Sacramento Area Museums Celebrate Earth Month With Special Events, Activations & Dedicated Programming

The greater Sacramento area is rich with an amazing array of state-of-the-art museums and historic sites that offer visitors the chance to explore California’s art, history, and science treasures all year long. And in April, many Sacramento area museums are celebrating Earth Month with special events, activations, and dedicated programming that supports conservation and connecting with nature.

A sampling of celebratory and eco-friendly related offerings at local museums happening in April includes the following:

• Eco-Friendly Exhibits at SMUD Museum of Science & Curiosity – All Month: The SMUD Museum of Science & Curiosity (MOSAC) offers eco-friendly exhibits and activations all year long. This month, just a few of the current, hands-on exhibitions celebrating Earth Month include Nature Detectives (designed for young explorers to use their five senses and science tools to uncover the secrets of the natural world), Powering Change (highlighted by a 50-foot digital display to redesign Sacramento’s transportation system so guests can explore ways to electrify our cities, create smart homes, and revitalize green spaces), and Water Challenge (where visitors can shape a watershed, create a water-saving tune, make eco-friendly meal choices, and even swim with the salmon to learn how small changes can make a big impact). For more, visit www.visitmosac.org/explore/exhibitions.
• Inspiration Garden at the Utility Exploration Center – All Month/Ongoing: Committed to educating the public about conservation, saving energy and water, reducing waste, protecting the watershed, and living sewer smart, the Utility Exploration Center in Roseville is a perfect place to visit in April. For example, the Center offers an Inspiration Garden that is a living example that demonstrates how water-efficient landscaping is beautiful, lower maintenance, thrives with less water, and is the best match for California Living.More information is available here.
• Kids Day: Books & Buds at the Sacramento History Museum on April 11: The Sacramento History Museum located at the Old Sacramento Waterfront is digging into books and growing imaginations during a special Kids Day at the Museum from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – FREE for children under 18 — with the theme Books and Buds! The family-friendly garden and literary event will include children’s authors, partner museums, gardening activities, and free gently used books for every child who visits. For more, visit www.sachistorymuseum.org.
•  Step onto the Path Toward Sustainability at Earth Night on April 16: Earth Night is a community event hosted by Roseville Utilities and the Utility Exploration Center that brings residents together for a fun, family-friendly evening focused on sustainability. The event highlights how water, energy, waste, and the environment are all connected, with hands-on activities and interactive exhibits designed to make these topics engaging and accessible. This year’s kick-off event takes place Thursday, April 16 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Woodcreek Golf Club driving range, 5880 Woodcreek Oaks Blvd, and will feature live music, food, and opportunities to learn from local experts. Free and open to all ages, and pet friendly. Visit here for more details.
• Earth STEAM Day at the Aerospace Museum of California on April 18: There is no better way to celebrate Earth Day than with an Earth S.T.E.A.M. Day at the Aerospace Museum from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. where curious minds can enjoy special STEAM activities to get closer to our planet while learning about science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Guests can hang out with Makani — the trailblazer for airborne wind turbines — or maybe pay a visit to the NASA Space Theatre to see what we are learning about other planets. For more, visit this webpage.
• Earth Day Celebration at Fairytale Town on April 18: Families with little ones are encouraged to visit Fairytale Town for a special Earth Day celebration from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. complete with gardening activities, outdoor games, vendors, hands-on sustainable crafts, and watching shows in the Children’s Theater. This family-friendly celebration encourages participants to connect with nature while fostering awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s beauty and the importance of environmental conservation. The popular Story Center will feature an art class (“Earth and Happiness”) at noon, and a STEAM class (“Earth Heroes”) at 1 p.m., with performances by School Of Rock and Fenix Drum and Dance on our Mother Goose Stage, plus performances at 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. by NorCal Arts (“Hip Hop Drip Drop”). For more, please visit www.fairytaletown.org/calendar/earth-day/
• Yoomén: A Celebration of Spring at the Maidu Museum & Historic Site on April 25: The community is invited to visit the Maidu Museum & Historic Site in Roseville for a Yoomén: A Celebration of Spring event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Yoomén is the Nisenan word for the season of Spring. The first part of this word, yoo, means ‘flower;’ the second part, -men, is a word-ending that is used when describing periods of time. To mark the arrival of “flower-time,” the community is invited to experience and appreciate the rich traditions of Native American cultures. This FREE family-friendly event serves as an opportunity for Indigenous communities to gather, celebrate and share deep history and traditions with all in attendance. More details are available here.
• Spring Festival at the Old Sacramento Waterfront Presented by the Sacramento History Museum on April 26: A Living History program presented by the Sacramento History Museum and taking place outdoors in Old Sacramento State Historic Park, the community is invited to a FREE Spring Festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. that celebrates the new season through dance, music, entertainment, crafts, food, and sheep (yes, live sheep!). The lively, open-air, and family-friendly event bridges the past and the present with immersive living history demonstrations, hands-on activities, lively performances, artisan vendors, and interactive experiences for all ages. For more, visit www.sachistorymuseum.org.

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