Upcoming Events
Bats Alive
Join us for Bats Alive, an evening exploration into the fascinating world of bats! Hosted by Dr. Dave Johnston, this special YSI event offers an opportunity to learn more about these incredible animals, including the Mexican free-tailed bat. After the presentation, join us for a guided nighttime hike using flashlights and special sonar detectors to identify bats in the area. Come explore, learn, and discover what makes bats such an important part of our natural world! 🦇
- 10/2/26
- 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
- YSI Vasona Park
Vasona Story Time: I Took My Frog to the Library
📚🐸 YSI Story Time: I Took My Frog to the Library!
Get ready for a hopping good time at YSI Story Time! Join us for a fun and interactive reading of I Took My Frog to the Library, a silly adventure that brings the joy of books and the wonder of animals together.
After the story, meet Pickle, our very own frog! 🐸 Kids will have the chance to get up close, learn some fun frog facts, and discover what makes these amazing amphibians so special.
Come read, learn, and meet a new slimy friend at YSI! 🌿📖🐸
- 10/3/26
- 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
- YSI Vasona Park
Alum Rock Storytime: Spider!
🕷️📚 Alum Rock Story Time & Animal Meet & Greet
Join YSI for a fun, interactive Story Time featuring Spider! — a playful introduction to the fascinating world of spiders and arachnids!
After the story, the adventure continues with an Animal Meet & Greet featuring a tarantula! 🕷️ Kids will have the opportunity to see a tarantula up close, learn fun facts, and discover what makes these amazing animals so unique.
Come read, learn, and meet one of nature’s coolest creepy-crawlies! 🌿🕷️
- 10/10/26
- 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
- YSI Alum Rock Park
YSI Vasona: Creepy, Crawly, & Cute!
🕷️ Creepy, Crawly, & Cute! 🐛
Who says creepy crawlies have to be scary? Join YSI for a close-up look at the fascinating world of insects, spiders, and other amazing arthropods! Meet some of our live animal ambassadors as we discover how they move, what they eat, where they live, and the incredible adaptations that help them survive.
From wiggly legs and tiny antennae to surprising defenses and seriously cute faces, you may leave with a whole new appreciation for the little creatures all around us. Come ready to explore, observe, and discover why even the creepiest of crawlies deserve a little love!
- 10/17/26
- 11:00 am - 11:30 pm
- YSI Vasona Park
YSI Alum Rock: Tarantula Trek 🕷️
- 10/24/26
- 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
- YSI Alum Rock Park
It’s tarantula season!
Join Youth Science Institute for a special late-afternoon hike through Alum Rock Park in search of one of California’s largest and most misunderstood spiders—the tarantula!
For much of the year, tarantulas live surprisingly secretive lives and can be difficult to spot. But each fall, mature male tarantulas leave their shelters and begin wandering across the landscape in search of females. Our late-afternoon adventure will take us onto the trails to search for these fascinating animals and discover the wild habitat they call home.
Along the way, a YSI naturalist will uncover the hidden lives of tarantulas and other arachnids. Learn where tarantulas live, how they hunt, what they eat, why males wander during the fall, and the important role these impressive predators play in California’s ecosystems.
Keep your eyes on the trail—you never know what we might discover!
Stay Tuned for Our Next YSI Event!
More exciting YSI events are on the way! We’re preparing our next community program, so please check back soon for updates and registration information.
- Stay Tuned
- 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
- YSI Vasona Park
