From outdoor concerts and movie nights to animal encounters and local festivals, theres something for everyone to enjoy. The construction manager speculated that that 24 hour illumination was needed to test the LEDs. Recall the fox with cage stereotypy? This is also the perfect place for a quick snack! Kids and adults alike can enjoy these wonderful productions. Per status quo CC and highest earning city staff boot kids and families to the curb, crying poor, poor city coffers. "How about all the folks who got exemptions on the business tax? Before joining the Palo Alto Weekly/PaloAltoOnline.com in 2008, he covered breaking news and local politics for the Waterbury Republican-American, a daily newspaper in Connecticut. When will Palo start getting interest in REALLY IMPORTANT things? City Council might want to have a sit-down meeting with the City Manager and all senior staff and clue them in on what it is that Palo Alto residents value, what has made Palo Alto special for decades, what is sacred, and what can be changed, within reason. And while staff had assumed that 80% of the membership would be bought by nonresidents, the proportion ended up at 62%. Each time I've tried to go to the zoo, the tickets were all sold out because they limited attendance. That success, however, has created its own problems, with members overbooking reservations that they do not use and making it harder for visitors to drop in. Exhibits - Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo The only people who won here were the developers and [portion removed] city officials. It's convenient to blame Covid for the fall in attendance, but the truth is that the renovations turned a unique, innovative museum into a bland cookie-cutter destination that nobody will remember 5 minutes after they leave. Came out of a more progressive FDR time, during another Depression era where the benefit of free far out weighed fee based educational programs. These storyteller-style shows run at 10am and 12pm on Saturdays and Sundays. . Blogs You can also directly book your discounted online ticket for the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo here, if available. Middlefield and Embarcadero are already traffic nightmares especially in school commute times." As a local taxpayer w/ grown up kids, I get nothing out of this museum, but believe it benefits the community. The staff's model suggests that with $18 tickets, the Rinconada Park museum will achieve 85% cost recovery; with $10 tickets, the city would recover just 59% of its costs. It consists of an indoor area (which I guess is considered the museum) and an outdoor area with all of the animals. The Weekly reported on May 6, 2021: The annual redesign of the tactile exhibits, which was probably the greatest gem for young children in this town, bar none, ended when he took over. Sign up to be notified of new comments on this topic. Figure it out City of Palo Alto. The City Council has been pretty vocal about its top priorities for the large-businesses tax (Measure K). Mountain View Voice Walk-up tickets are not available. Just want to know for comparison. Whether rich, poor or in between, Palo Alto's community programs were very inexpensive or free--and nourished all community members equally. The new business tax also exempts a great many businesses who could chip in, and get a medal to hang on their wall we support the Junior museum but that would be too much to ask. Good luck with that. Help sustain the local news you depend on. Because it thought that non-members wouldn't mind paying relatively much higher rates for individual visits, while members would stay away and not take advantage of their unlimited passes?? ^ And adding someone like the late Jack Hannah as a zoo director and PR specialist would also enhance the venue. Jul 4, 2023 . Its sure to blow your little ones mind! And not to mention increasing its access to external power supplies by the same 3x to 4X amount? Came out of a more progressive FDR time, during another Depression era where the benefit of free far out weighed fee based educational programs. like to make a contribution to local community services and get honorable mention. We are no longer selling walk-up tickets and advanced reservations are required. Instead, the split has been roughly even. Bring a blanket or low-backed chair (high backed chairs block the view for other kids) and enjoy the show! The new Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo website launched today, Feb. 3. The reimagined website experience is a celebration of this cherished neighborhood staple. This model spans almost a mile and features the planets in our solar system at a 1 to 10 billion scale. "As a result, JMZ sells the unused membership reservations each morning to walk up guests, but this has resulted in long lines for tickets and distracts staff from assisting guests with other needs such as booking birthday and facility rentals.". "And if attendance declines due to high ticket prices, it could be years before attendance levels recover," Angelo said at a May 2021 public hearing on ticket prices.Faced with the backlash, the council ultimately set the ticket prices at the current level of $10.Staff acknowledge in the new report that while raising ticket prices help with cost recovery, "a drastic increase of 50% within a year may impact visits and deter patrons." Too bad Palo Alto can't leave its charming little gems alone and think before spending big bucks on the new zoo and the redesign of the nearby playground,. I don't remember ever having trouble getting in. Looking at the linked City memo to the Finance Committee, it is clear that the purpose of the proposed fee increases is NOT to close the gap between the projected cost recovery and the actual cost recovery for the new Junior Museum and Zoo, but to change the cost recovery to 100% so the City does not have to pay any of the facility's operating costs. Masks recommended, but no longer required. The theatre is located on Middlefield Rd. It was a community gathering spot for parents and caretakers of young children. The Town & Country Village is another popular shopping spot that offers a mix of specialty boutiques, outdoor cafes, and health and wellness services. Redwood City Pulse, 2023 Palo Alto Online Check out the following options to discover things to do in Palo Alto! In its first two months of operations, the city limited operations to weekends only and capped the number of visitors for morning and afternoon sessions, which resulted in fewer ticket sales, class enrollments and facility rentals, the report states. All prices are displayed per age group or reduced rate group. "Members and ticket holders are required to make reservations for each visit, and because reservations are often booked for weeks in advance, members overbook reservations to hold space," the city report states. Web Link Who are the people responsible for this white elephant (pun intended)? Also, as reflected in decisions made in the past, by too many council members. 2023 Palo Alto Online. Make sure to make an advanced reservation as tickets sell out quickly! But it was always like the low-key young childrens place of exploration was beneath him, and early partial renovations were in the image of big zoos and lacked prior warmth and charm. Adventures await as children can climb in a net above the zoo and explore an underwater tunnel and many nooks. Backers of new Junior Museum and Zoo blast - | Palo Alto Online Is there any other way you can think of to protest this? We used to walk by the old zoo on the way to the library and there were always lots of kids outside. Now a day at the zoo for a few kids and a caretaker/parent is too expensive for more than one or 2 visits a year rather than a regular trip visit where the kids can pop in to see the animals and use the bathroom after playing at the nearby expensively redone playground. Historically, very active public participation is what made Palo Alto a wonderful city with great schools, parks, libraries, community centers, and beautiful tree-lined streets. The Weekly reported on May 6, 2021: Hes been very supportive of education at the JMZ. Highly recommended, unbelievable value for the ticket price, we were able to buy tickets online same day of visit on a Saturday. If the City was willing to fund the smaller Zoo's operating costs when admission was free, it makes no sense that it balks at supporting about half the Zoo's operating costs after spending millions of dollars and years to build the new Zoo--it was always obvious that running the new Zoo would cost more than the old one, and the original fee proposal was expected to be modest, around $5. A trip to the Oakland or SF zoo is a day trip once or twice a year. Updated: Tue, Sep 6, 2022, 9:28 am These things can skew one's perception of reality. Whether rich, poor or in between, Palo Alto's community programs were very inexpensive or free--and nourished all community members equally. A must-visit destination for art enthusiasts with a wide range of art exhibitions and workshops. The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo serves children, ages birth to nine, and their caregivers. Hes been very supportive of education at the JMZ. It is time for the PACC to put on their thinking caps (if they happen to have one handy). Playhouse Productions: These shows are perfect for kids ages 2-6 and include several opportunities to stand up and wiggle! Home It's now turned into a pretentious state-of-the-art place for the rich which needed an ever-growing bureaucracy like this. @StephenM, Please note that due health risks posed by the bird flu, some birds are off exhibit until further notice. Heres our list of the 5 best things to do with kids in the city of Palo Alto. Weather dependent. Time required to visit Junior Museum & Zoo: 02:00 Hrs. Now a day at the zoo for a few kids and a caretaker/parent is too expensive for more than one or 2 visits a year rather than a regular trip visit where the kids can pop in to see the animals and use the bathroom after playing at the nearby expensively redone playground. Maybe the double payment (our existing property taxes + the new blanket entrance fees) collected from residents to use Foothills Park, which also used to be free, can subsidize this? It's now turned into a pretentious state-of-the-art place for the rich which needed an ever-growing bureaucracy like this. The old Junior Museum & Zoo , and other community centers in Palo Alto, used to be inclusive. Unfortunately, the City keeps saddling it with shifting and unreasonable expectations, and is probably driving down both attendance and income by doing so. Doors to the Courtyard can be found inside the Museum. Faced with the backlash, the council ultimately set the ticket prices at the current level of $10. It was spontaneous. Its a lovely way to introduce little ones to art in a creative, yet educational format. @Bryan Roberts - if the business tax passes, the revenue from it will go to the General Fund, making it available to be spent as you suggest. How could this have gone more wrong? Experience science and nature at the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo. Seconding the post above. San Francisco Zoo is $16 for kids, The Oakland Zoo is $15 for kids - and do you really think our little museum and zoo is even close to those two? This philosophy guides everything we do and contributes to the high-quality science education kids experience through JMZ programs. Photo by Magali Gauthier. Storytime in partnership with the Palo Alto Library. A&E And while they are at it, make the museum/zoo free to all visitors. Terms of Use " Plans need to be vetted by an informed public. (Please don't come if your child is sick.). Obituaries They were an integral part of my son and my activities from the age of 2. Yes, exactly. Recall the fox with cage stereotypy?