Turtle Bay Exploration

This place is so awesome! I love the trail and the informational placards are fun for the kids. Feeding the turtles and sticking their toes in the water is so much fun for them and it doesn’t cost a thing!

It’s been awhile since I’ve visited. This time I went with relatives, including my young nephews (one is 5 and the other is almost 2). I’d say they had a great time though, with the renovation and construction happening around the main building it was, at first, confusing where we had to enter and pay the admission fees at. Along with that, no staff members happened to be manning the main phone line. This delay cost us precious time as we’d come for the animal show and missed about 10 minutes of it (which was disappointing), thanks in part to the runaround. What would help is to have a visible public sign out front instructing people where to enter and buy tickets so that they don’t have to flag down others for this information.
So we caught the latter half of the animal show, didn’t see any of the animals that’re normally kept outdoors (since the construction was going on), visited the Parrot Playhouse which now houses solely lorikeets (no parakeets/​budgies — not sure when they decided not to keep them anymore), and walked around inside the main building (the beaver, in the fish aquarium area, is was a nice surprising addition!). Can’t wait to see what else will be added after all the remodeling and construction is finished!

The beautiful weather had us wanting the afternoon out and about. We had not yet explored Turtle Bay, as I thought it was most likely more of a family activity… Turns out it’s quite fun for the kidless as well. Plenty to look at, and the river is absolutely gorgeous right now. Only $ 16/​adult, so it’s quite affordable to boot. Highly reccomend!

decided to take a random trip to this park with my boyfriend. we took a walk on the bridge and enjoyed taking a few good pics!
I had never heard of there being an Exploratorium at turtle bay until today. my first trip there today I have to say was one of the most enjoyable times I’ve had at a museum.
before entering the museum there is a gift shop and coffee shop, they sell a lot of cut trinkets and also souvenirs. my boyfriend and I had to pick up a stuffed turtle!
on to the museum… for adult it’s 16 $ admission, and AAA members get a discount. however when we went (at 2:45pm) we got a 5 $ discount! so the later you go, you get a discount! ended up paying 22 $ for the two of us. the museum inside is so cute. it’s very clean, well lit, and the displays are so fun and interesting. they have a lot of interactive things, which I love at museums! the fish, snakes, turtles, etc are displayed in habitats around the museum! one of our favorite parts of this trip was the outside wildlife park they have! we saw so many animals including foxes, eagle, hawk, Bob cat, and even a badger! unfortunately it was raining and their large tortoise was brought inside :(but overall this wildlife park is great!
I’m so happy I had the chance to come here, and I’ll definitely come again when the weather is nice and when their new areas are fully built (a section is under construction). I highly recommend people driving through Redding or camping in the area to drop by for a fun experience with family & friends!

love this place family pass is best deal

This place has a special place in my heart. It’s been a highlight of my time here in Redding and my parents are members. We love to feed the parrots and watch the animals, especially the Beaver. I have seen the animal show once and it was a really fun first date with my now fiancé. The only thing I haven’t been totally stoked about is the exhibits… I’ve liked many of them but some I haven’t had the desire to see and they stay too long without changing to new topics.

Fantastic museum to learn about the Sacramento River Valley, its ecosystems, and habitats. So close to the Sundial Bridge, which is a must-​see. Such a wonderful collection of exhibits and activities (my kids are 5 and 8). We enjoyed all of the indoor exhibits, including an area challenging kids (and adults!) to all sorts of brain teasers and puzzles. Kept the kids busy for a couple hours while the missus ran a couple of errands. It was really hot outside, so we didn’t visit Paul Bunyan’s Forest Camp. Kids brought scooters, which were really helpful as we wandered along the river, but ultimately we sought refuge in the air conditioned museum. If I lived in the area, I would absolutely be a member.

We went on a Monday and it was a huge waste of $ 55. All of their shows were «closed because it’s Monday»… how about charging half price on Mondays then? The bird feeding cage would have been awesome if you could pet the birds, or walk around the birds… or look them directly in the eye… there were SO many rules about what not to do while feeding the birds that it was a drag for kids. Here’s an idea: have less fragile birds in the «hands-​on experience for kids» bird-​feeding cage! You have to walk about a mile to get to a glorified playground with a few cool caged birds to look at. Aaaaand that’s pretty much it at Turtle Bay Exploration Park. They have so much space and are doing very little with it. I complained at the front desk and they couldn’t have cared less. Never again!

Great place to take children of all ages. All kinds of nature to enjoy. It was fun and educational. Place is pretty and has a lot of parking. But there was quite a bit of homeless men hanging around that made me, a woman alone with 3 kids a little nervous. But turned out to be not a problem.

So a pretty neat place even for adults as I found out. Looks like they’re building a Sheraton nearby too which should be awesome.
This place is worth it just for the Parakeet cage, seriously, adorable little buggers who flock on you if you spend the $ 1 for the nectar feeding cup.
Everything else is okay and a bit sad for the animals there especially the beautiful hawk and eagle who are stuck in their tiny cages :(
Feel like letting PETA know but there’s enough of that everywhere.
Great for kids. Finished the whole place in like an hour though.

A gem in Redding: gorgeous bridge, well kept grounds, and a sweet little museum store. We did not go into the museum itself, but only stopped for coffee and to stretch our legs after a long drive. This place is more than a stopover — it’s a destination! I am looking forward to returning for a real visit next time.

If you’re near Redding CA, by all means visit this place!
If you’re not, you can view LIVE streaming video of 6′ EAGLE’S NEST at:
3 chicks this year, you can watch day or night (maybe they installed a light, or maybe it was lit by the full moon?) Both parents tend and feed the chicks and take turns watching them.
It’s just like looking out your window into a tree over 100 feet high!
Way cool !!

I thought this would be an amZing spot to watch the sunrise but it ended up not being that. The skyline was too far away. However, this place would be a rad spot to watch the sunset! I’ll try and make it today! They have a nice hiking trail and this really cool sundial bridge I haven’t seen yet. Lots of people walking their dogs too! It’s a nice place to get away and enjoy a little nature while still being in the middle of the city.

A beautiful facility. There are permanent exhibits which highlight various historical and environmental elements of the Redding area. Very educational and interesting. A great place for field trips, which the local schools always take advantage of. They also have a great playground for the kids as well as fish and other animals to check out.
I really enjoy the seasonal exhibits as there is always something new and intriguing that is waiting to be explored. Today, my husband and I went to check out the Toytopia exhibit. A history of toys and games and as usual, lots of great hands-​on activities for both adults and children. I think I was having more fun than most of the children! Unfortunately, we spent so much time exploring in here, that we didn’t make it over to the Civil War exhibit that was also being showcased. Luckily, even though they closed at 4:00, their cute little café was still serving so we moseyed over for some small hot cocoas and walked around the sundial.
Definitely a great place to go spend a few hours with the family. Not just for those who are from out of town and are unfamiliar with the area, but for LOCALS (which I highly suggest go check it out to learn a little more about this beautiful area that you call home).

Nice little museum and park. We were able to get free admission on our ASTC Passport from the The Tech Museum in San Jose. The museum is nicely focused on local geology and wildlife, with additional exhibits on other science-​related themes (e.g. the current nanotechnology display). The wild animal show in the amphitheatre was entertaining for the kids, though it’s clear that the animals and birds are anything but wild anymore. The Parrot Playhouse was an interesting experience, as several birds spontaneously landed on our heads and arms as we entered, expecting us to have a cup full of nectar in our hands.
We walked briefly through the arboretum, but it was getting hot and we didn’t take the time to explore it fully. It seems nice and compact and highlight local vegetation very well.

The Turtle Bay Museum is a great place for everyone, but definitely it is great for kids. There are many activities and knowledge that this place offers. Activities include:
1. Paul Bunyan’s Forest Camp which includes different birds, reptiles, butterflies, and other animals.
2. Different species of fishes in a tank and information about them.
3. A separate room explaining why people look and sound the way they are. Also there are interactive activities.
4. A station where they explain how the Sundial Bridge was built.
5. Exhibits about the history of Redding, California.
The Museum is located near the Museum Store & Coffee Bar and the Sundial Bridge. There is plenty of free parking.

Turtle Bay is a wonderful place to stop along Highway 5. The park has something for everyone: gardens, a nursery, the Sundial Bridge, an aquarium, a museum, a gallery, and the Paul Bunyan camp. These have all been reviewed individually by many people if you want to know more about them before you go.
The 16 mile Sacramento River Trail passes through the park. While I doubt I would be able to walk the whole trail unless I spent days in the area, it is possible to walk a portion at the park. I have not gone too far on trail as it is always around 100 degrees when I have visited.

The Turtle Bay Museum does the Redding area a great service by providing exhibits that one could only picture a city at least twice the size of Sacramento hosting. Thus, being far from a population center, there’s such a small crowd you can actually enjoy the exhibits.
Chocolate and LEGOs have been up for temporary exhibition and their permanent collection is spectacular. They really let you see all kinds of California issues such as with water up front. The Turtle Bay Museum is cheap, in a good park and a gem of the far north of California. Since the museum is in the middle of nowhere, A for effort. Redding would only another Denny’s as it’s choice of entertainment if it wren’t for you.
I saw Chocolate: The Exhibition and it was something special. The history of chocolate was showed amidst old vending machines and lots of displays with buttons. In the gift shop, they really correlated the merchandise with the museum’s temporary display.
Come visit!

The Turtle Bay Museum (TBM) is a part of the massive 300-​acre Turtle Bay Exploration Park (TBEP) located at the heart of the Sacramento River Valley. The TBEP includes lots of things to see and do; some of them are free and some of them you pay a low admission price ($ 14-​adults, $ 10-​children [4−15], and Free kids [3-​and-​under]) to check out. The Sundial Bridge (SB), Parking, Turtle Bay Museum Store (TBMS) and the access to the Sacramento River Trail system are free. The TBM, Paul Bunyan’s Forest Camp (PBFC) and the McConnel Arboretum & Botanical Gardens (MABG) are part of the paid admission. The SB, PBFC & TBMS I wrote up as separate reviews so in this review I’ll cover the TBM.
The TBM includes lots of educational experiences that are geared more towards older children and adults. The museum leans very heavily towards the history and current state of all things Sacramento River and Redding area. Some of the highlights are the Aquarium; lots of Scientific experiment areas; historic recreations (aka dioramas); and three separate exhibition halls. Here is a synopsis:
Aquarium– The display is a nice re-​creation of the floor of the Sacramento River Floor with all the fish being species (native and introduced) that can be found in the river. We were lucky enough to get there at feeding time (10:30 daily!) and it was quite a spectacle to see the fish zooming around racing towards the food.
Scientific Experiments– Lots of sciency type things for older children and young adults to do. There’s a pretty cool erosion experiment; an area on maps (my personal favorite); and some microscopes for kids to play with. I didn’t get to do too much because I was with my 3-​year old so we just sort of glossed over it.
Historic Recreations– Cool dioramas that show life in the past. They cover the Native Americans of the area and the settlers of the past.
Exhibition Halls– These are constantly changing topics and subject matters. I was fortunate enough to see the Sacrament Homage to a River (runs thru Dec ’13); Sin in the Sagebrush (runs thru Feb ’14); and Tough By Nature (runs thru Jan ’14). All three were completely different types of exhibits: Sacrament was a series of great photographs takes of the Sacramento River by Geoff Fricker; Sin was a series of dioramas depicting early settler life; and Tough is an art gallery by Lynda Lanker showcasing portraits of Cowgirls and Ranch Women. All three are highly recommended but I suggest you visit the TB website to see what the current displays are.
The TBM is great place to bring older kids and would wonderful place for a field trip. If you have younger children, like me, I’d suggest sort of glossing over this area and heading over to the PBFC.

Turtle Bay Museum is a mondo cool place! For kids and the kid in each adult, this place has a lot to learn and interact. Coupled with the Turtle Bay Exploration Park, you’re in for a good time stimulating those brain cells. There are travelling exhibits and currently is Lego: Art of the Brick by Nathan Sawaya, who does some profound sculptures with some adult themes, but seems whimsically childlike when made from Legos. This exhibit plus the Sundial Bridge are what attracted us to spend a half day here and it was time well spent.
Some local exhibits include a fish tank modelled after the nearby Scramento River that include multiple species of trout, perch & other freshwater fish. We made it for feeding time, which was cool. There are also local history displays showing Native American roots, 19^th century area colonists and early 20^th century life. There’s even a real beehive that allows you to observe the inner workings of bees at work, but I couldn’t find the queen even after staring at it for ages.
Make your way outside to the Exploration Park and wander the grounds for some surprises like the porcupine & skunk roommates. One of the handlers even brought the skunk out for some playtime. Wish I had seen some of the other traveling exhibits, but this was a cool place to spend at least half a day.