# Environmental Volunteers EcoCenter at Palo Alto Baylands > Place to go for families in the San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara area (CA). Times are Pacific Time. - When: Open for Drop-in Science Days, Fridays and Saturdays 10:00 am–1:00 pm; hours may change… - Where: Environmental Volunteers EcoCenter, 2560 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303 - Ages: All ages - Price: Admission is free - Schedule: Open for Drop-in Science Days, Fridays and Saturdays 10:00 am–1:00 pm; hours may change with the season (check the events calendar). - Organizer: Environmental Volunteers - Official page: https://www.environmentalvolunteers.org/ - Last checked: Sat, Oct 24 Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Oct 24, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-10-24), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/environmental-volunteers-ecocenter-at-palo-alto-baylands--listing-df5db441374a203e4a065461 ## About The EcoCenter is a free public nature center at the Palo Alto Baylands, across from the Duck Pond, run by the science-education nonprofit Environmental Volunteers. The 1941 building, commissioned by Lucie Stern for the Sea Scouts when a harbor still fronted it, was restored as 'the ultimate recycling project': look for round markers pointing out green-building features such as blue-jeans insulation and soda-bottle carpet. Inside, children can try touchscreen science displays and hands-on nature activities, browse nature-themed art exhibits and study a wall of bird taxidermy, and the EcoCenter on Wheels sets up at the Duck Pond. The deck and pathways are part of the 400-mile San Francisco Bay Trail, so a visit combines easily with a marsh walk and bird watching. ## Similar picks in San Jose - [Science Fridays & Science Saturdays at the EcoCenter](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/science-fridays-and-science-saturdays-at-the-ecocenter--listing-28726cf98e800dad2a6afbe6) — Sat, Oct 24 (+8 more dates) · 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM · Environmental Volunteers EcoCenter, Palo Alto · All ages · Free · checked Oct 24. Environmental Volunteers opens its EcoCenter on the edge of the Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve for free public science days on Friday and Saturday mornings. Families can drop… - [National Chemistry Week: Chemistry Under Construction at King Library](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/national-chemistry-week-chemistry-under-construction-at-king-library--listing-2c6af450eb3b6175fad9b9a1) — Sat, Oct 24 · 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM · Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library · Free · checked Oct 24. King Library's Children's Room hosts a free, drop-in National Chemistry Week celebration for kids and their families. This year's theme, Chemistry Under Construction, has… - [Magical Bridge Playground at Mitchell Park — Palo Alto](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/magical-bridge-playground-at-mitchell-park-palo-alto--listing-620016cc1cd6a7098bf3ebe4) — Free and open every day, dawn to dusk. · Magical Bridge Playground, Mitchell Park, Palo Alto · All ages · Free · checked Oct 24. The original Magical Bridge, opened in 2015 in Palo Alto's Mitchell Park, is the inclusive playground that started a Bay Area movement. Magical Bridge playgrounds are built for… - [Magical Bridge Music and Bridges in Music — Palo Alto](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/magical-bridge-music-and-bridges-in-music-palo-alto--listing-f85033a5287cb3d5c12545c8) — Sundays Nov 1 and Dec 6, 2026: Magical Bridge Music 12:45–1:45 PM; Bridges in Music… · Magical Bridge Playground, Mitchell Park, Palo Alto · All ages · Free · checked Oct 24. On the first Sunday of the month, two youth-led music programs come to Palo Alto's Magical Bridge playground. Magical Bridge Music, led by high school students from The Nueva… - [Magical Tennis at Mitchell Park — Palo Alto](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/magical-tennis-at-mitchell-park-palo-alto--listing-111189252b98db3161ab9ae2) — Sundays 10:30–11:30 AM: Oct 25, Nov 1, Nov 8, Nov 15, 2026 · Mitchell Park Tennis Courts, Palo Alto · checked Oct 24. Magical Tennis is a Sunday-morning inclusive tennis program for neurodivergent players, run through Magical Bridge at the Mitchell Park tennis courts next to Palo Alto's Magical… - [Gatorbotics Robot Demonstration at Children's Discovery Museum](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/activities/gatorbotics-robot-demonstration-at-children-s-discovery-museum--listing-c93b4881c959087460cb5905) — Sun, Oct 25 · 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM · Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose · Paid · checked Oct 24. Gatorbotics, an all-girls FIRST Robotics Competition team from Palo Alto, brings its competition robot to the Children's Discovery Museum for a two-hour demonstration. Kids watch… ## More for families - [This weekend in San Jose](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/this-weekend) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/san-jose/this-weekend.md) - [Things to do with kids in San Jose](https://grassyknees.com/san-jose) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/san-jose.md)