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Date: January 15, 2010

Explorit, Davis Diamonds to co-sponsor Parents Night Out

Children can enjoy pizza, gymnastics and science activities while their parents celebrate an early Valentine's Day during Parents' Night Out on Friday, Feb. 12.

The child-care event will be co-sponsored by Explorit Science Center and Davis Diamonds, neighbors on Second Street in east Davis.

Here's the plan, designed for children ages 5 to 12:

The evening begins at Davis Diamonds, 2975 Second St. Parents may drop off their children beginning at 5 p.m. Reservations are required; they may be made by calling Davis Diamonds at (530) 750-3547.

Children will enjoy supervised free play in the gym, followed by a pizza dinner. At 7 p.m., they will be escorted on foot across Pe–a Drive to Explorit, 2801 Second St.

At the science center, children will have time for supervised exploration of the museum, which features two major exhibitions, a wet lab with a popular new streambed table, a microscope nook, an animation station and more. A children's movie will be shown the final hour of the evening.

Parents will need to pick up their children by 9 p.m. at Explorit.

Cost for the evening for the one child is $30, or $25 if the family is a member of either Davis Diamonds or Explorit. Sibling fees are discounted $5.

Remember that reservations are required and can be made at Davis Diamonds, (530) 750-3547. More information is available by contacting Gina Nunes at Explorit, 757-4530 or gnunes@explorit.org.
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Kim Stanley Robinson will speak at Explorit next Saturday, Jan. 16. The celebrated science fiction writer will discuss Galileo Galilei, the Italian physicist and astronomer, at 7:30 p.m. at Explorit's main site, 2801 Second St. in Davis.

As a bonus, those who attend may explore the museum's space and astronomy exhibition after his presentation.

The event is free and open to the public. It is a gathering of the Davis Astronomy Club, which is sponsored by Explorit. All ages are welcome..

Robinson, a Davis resident, will discuss his new book, "Galileo's Dream" (Random House, $26). Published Dec. 29, it mixes biography with a sci-fi story set in the 31st century.
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Explorit will be the topic of a program on cable TV's Davis Media Access, Channel 29. "In the Studio: Explorit" will air three times: 9 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 20; 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 24; and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26. The audio segment will be broadcast on radio station KDRT (95.7 FM) on Jan. 26 at noon and again at 11 p.m.

Ron Clement, a former nonprofit executive and DMA volunteer, hosted the program. He interviewed Megan Contreras, Explorit program director, and Peter Willson, director of development and marketing, about the science center's programs and opportunities. They also discussed how to help support Explorit, which is facing financial challenges.
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The Safeway Foundation has awarded Explorit a $5,000 grant, science center officials announced this week. The gift will sponsor four Explorit "Science Assembly Programs" at schools with a high number of low-income students. The schools will be located in communities where the grocery chain has stores.

In other donor news, the center has posted a quarterly update of members of its Benefactor Society on http://www.explorit.org/support. The society is made up of individuals and organizations that donate $1,000 or more to Explorit. A gift or pledge secures membership in the society for one year. Explorit extends its sincerest thanks to these donors who invest in science education.
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Explorit's main site, 2801 Second St. in Davis, has two exhibitions showing: "What's Out There? Exploring Our Universe" and "Move It! Science in Action." Admission is $4; members, teachers with school ID and children ages 3 and under are free. For more information: (530) 756-0191 or http://www.explorit.org.