# Youth Science Institute Nature Center at Alum Rock Park > Place to go for families in the San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara area (CA). Times are Pacific Time. - When: Wednesday–Friday 12:00 pm–3:00 pm; Saturday & Sunday 10:00 am–3:00 pm. Enter Alum Rock… - Where: YSI Nature Center – Alum Rock Park, 16260 Penitencia Creek Rd, San Jose, CA 95127 - Ages: Visitors of all ages - Price: Nature center free of charge (park parking fees may apply) - Schedule: Wednesday–Friday 12:00 pm–3:00 pm; Saturday & Sunday 10:00 am–3:00 pm. Enter Alum Rock Park at 15350 Penitencia Creek Rd. - Organizer: Youth Science Institute - Official page: https://ysi-ca.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/youth-science-institute-nature-center-at-alum-rock-park--listing-ea0ff64338d0f0ec0a664f5d ## About Inside San José's Alum Rock Park, the Youth Science Institute's nature center is open to the public free of charge. Its highlight is the Holmes taxidermy bird collection, alongside other native wildlife displays that introduce the plants and animals of the Penitencia Creek canyon. Visitors can also see YSI's live animal ambassadors up close. Pair a visit with a creekside walk in the park; in autumn YSI leads naturalist hikes here, such as tarantula treks for ages 5 and up (registration required). ## 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. 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