle or a fine dust roll to stay clean! No matter if it is water, soil, or dust, keeping our ambassadors clean and pampered is how we keep them happy, healthy, and ready to inspire young scientists! ☀️🛁 Dirt baths, dust rolls, and warm soaks for the win!

08/24/2026

Mark your calendars for September 5th & join us at YSI Nature Center at Vasona County Park for a 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 Story Time & Animal Meet-and-Greet! 🦎📚

We’ll be reading The Salamander Room and then meeting one of our very own newts! 🦎💚

📖 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 11 AM–12 PM
📍 𝗬𝗦𝗜 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝗩𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸
🎟️ 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 & 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗖!

And don’t rush off after story time! Stick around to explore our 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 and say hello to all of our animal friends. 🐢🐍🦎🦉

08/21/2026

🎉 Host an Unforgettable Birthday at YSI! 🐍

We are excited to launch our YSI birthday parties!
With a blend of hands-on science adventure with pure party fun, this gives kids an up-close, unforgettable experience with real live animals that they’ll be talking about all year!

We offer two party structures to fit your schedule:

🐾 Standard Party (2 Hours Total)

30-Min Setup: Arrive early to decorate and set up your treats!

30-Min Live Animal Experience: Meet 3–4 resident animals up close!

1-Hour Classroom Time: Celebrate with your own cake, snacks, and personal party games!

🐍 Extended Party (2.5 Hours Total)

30-Min Setup: Plenty of time to get your room party-ready!

1-Hour Live Animal Experience: Meet 4–6 resident animals with extra time for hands-on interaction and Q&A!

1-Hour Classroom Time: Enjoy dedicated time for your self-provided cake, snacks, and games!

✨ Your Party, Your Way!
We handle the wildlife magic, while you bring the party treats and personal flair. (Food, drinks, and party games are self-provided; hosts manage room cleanup).

👉 Ready to party like an animal? For more information tap the link in our bio to reserve your date or email [email protected]!

nonprofit

08/19/2026

Working hard so JoJo and Oreo can live their best, most spoiled life! 🐭🫐 ✨

Keeping these two energetic boys happy requires plenty of mental and physical enrichment!!
Chinchillas are natural foragers and chewers, so providing the right treats keeps their teeth healthy and their minds sharp.

Chew Sticks (Daily): Wears down teeth that grow 2–3 inches a year to prevent painful dental disease, while satisfying their natural chewing instinct to stop boredom.

Dried Blueberries (2x a Week): Given as a high-value reward for training and bonding, strictly limited to twice weekly to protect their sensitive bellies from concentrated sugar!

Keep your eyes out for special upcoming events with our two chinchilla brothers!

08/17/2026

Come meet all the adorable new creatures who joined our family over the summer!
Whether you’re a long time visitor or stepping inside for the very first time, an awesome adventure is waiting for you. Come hang out with our live animal ambassadors and explore our hands-on exhibits! 🐢🦎🌱

Every visit brings something new, so swing by and explore! We’re ready to see you! 💚

📍 Vasona Lake County Park 🕐 Hours:

Thu & Fri: 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Sat & Sun: 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

08/11/2026

⭐️ Summer Camp 2026 ⭐️

What a wonderful summer YSI had with all of our campers, and we’re already missing them around YSI! 💚

We asked some of our campers what their favorite part of summer camp was, and we loved hearing all of their answers 🎣🐸🚶‍♀️🌸

To all of our YSI families, thank you for spending your summer with us!

We’d love to hear from you: What was your camper’s favorite memory or activity this summer? 🐍🌿🔬

We can’t wait to do it all again next summer. See you at Summer Camp 2027! ☀️💚

08/11/2026

08/06/2026

Big things growing at Sanborn County Park! 🌿

🪴🪏Our new native plant garden is almost ready to become a living classroom for field trip students. As part of our Life of an Ohlone program, this garden will help students explore the important relationship between the Ohlone people and the native plants that have shaped their way of life for generations.

Soon they’ll get to:
🌸 Smell and explore native plants up close in our new sensory garden, featuring plants like Yerba Buena, Coyote Mint, and Hummingbird Sage

🔍 Learn to identify 40+ local species with hands-on interpretive signage

Through this garden, students will gain a deeper understanding of how native plants supported the Ohlone lifestyle and the important role these species continue to play in the redwood forest ecosystem.

It’s more than something to look at, it’s a new way for kids to connect with nature, culture, and the landscape around them, right alongside our existing nature walk programs.

08/06/2026

Big things growing at Sanborn County Park! 🌿

Our new native plant garden is almost ready to become a living classroom for field trip students. As part of our Life of an Ohlone program, this garden will help students explore the important relationship between the Ohlone people and the native plants that have shaped their way of life for generations.

Soon they’ll get to:
🌸 Smell and explore native plants up close in our new sensory garden, featuring plants like Yerba Buena, Coyote Mint, and Hummingbird Sage

🔍 Learn to identify 40+ local species with hands-on interpretive signage

Through this garden, students will gain a deeper understanding of how native plants supported the Ohlone lifestyle and the important role these species continue to play in the redwood forest ecosystem.

It’s more than something to look at, it’s a new way for kids to connect with nature, culture, and the landscape around them, right alongside our existing nature walk programs.

07/31/2026

Meet a few of the incredible animal ambassadors featured in our Insect Program: our Chinese vinegaroon, blue death feigning beetle, and Rosie the Chilean rose hair tarantula. Despite their spooky reputations, these fascinating friends are all gentle, docile, and non venomous, making them wonderful ambassadors for helping students discover the amazing world of arthropods.

Through up close encounters, students learn that these incredible creatures play essential roles in healthy ecosystems and deserve our curiosity, not our fear.

📚 Stay tuned! Our 2026 to 2027 school year program bookings open this Monday August 3rd!
Get ready to reserve your class and experience the wonders of our Insect Program!

Address

333 Blossom Hill Rd
Los Gatos, CA
95032

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 3:15pm
Tuesday	10am - 3pm
Wednesday	10am - 3pm
Thursday	10am - 3pm
Friday	10am - 3pm
Saturday	11am - 3pm

Telephone

+14083564945

Website

http://www.youthscience.org/

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