Friends of the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo

the mission of the Friends of Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo (Friends) is to support and enhance the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo (jmz), an early years' science education facility. Nearly 200,000 people visit the jmz annually and jmz educators serve 13,000 elementary students per year through its science education program. the jmz specializes in hands-on learning and child-centric exploration techniques often lacking in traditional science classes. the new and improved jmz facility features interactive science exhibits and expanded Zoo facilities.the Friends works closely with the city of Palo Alto to provide free science education classes to students at several elementary schools in east Palo Alto, where budgetary cuts have eliminated many of the science programs. Close to 2,000 elementary school students participate in the program. In addition, the Friends continues to raise funds for exciting exhibits.in fiscal year 2018, the Friends finalized the design of the new $25 million facility and its agreement with the city of Palo Alto to rebuild and modernize the jmz. the collaborative effort resulted in the groundbreaking and demolition shortly after the close of the year.the new and improved facilities opened in november 2021. the larger, greener jmz facility corrected structural and safety deficiencies that inhibited the jmz's outreach and hampered its essential science education program. With enlarged space and improved facilities, the new jmz is scalable to meet the growing needs of the community. the new building, science exhibits, and Zoo enhances the visitor experience for all ages and learning styles, while retaining the intimate environment that makes the jmz a beloved community resource.