About Us

 

History

Originally called Science in the ‘Hood, the program was created as a response to a community need to provide youth with constructive alternatives to hanging out in the streets.  A local resident started the program as a hands-on science and experiential learning program similar to the Mission Science Workshop in San Francisco. 

The community-based drop-in program offered neighborhood youth a fun way to explore their world through science, providing youth a tinker's workbench with materials, resources, and coaching that allows them the creative space to discover their own skills and enables them to pursue their own interests allowing them to experience firsthand the excitement of discovery.  The program started in Central East Oakland at Brookdale Park in 1997 and there was a location in West Oakland from 1999 until 2019. 

The Discovery Center moved its STEAM workshop to Arroyo Viejo Park in East Oakland and programming is provided at City-wide community events year-round. Themes each month tap into the creativity of youth, providing materials, resources, and coaching to participants to discover and develop their science skills and expand their interests in electricity, physics, chemistry, art, and tinkering.

Some Activities and Projects Offered:

  • Gardening
  • Build science fair-type projects
  • Launch water and air-propelled rockets
  • Motorized & magnetic gadgets
  • Learn bicycle repair - fix your bike
  • Art projects - simple animation 
  • Simple chemistry projects
  • Woodworking projects such as birdhouses
  • Educational and team-building games

Our program is free of cost for local residents. Children ages 7 and up are welcome.


Contact Us

Location - Arroyo Viejo Recreation Center, 7701 Krause Avenue, Oakland, CA 94605

Phone Number - (510) 615-5416
Email Address - OaklandDiscovery@gmail.com

Funded by the City of Oakland’s Parks, Recreation, & Youth Development, Oakland Fund for Children & Youth, Oakland Parks, and Recreation Foundation, and supported by community volunteers and donations.







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