Reasons We Love Lindsey Wildlife Museum

Location really is a big reason we love this place.  Just around the corner from our house and connected to Larkey Park in Walnut Creek, means many times we wander into the museum on park days, or just cruise by to say "Hi" to the turkey vulture in her cage or see if the other raptors are exercising in the yard.

My 3-year old adores watching procedures in the hospital viewing area and playing the interactive computer games and simulations.  I have found the docents to be engaging, articulate, and passionate about what they do.  I love that teenage volunteers are animal ambassadors leading many of the meet-and-greet sessions with the hamsters, snakes and other creepy crawlies.

We've enjoyed the mini classes and activities offered, such as guided nature-walks within 20 minutes of the museum.  Both my son and I are learning to identify the natives plants and animals in our area.  For example, have you ever seen one of these hanging from an oak tree and thought it was a nut?  Nope.  It's a wasp gall.
It's the kind of wholesome activity that pleases our little and his grownups!  I think he really feels it's his museum and I look forward to the day when he can volunteer there!

One of the main reasons I recommend this place even to my West-of-Caldecott-Tunnel friends, is because a family membership at the Lindsey Wildlife Museum will run you about $65 per year.  Even if you never cross the doors after a first visit, you can reap the benefits of their agreement with the Oakland Zoo which allows you free admission to the Zoo and discounts at other cool places all over California and the rest of the U.S.  A savings of at least $30 over a Zoo membership.

Aquarium of the Bay Via Discover and Go Pass

Couldn't have asked for a more beautiful San Francisco day, but have to give Aquarium of the Bay only a C-!  Was so ready to like it, too.  Yelp was right yet again, but we didn't complain too much since our Discover and Go passes from the Contra Costa County library got us in free.

Pros:

• Plenty of sensory and intellectual stimuli to occupy an almost 3-year old (underwater tunnels, schooling anchovies, pulsating jelly fish, docent-led activities, a Nemo tank, touchable starfish).
• Can view the whole thing in less than two hours.
• Breathtaking Bay views (Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge, et al.)
• Free street parking and free admission with the Discover and Go pass.

Starfish lunch of shrimp

Cons: 

• The same stimuli enjoyed by my pre-schooler fell flat for me since I've seen it done better at every other aquarium on the West Coast.  Seems like SF could do better.
• Parking!!  Perhaps this was our timing (Saturday afternoon in mid-August), but the closest parking garage was full and traffic made searching a few-block radius for free street parking seem like the 2-hour trip to Monterey for a much better aquarium might actually be worth considering....
• Cramped, claustrophobic, kinda shabby, elevators to each floor.

Bottom line:

We both agreed the admission price was not worth what we experienced today.  Even with a free pass, the distance, toll bridge and time spent was only off-set by the scenery outside the aquarium.

We have much more fun with our Lindsey Wildlife Museum membership and the free admission we get to Oakland Zoo with it!  And our Discover and Go scored a hit when we went to Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley last month.