The New Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo is here!
The JMZ has been rebuilt thanks to a $15 million matching grant from the Peery Foundation and $10 million in private donations from local donors. This milestone comes after more than a decade of planning, fundraising, and construction. We are very grateful to all of our supporters and donors who helped to make the new Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo a reality.
How has the JMZ Improved?
Every year approximately 180,000 people visit the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo, and the JMZ’s educators teach more than 19,000 local students in classrooms, science camps and field trips. Built in 1941, the old Junior Museum & Zoo building had become inadequate for the extensive early-education science programming that the JMZ provides both on-site and in local elementary schools.
The new Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo includes state-of-the-art exhibits and animal enclosures, improved facilities, and is accessible for visitors of all abilities. The JMZ has been modernized while retaining the kid-friendly and intimate qualities of the old facility, providing even more unique, educational experiences that are invaluable to children.
The new Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo has:
- Better visitor amenities and experiences, including a dedicated safe area for bus drop-off, special entrance for school groups, and modern bathrooms.
- More STEM and biosciences education, and a teachers’ lesson planning.
- Expanded programming for economically disadvantaged schools.
- Improved facilities and programs for children with physical and developmental differences.
- Hands-on STEM exhibits and improved animal enclosures that increase a childs’ connection to science and the natural world.
Project Timeline
1941 JMZ is built
2012 Concept design involving CAW Architects, Portico Design Group, staff and public
2013 Campaign Launch: Strategic Plan and Business Plan completed
2014 Secure Seed Funding and Establish Advisory Council
2015 Fund Development and Negotiated Agreement with City of Palo Alto
2018 JMZ temporarily moves to Cubberley Community Center; Construction begins
2021 Reopening of the new JMZ
“The JMZ has demonstrated a consistent commitment to teaching high-quality, hands- on science to generations of children from the Mid-Peninsula – regardless of their economic background – that is transformational in their early education experience. Teachers from East Palo Alto and Palo Alto love these programs in their classrooms, and the children love the JMZ teachers. We are honored to partner with the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo to ensure that it can bring science alive for future generations, as it has done so effectively in the past.” — Dave Peery, Managing Director, Peery Foundation
Donors to the $25 million JMZ Initiative
| Meredith Ackley and Salvatierra Sisters Acton Family Giving Kurt Adzema and Rayme Waters Carolyn Amster Melissa Anderson and Howard Look Lauren and Michael Angelo Anonymous (6) Deborah Bailey The Baker Family The Baldwin Family Jeff and Jamie Barnett Clay and Kelly Bavor Krishna Bharat and Kavita Thirumalai Sam Bhaumik Annette Bialson and Gary Sharron Jennifer, Aurélie, and Anaïs Bienaimé Mathew Bigge Robert Bridger and Wendy Dransfield The Brin Wojcicki Foundation John and Susan Cala Brian and Jennifer Carlstrom Shawn and Jennifer Carolan Hui (Debra) Cen Andrea Cervenka and Shai Friedland Mathew Chagan John and Ashley Chambers Sandra and Harry Cheung Carmen M. Christensen (1913-2010) Terry and Anne Clark Denis and Aletha Coleman David and Trish Collins John and Caroline Cote The Mark Crady and Lucy Stapleton Fund Bill and Tammy Crown Robyn Crumley John and Allison Marston Danner Family Fund Ben Davenport and Lucy Zhang The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Mark DeLaurentis and Jackie Turner Janice Dingler Phyllis and Bill Draper The Dave and Cheryl Duffield Fund Jennifer and Len Dulski The Elkes Foundation Steve and Patricia Emslie Robin and Basil Enan Tom Evans Spencer and Stephanie Ewing Abe Farag and Claudia Truesdall Flora Family Foundation The Frahn Family Stephanie and Ryan Frick Carol C. and Joel P. Friedman, MD Marcel and Elisabeth Gani Jamie and Bryson Gardner Family The Gawley Family Max and Nadia Gazor Jeanne Giaccia Patrick and Sarah Gibbs Matt Glickman and Susie Hwang Leslie Goldman Claire Goldsmith, in honor of Kelly Bavor Michael and Loren Gordon Paul and Colleen Gormley Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Gracon, in honor of Leannah Hunt Tim Guarnieri Tim and Hilary Gudgel Alison Hagan Eric and Elaine Hahn David Hanabusa Dr. Harry and Susan Hartzell Andrea and Ryan Helft Lisa and Dana Hendrickson Linda Henigin Marah and Jonathan Herbach Harry Hirschman Tyler and Sharon Hoffman Ilse Hopkins Marv and Collette Hopkins Paul and Melissa Hopkins Gary Hornbeek and Susan Miller Hornbeek Huang Pacific Foundation Brette and Drew Hudacek Leannah Hunt Shellan and Robert Isackson Kingsley Jack John and Marcia Goldman Foundation Pitch and Cathie Johnson Amy and Glen Kacher Doug Kalish and Donna Bohling Oshri Kaplan KC Family Foundation Chop and Annette Keenan David and Maureen Kennedy The Kepner Family The Kinsky Family Jon and Karin Kissane Frank and Trinity Klein with Asian Box Mariela Kleiner Josh and Juliet Knowles Judy Koch Marshall and Heather Koch Andrew Krowne Maya Kumar and Ross Metzger Ronald Kundich Cheryl Lathrop and Bern Beecham The Laurel Foundation Peter Levin and Lisa Voge-Levin Paul and Susie Levine Bruce Lewenstein Marion Lewenstein Jacques M. Littlefield Foundation Richard and Suzanne Liu Susan and Phillip Lorson The Ludwick Family Yvette Ma Mario Family Foundation David Markowitz Marissa Mayer and Zachary Bogue Walter and Mary McCullough Courtney Meehan |
Bob Meltzer in memory of Betty Meltzer Ed and Shirlee Miller Philip and Katy Miller David and Lynn Mitchell Moore Family Foundation Elizabeth and Mark Moragne Morgan Family Foundation Elizabeth Morgenthaler Glen Murphy and Lauren Ely Merrill and Alicia Newman Kristin and Peter Norvig, Silicon Valley Community Foundation Mary Obelnicki and Craig Silverstein Bryn and Barbara Ostby Peery Foundation Patricia Phillips The Phumbhra Living Trust Allen and Janet Podell Kendra and Erik Ragatz The Rakowski Family Tim Ranzetta and Katherine Eslao Allyssa Rapp Chase Rapp The Rathmann Family Foundation Ashray Reddy Steve and Missy Reller William Reller Jake and Robin Reynolds Michelle Richmond Craig Ritchey Roger P. Roberts and Ariel Balter Matt and Laurel Robinson Susan Rosenberg Eric Rosenblum and Titi Liu Peter and Beth Rosenthal Rotary Club of Palo Alto Jane Rytina and Jonathan Chadwick Kelly Sallin Greg and Sarah Sands Sereno Group Katie Shade Daniel Shader and Lissa Dutton Jessamyn and Ali Shams-Lau Mark and Nancy Shepherd County Supervisor Joe Simitian and Mary Hughes Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Sinton Chris Skarakis Ben Smith, Diane Tang and Family Jennifer Smith and Stephen Borota Paula and Stephen Smith Roger Smith and Judy Kay Jeff and Jeanese Snyder Julia and Robert Soderbery Pamela and Mike Steil Madeline and Isaac Stein Peter Stewart The Stitt Family Dale Stuart and Barbara Gordon Jason Sydow Scott and Shelly Taylor Everley Tejamo Alex and Nadine Terman Thelma Doelger Trust for Animals Jeffrey Thomas Carl and Susan Thomsen Simon and Shamim Tong Zach and Marisol Trailer The Tsern Foundation Mike and Ellen Turbow Joe and Sarah Vaccaro Virginia and Peter Van Kuran Don and Anne Vermeil Rob and Melissa Wagner Rick and Mara Wallace David and Malin Walrod Michele and Ted Wang Adam Weiss and Lydia Callaghan Jaime and Elizabeth Wong Yellow Chair Foundation Jack Young Linton and Kisa Young Andrew and Flora Zee Employee Matching ProgramsAdobe Systems In KindAnonymous |