The Lawrence Hall of Science
The public science center of the University of California, Berkeley.
Wednesday–Sunday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Animal Discovery Zone 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. View Additional Hours >
We’ll bring our science programs to you.
We partner with school districts to support science learning. We offer district-wide elementary, middle, and high school programs, either virtually or in-person.
We collaborate with a range of partners to innovate in science education. Together, we go further.
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Exhibit
Explore nature and connect with the various organisms that call our backyard "home," in this outdoor experience at The Lawrence.
Follow wherever your curiosity takes you and get hands-on with the local flora and fauna. From birding with binoculars to observing the bees and other pollinators, you will learn about skills and tools that can help you observe nature anywhere there is a patch of green.
Become a Nature Detective and investigate a mystery that has occurred within the Outdoor Nature Lab! Put your observation skills to the test as you analyze 3 pieces of evidence to try and determine which animal (or animals?!) are to blame for the mystery.
Hidden around the lower level of the Outdoor Nature Lab are 6 birds waiting to be found and identified by YOU! Grab a Bird ID guide, a birding sheet, and a pair of binoculars to start your adventure and see if you can find them all. (Changes seasonally)
You can use our bug-catchers to put natural artifacts inside for closer examination and discovery. Anything can go into these viewers except for flying insects (such as bees, wasps, butterflies, etc.). They can examine flowers, acorns, leaves, fungus, lichen, and more!
Grab one of our hand lenses of assorted sizes to observe our natural world up-close. Choose any of our hand-lenses and practice making observation, looking for patterns, asking questions, and uncovering the hidden secrets of nature.
Try your hand at one of the unique ways to connect to the outdoors–through watercolors. Borrow a water-coloring kit to use anywhere in the Outdoor Nature Lab, or sit at our table station and create your own inspired masterpiece. Once finished, you may donate it to our shareback wall and become part of our living art installation.
Bring your little explorer and experience the Outdoor Nature Lab through your sense of touch, smell, sight, and sound. Listen to a Red-Tailed Hawk call in the sky, compare the scent of a Black Sage and Lavender leaf, feel the ridges of a Coast-Live Oak acorn, and look for all the colors of the rainbow.
Journaling and drawing are excellent tools for recording your observations about the world around you. Grab a nature journal and practice combining art with scientific observation in our premade self-guided activities. Or, grab some blank paper and art supplies to follow your curiosity and journal without limits! Either way, you can donate your finished nature artwork for future guests to enjoy!
The Outdoor Nature Lab is a living ecosystem home to native plants and animals. Here are a few animals you might spot when exploring our backyard!
Anna’s hummingbird(photo credit: Berkeley student Cleo Lu)
Western fence lizard
Acorn woodpecker(photo credit: Berkeley student Cleo Lu)
Monarch butterfly
Ohlone Language & Traditions
As part of the ‘ottoy initiative, new signage will soon be added to the Outdoor Nature Lab in the native Ohlone language Chochenyo, the first language spoken in the East Bay. Visitors will be greeted by a land acknowledgment in Chochenyo. Additional new signage will share the Chochenyo words and traditional uses for various native plants in our pollinator garden.
The Outdoor Nature Lab is named in honor of Robert & Elizabeth Karplus. Learn more about their legacy and connection to UC Berkeley and The Lawrence Hall of Science.
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Sundays, 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.Through August 13
Join us each Sunday this summer to create art using the power of the sun! Harness the power of UV light to create a collectible image that you can take home and share with family and friends. Kits are also available to purchase in our Discovery Store during normal business hours, as well as our online store.
Admission
General
Age 3+: $20
Kids under 2: FREE
Members: FREE
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3D Theater
$4 + Admission
Planetarium
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