Posts Tagged ‘randall museum’

Do you have a budding Broadway baby? San Francisco performance company Musical Theatre Works has been holding classes and mounting shows for 12 years, providing a venue for theater-loving kids to get out there and show them what they’ve got. Younger kids (kindergarten and first grade) start out with theater games and songs; kids in grades 2-6 move into stagecraft and improv, and motivated kids aged 8-18 can audition for a space in the Main Stage Performance Company, which puts on several full-scale musicals yearly.

This fall, the little kids will be working on songs and dances from Mary Poppins, the medium-size kids are taking on Wicked, and the performance company will be putting its spin on the Wizard of Oz. Those classes start in September. There’s also a Theatre Works summer program, three three-week sessions in June, July, and August, for kids aged kindergarten to tenth grade.

All classes and performances are held at the Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way (at Roosevelt) in San Francisco. Call 415-641-5988 or visit musicaltheatreworks.org.

Hey, at least it’s not going to be 100 degrees this weekend. Bugs, a bike ride, hot cars, and other reasons to get out of the house.

Bug Day

Special exhibits and activities to teach kids about all that creep and crawl. Kids can participate in maggot races, run through the termite maze, touch silkworms, walking sticks and millipedes, create insect art, and play amongst the Randall’s other cool regular toys, including the model train station open only on Saturdays.

When: Sat., 4/25, 10am-2pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way (at Roosevelt), 415-554-9600, randallmuseum.org.

SF Bike Coalition Girls Riding Club

Girls aged 10 and over are invited on a special bike ride just for them. Participants must already know how to ride a bike.

When: Sat., 4/25, 10am-1pm; Age 10-18; Free.

Where: Presidio Community YMCA’s Bike Skills Area, Barnard Avenue (at Hicks Road), San Francisco, 415-447-9615, sfbike.org.

Dia de los Ninos/Dia de los Libros

This San Francisco version of the Latin American holiday celebrating children has morphed into a storytelling festival, with on-stage reading of kids’ books, music, dance performances, and a visit from the Bookmobile.

When: Sun., 4/26, 1-4pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Dolores Park, between 18th and 20th Streets and Church and Dolores Streets, 800-723-3566, sfkids.org.

Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show

Automotive enthusiasts throng by the thousands to this massive expo of flying, driving, and working machines on the coast. Take a ride in a zeppelin or examine old tractors; view military planes and hot new sports cars.

When: Sun., 4/27, 10am-4pm; Free-$20.

Where: Half Moon Bay Airport, Highway 1 and Route 92, Half Moon Bay, 650-726-2328, miramarevents.com.

Is it raining? Yes? No? We have you covered either way.

Animal Grossology

Kids like gross stuff. And “Animal Grossology,” a new exhibit at the Lawrence Hall of Science, has it for them, with exhibits on cows and their prodigious output of methane, dung beetles, owl pellets (bones and other offal vomited up by owls), and other icky, yet educational, items.

When: Through 9/6/09, Daily 10am-5pm; Age 3+; Free with museum admission (Free-$11).

Where: Lawrence Hall of Science, Centennial Drive (at Stadium Rimway) on the University of California, Berkeley campus, 510-642-5132, lawrencehallofscience.org.

Cine/Club

Two Fridays a month, the Randall Museum invites teens age 13-18 for a screening of a classic film, a cartoon, a famous short or scenes from related films, and a group discussion analyzing what they’ve seen. Adult friends can accompany teens, and parents may wish to ensure their children are mature enough for each week’s showing, as films can cover sophisticated, controversial themes. This week: 1979 German film The Tin Drum.

When: Ongoing two Fridays each month, including 2/20; 6:30pm; Age 13-18; Free.

Where: Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way, San Francisco, 415-554-9600; randallmuseum.org.

Living Ship Day

Drag the vehicle nuts in your family to this special event at which military aircraft are lifted to launch position on the flight deck, and visitors can sit in the cockpit of a fighter plane.

When: Sun., 2/21, 10am-5pm; Age 3+; Free with paid admission.

Where: USS Hornet Museum, 707 West Hornet Way, Pier 3, Alameda Point (Alameda), 510-521-8448 Extension 282, uss-hornet.org.

Healing Herbs

Teens take a hike through the Hidden Villa grounds, identifying and collecting common herbs with medicinal properties. Naturalists will then teach participants how to use these healthful herbs.

When: Sat., 2/21, 10am-1pm; Age 15-18; $15.

Where: Hidden Villa, 26870 Moody Road (at Moody Court), Los Altos, 650-949-8653, hiddenvilla.org.

Everything’s lit up and glittery for the holiday season, a sight to dazzle the little ones.

Holiday Crafts Day at the Randall Museum

Make your own gingerbread house, beeswax candles, scented soaps, or candle holders at this much-beloved annual local crafting bee. The candy-house production line is a particular riot, with kids eating as much as the white frosting and candy as slapping it onto a house. At noon, a bubble magician performs in the Randall’s theater.

When: Sat., 12/6, 10am-3pm; Age 2+; Admission is free, craft prices vary from $2-5.

Where: Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way (at Roosevelt), San Francisco, 415-554-9600, randallmuseum.org

Union Street Holiday Celebration

A low-key neighborhood party with street performers, reindeer, the Snow Queen, carolers, zillions of little white lights, and Santa waiting with an empty lap to hear what presents your child wants. Parents can take pictures of their children on Santa’s lap free, without the need to buy some crazy $18 photo package.

When: Sat., 12/6, 3-6pm (Santa will be at the party from 5-7pm); All ages; Free.

Where: Union Street between Van Ness Avenue & Steiner Street (Santa will be at the Cudworth Mansion, 2040 Union Street), San Francisco, 415-456-6436, sresproductions.com.

Dress Up & Cookie Day at The Velveteen Rabbit

Children are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes, favorite PJs or superhero/princess garb for this matinee performance of ODC Dance’s traditional tear-jerker of a dance, The Velveteen Rabbit. A costume parade across the stage precedes the ballet and all kids, costumed or not, get a free cookie.

When: Sat., 12/6 (show runs through December 15), 1pm; Age 4+; $15-45.

Where: Novellus Theater at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 700 Howard Street (at Third Street), San Francisco; 415-978-2787, odcdance.org.

ZooLights

The Oakland Zoo sets its animal habits alight with thousands of tiny twinkling lights, including a light show set to music by Movin’ 99.7. Ride the miniature steam engine Snowball Express, and enjoy holiday decorations in the rides area.

When: Sat. Dec. 5 (ZooLights runs through 1/4 but is closed on 12/24 and 12/25), 5:30-9:30pm (5:30-9pm Mon.-Thu.); All ages; $4.50-7.50.

Where: Oakland Zoo, 9777 Golf Links Road (close to Highway 580), Oakland; 510-642-9525, oaklandzoo.org.

Ways to play, if you can brave the fog.

San Francisco Symphony in Dolores Park

Bring a picnic and a blanket and listen to Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, and Haydn numbers at this free performance.

When: Sun., 7/20, 2-5pm; All ages; Free.
Where: Dolores Park, 18th Street (at Dolores Street), 415-552-8000, sfsymphony.org.

Thumbelina

See a show about the old-school predecessor to Polly Pockets as the New Conservatory Theatre Center Teen Summer Stock company performs a play based on the Hans Christian Anderson story.

When: Thu.-Sat., 7/17-19; 11am; Age 3+; $10-15.
Where: New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness Avenue (at Oak Street), 415-861-8972; nctcsf.org.

Sun, Wind, & Water Day

Explore the elements with hands-on events at this free annual festival. Make solar s’mores, create your own paddleboat, or join the water balloon-tossing contest.

When: Sat., 7/19, 10am-2pm; All ages; Free.
Where: Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way (at Roosevelt), San Francisco, 415-554-9600, randallmuseum.org.

Run the Bases at AT&T Park

Kids aged 14 and under can linger after each San Francisco Giants home game to dash around the big league bases. Participants get a free See’s candy as they leave.

When: Sun., 7/20, game starts at 1:05pm, kids run the bases after the game is over; Age 3-14; Free with admission to game, $17-72.
Where: AT&T Park, 24 Willie Mays Plaza (King and Fourth Streets), 877-JR-GIANTS, sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com.

The weather’s been shockingly nice for July, but the end-of-summer fog will descend sooner or later, making the playground uncomfy and leaving city parents without many indoor play options that don’t cost upwards of $20 an hour.

Pack up the kids and a picnic and bring them over to the Randall Museum, the smallest, sweetest, friendliest children’s museum in town. For the eight-and-under set, the features are many: a tiny menagerie with calm rabbits and ducks, stations where kids can build their own Lego towers and subject them to earthquake-like forces, a toddler play room, a vast and intricate model train set (only open Saturdays), a restored earthquake shack. Kids are allowed to handle almost everything, and comfy spots where parents can sit and watch their children careening about seem to be everywhere.

When you’re ready for a snack, sit outside at the picnic table or in the circular garden area. Young kids can drop crumbs with abandon; older ones will want to race each other through the tiny garden. If they still have energy after the museum, you can even take the winding walk up to the top of Randall Rock for one of the best panoramic views of the city.

In summertime the Randall offers only a few of its noted classes and programs, including the popular Parent-Child Woodworking course and instruction in jewelry-making and ceramics. But in the fall look for toddler art classes, the teen cinema-watching club, robotics classes, family arts-and-crafts workshops and more. Classes are low-cost, and admission to the museum is always free, making the Randall one heck of a tantalizing bargain.

The Randall Museum is located at 199 Museum Way (at Roosevelt), San Francisco. Call 415-554-9600 or visit randallmuseum.org.

Get your art on with a culture-vulture weekend, or brave BART for a Berkeley fest.

Lines Ballet Family Day

In celebration of Long River High Sky, the dance collaboration between Lines Ballet and Chinese Shaolin Monks, this free outdoor festival plays host to ballet lessons, kung fu demos, and arts/crafts activities. Snacks and drinks are also provided free.

When: Sat., 5/31, 2pm (a matinee performance of the show follows at 3pm); Age 8+; Free (Ballet performance is $15-65).

Where: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St. (at Fourth St.), San Francisco, 415-978-2787, linesballet.org.

Wild in the City

Nature isn’t just found in the wilderness–and this new Randall Museum exhibit explores the wild animals who make their homes right here in San Francisco. Kids will find out how to identify animal tracks, how animals hunt, and where to look for natural ecosystems.

When: Ongoing, opening Sat., 5/31 and continuing through 11/1; 10am-5pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way (at Roosevelt), San Francisco, 415-554-9600, randallmuseum.org.

Chocolate & Chalk Art Festival

Instill in your child the joy of (legally) defacing city surfaces with this powdery romp over the sidewalks of Berkeley. Participants are assigned a square of sidewalk; onlookers chow down on chocolate samples or check out the arts and crafts booths. The best drawing wins $250; runners-up get $50 gift certificates from the Elephant Pharmacy. Bring your own chalk or buy it at the festival.

When: Sat, 5/31, 10am-6pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto (North Shattuck Ave. around Rose St.), Berkeley, 510-548-5335, northshattuck.org.

Animal Extravaganza

The seriously knowledgeable (and approachably fun) naturalists of Tree Frog Treks haul out their reptile and amphibian friends for kids to marvel over and touch. Activities teach kids about biology and nature.

When: Fri., 5/30, 4pm; Age 5+; Free.

Where: Glen Park Branch Library, 2825 Diamond St. (at Bosworth St.), San Francisco, sfpl.org.

Leaping dancers, creeping bugs, reading kids and sippy cups: get out of the house this weekend.

Bug Day

The cutest, most-child-friendly museum in the city is even better today at its annual Bug Day, with special exhibits and activities to teach kids about all that creep and crawl. Kids can participate in maggot races, touch silkworms, walking sticks and millipedes, create insect art, and play amongst the Randall’s other cool regular toys, including the model train station open only on Saturdays.

When: Sat., 4/26, 10am-2pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way (at Roosevelt), 415-554-9600, randallmuseum.org.

Dia de los Niños/Dia de los Libros

This San Francisco version of the Latin American holiday celebrating children has morphed into a storytelling festival, with on-stage reading of kids’ books, music, dance performances, and a visit from the Bookmobile.

When: Sun., 4/27, 1-4pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Dolores Park, between 18th and 20th Streets and Church and Dolores Streets, sfkids.org.

Young Choreographer’s Festival

Bring budding dancers to this National Dance Week celebration, which stages shorts works from Bay Area choreographers aged 16 to 21. Following the hour-long festival, 30 dance companies and solo artists will perform until 5pm. The Bandshell stage is open-air; dress accordingly.

When: Sat., 4/26, 12pm-5pm; All ages; Free.

Where: The Golden Gate Park Bandshell at the Music Concourse between De Young Museum and Steinhart Aquarium (at Martin Luther King Jr Way), San Francisco, 415-640-2784, mfdpsf.org.

The Sippy Cups: A Rock & Roll Circus

Kids go absolutely apesh*t for this band, a bunch of cheerful adults who do kid-friendly versions of songs parents will recognize, such as The Velvet Underground’s “Who Loves the Sun” or Kool & The Gang’s “Jungle Boogie,” accompanied by puppets, juggling, acrobatics and the like. Parents will be thrilled with the venue, sleek Bimbo’s 365 Club. Alternadad author Neal Pollack emcees the show and will sign copies of his book.

When: Sun., 4/27, 1pm & 4pm; Ages 0-8; $17.

Where: Bimbo’s 365 Club, 1025 Columbus Ave., (at Chestnut Street), San Francisco, 415-474-0365, thesippycups.com.