Explorit Science Center

05/12/2026

Friends of Explorit Science Center:

Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of our 60+ donors, we are ecstatic to announce that we reached our 2026 Big Day of Giving fundraiser goal!

We are deeply appreciative of your generous contributions!

Your ongoing donations, support, and volunteerism are very important to us as together we work towards reopening Explorit as a community STEAM hub.

Also, our wonderful community volunteers worked diligently at the two April spring cleaning events to beautify the grounds around Explorit.

Explorit is looking much better! But more work is still needed.

Please join us as we continue the gardening/clean-up work on May 17 and May 31. Volunteers of all ages are welcome.

• WHEN: Sunday, May 17 and Sunday, May 31
• TIME: Noon to 2:30pm (feel free to come for even part of the time)
• WHERE: Explorit Science Center (3141 5th Street, Davis)
• WHAT TO BRING: gloves; water
• BRING, IF YOU CAN: shovels; trowels; rakes; wheelbarrow;
kneeling-pads; other tools you like to work with

Note:
• Refreshments will be provided
• A Saturday event will be held in June
• Questions: Contact Julie at [email protected]

Again, a very big thank you to all our wonderful 2026 BDOG donors and to all our gardening/clean-up volunteers.

And thank you for believing in science, community, and curiosity.

Help us keep the momentum going! Please visit the following link to donate: https://www.explorit.org/donate

With gratitude,
Explorit Board of Trustees

📧 [email protected] 🌐 explorit.org

05/07/2026

Support Explorit on BDOG - Donate Today!

Thursday, May 7, is the last day of the Big Day of Giving event this year.

Please donate anytime today until midnight to help Explorit Science Center achieve, and hopefully surpass, our 2026 BDOG fundraiser goal of $10,000.

Any amount that you donate will be greatly appreciated and will expedite the reopening of Explorit as a hands-on STEAM community hub.

Your support is crucial in helping us fulfill Explorit's mission to inspire curiosity in science and nature within our community.

Today, your BDOG donation can go even further thanks to prize boosts and match funds like the Explorit Board of Trustees $2,500 match challenge.

Also, BDOG donation made today using your Golden 1 Credit Union credit or debit card will be proportionately matched by the credit union.

Every dollar counts! Please donate to Explorit today at the following link: https://www.bigdayofgiving.org/give/Explorit

Thank you in advance for your generosity and your ongoing support.

And a big thank you to all the wonderful 'early-bird' BDOG donors.

Also, a big shout-out to the STEAM team at Woods Rodgers, a Sacramento-based Civil Engineering firm, for their 2026 BDOG donation to Explorit.

The Explorit Board of Trustees

📧 [email protected] 🌐 explorit.org

To visit Explorit's Big Day of Giving profile page, please visit:
https://www.bigdayofgiving.org/organization/Explorit

To donate anytime directly to Explorit, please visit: https://www.explorit.org/donate or mail your donation to Explorit Science Center, 3141 5th Street, Davis, CA 95618.

Volunteers are needed for outdoor spring cleaning at Explorit on Sunday, May 17 and Sunday, May 31, from noon - 2:30pm each day.

05/05/2026

SUPPORT EXPLORIT'S REOPENING! DONATE TODAY!

Dear Friends of Explorit,

Only 3 days left - until Thursday, May 7, 11:59 PM - to participate in the annual philanthropic fundraising event that is the Big Day of Giving.

We are excited to announce that the Explorit Board of Trustees has set up a $2,500 matching fund for 2026 BDOG, thereby enabling your monetary gift to have double the impact!

Additionally, if you donate using your Golden 1 Credit Union credit or debit card, your gift will be proportionately matched by Golden 1.

We need your help to meet (or exceed!) Explorit's BDOG goal of $10,000! The funds will greatly expedite the reopening of Explorit!

Please:

Give a gift! Make your online donation (starting as small as $10) at the following link: https://www.bigdayofgiving.org/give/Explorit or mail your donation to Explorit at 3141 5th Street, Davis, CA 95618.

Donate in a special person’s honor. Recognize a relative, friend, or mentor who has inspired you by giving a gift in their name.

Spread the word. Tell your family and friends about supporting Explorit during the fundraising event.

Please donate now through midnight Thursday, May 7, via this link: https://www.bigdayofgiving.org/give/Explorit

Thank you very much for your generous donation. You are truly helping to make a difference in our community!

The Explorit Board of Trustees

📧 [email protected] 🌐 explorit.org

Visit Explorit's BDOG page: https://www.bigdayofgiving.org/organization/Explorit

04/28/2026

Support Explorit Now Through May 7 During BDOG Event Fundraising Event!

Dear Friends of Explorit,

Thank you to all our wonderful donors and supporters who are helping with the progress toward reimagining Explorit as a community hub for science, nature, and technology, and to all our wonderful volunteers who are helping with the spring cleaning and gardening toward getting Explorit ready for reopening.

To enable Explorit to continue our 40+ years' mission of providing cutting-edge, hands-on STEAM learning, your support now is crucial to the successful reimagining and reopening of Explorit!

Please donate to Explorit during the Big Day of Giving (BDOG*) event now through Thursday, May 7 at the following link: https://www.bigdayofgiving.org/give/Explorit

Together, we can ensure that Explorit continues to ignite and foster curiosity about science and nature through inquiry and discovery.

Thank you in advance for your BDOG donation!

The Explorit Board of Trustees
📧 [email protected] 🌐 explorit.org

*BDOG is the Sacramento Region Community Foundation's annual regional fundraising event for local nonprofit organizations. More information at the following link: https://www.bigdayofgiving.org/

04/24/2026

Dear Friends of Explorit,

We are very excited to announce that we are in the process of hiring an Executive Director! The new ED will be instrumental in the reimagining and reopening of Explorit as a community hub for education around science, nature, and technology, where learning and discovery connects us all.

We need our wonderful community's support to accelerate the reimagining and reopening of Explorit. Please donate during the Big Day of Giving regional fundraising event from now until Thursday, May 7 at the following link: https://www.bigdayofgiving.org/give/Explorit

Another way to help Explorit get ready for the reopening is by volunteering on Saturday, April 25, from noon - 3pm to help spring clean the external spaces around Explorit. All ages are welcome to come and help. Please bring gloves and water and gardening tools. Refreshments will be available for the volunteers.

Please continue supporting Explorit by donating to support science education in our community at https://www.explorit.org/donate, by volunteering or joining our Board to help shape Explorit’s future at [email protected], and by sharing the news about Explorit's mission and reimagining with family and friends.

Together, we can make sure that Explorit continues to ignite and foster curiosity about science and nature through inquiry and discovery.

With gratitude,
The Explorit Board of Trustees

📧 [email protected] 🌐 explorit.org

EXPLORIT SCIENCE CENTER | 3141 5th Street, Davis, CA 95618 | [email protected]

REMINDER: Help Explorit Get Ready To Reopen!

Explorit SPRING CLEANING: Saturday, April 25 from 12 - 3pm

04/20/2026

Help Explorit Get Ready To Reopen!

Explorit SPRING CLEANING

April 25 (Saturday), 12 - 3pm
​
We are organizing the second spring cleaning event to get our garden and grounds ready for reopening, and are actively seeking our wonderful community's help in achieving the goal to revitalize the external space around Explorit (at 3141 5th Street in Davis).

You can help get Explorit ready for reopening by:
👉 Volunteering on Saturday, April 25, any time between from noon - 3pm.
👉 Spreading the word about the spring cleaning events with friends who believe in Explorit's mission and reopening.
👉 Donating to Explorit at the following link: https://www.explorit.org/donate.

All ages are welcome to come and help spring clean Explorit. Please bring gloves and water and gardening tools. Refreshments will be available for the volunteers.

For more information, please visit: www.explorit.org

04/08/2026

Help Explorit Get Ready To Reopen!

Explorit SPRING CLEANING

April 12 (Sunday), 12 - 3pm
and
April 25 (Saturday), 12 - 3pm
​
We are organizing two spring cleaning events to get our garden and grounds ready for reopening, and are actively seeking our wonderful community's help in achieving the goal to revitalize the external space around Explorit (at 3141 5th Street in Davis).

You can help get Explorit ready for reopening by:

👉 Volunteering on Sunday, April 12, anytime between from noon - 3pm.
👉 Volunteering on Saturday, April 25, any time between from noon - 3pm.
👉 Spreading the word about the spring cleaning events with friends who believe in Explorit's mission and reopening.

All ages are welcome to come and help spring clean Explorit. Please bring gloves and water and gardening tools. Refreshments will be available for the volunteers.

For more information, please visit: www.explorit.org

03/30/2026

Now Hiring!!!

Explorit Science Center seeks a visionary Executive Director!

Join our team and make a meaningful impact by advancing scientific literacy and inspiring the next generation of scientists and innovators.

For more details about the ED position, please visit Explorit's website: https://www.explorit.org/

More details also available at:
https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4392148201/
https://www.indeed.com/job/executive-director-ccbd097f57c41310

Explorit Science Center seeks a visionary Executive Director!

Join our team and make a meaningful impact by advancing scientific literacy and inspiring the next generation of scientists and innovators.

Job Title: Executive Director - full time position​

Location: Davis, CA

Salary: $70,000 to $75,000 + Benefits (additional compensation negotiated based on fundraising)

Benefits: Health Insurance, Sick Leave, Vacation, and Holiday Pay

About Us:
Explorit Science Center is a non-profit organization founded in 1982 and located in Davis, California. Explorit is in the process of reimagining our 40-year quest going forward: to support curiosity in young learners through hands-on experiences. We are developing a nimble and community-focused Science and Education Hub that can support a dynamic ‘makerspace’ as well as community education programs with our non-profit partners. We will offer hands-on experiences in the natural sciences, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM). Although we are restructuring our vision, our mission "to ignite and foster curiosity about science and nature through inquiry and discovery” remains the same.

Job Summary:
We are seeking a visionary Executive Director who can navigate the intersection between hands-on educational programming and the power to support creativity in a community centered maker space. The Executive Director will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization and for the achievement of major strategic objectives. As the Executive Director of Explorit, you will be responsible for working with the Board of Trustees to implement our strategic plan, fundraise, and operational management; to work with educators on program development; and to support and engage with stakeholders and our community partners to champion our cause of re-imagining Explorit.

The ideal candidate will commit to work 32 to 40 hours per week. The position is ideally full time and requires being onsite for the majority of time.

To Apply:
Please submit a cover letter and resume to Explorit Science Center, [email protected] with “Executive Director” in the subject line.

For more details, please visit: https://www.explorit.org/

03/27/2026

NASA Artemis II Moon Mission & Bright Comet C/2025 R3

Saturday, March 28 | 7:00pm - 9:30pm
Explorit Science Center | 3141 5th Street, Davis

by Vinita Domier | [email protected]
NASA Solar System Ambassador

Everyone is invited to the Saturday, March 28 meeting of the Davis Astronomy Club at Explorit Science Center (3141 5th Street, Davis) starting at 7pm. All ages are welcome to attend the free public meeting comprising the featured presentation indoors and the star party outdoors where we will observe the Moon and Jupiter and other wonders of night sky.

Artemis II is NASA’s manned fly-by mission to the Moon that is scheduled to launch on Wednesday, April 1, at 3:24 pm PDT from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Planned as a 10-day lunar spaceflight with four astronauts on board, it is an important milestone marking humankind’s return to the Moon after more than half a century.

The objective of the Artemis II mission is to space test the NASA Artemis system, comprising the Space Launch System megarocket and Orion crew spacecraft, during its journey into deep space and fly-by loop around the Moon with the 4-person crew aboard. Artemis II was proceeded by the 3-week long successful Artemis I mission, launched in November 2022, that served as the initial lunar flyby test of the integrated system with no crew aboard.

For more information about NASA's Artemis II Moon mission:
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/

For live view of NASA's Artemis II at the Kennedy Space Center:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaJklsJonD4

Comet/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) is a steadily brightening comet that is predicted to be visible to the unaided eye in the predawn sky by middle of April. This comet originated in the Oort Cloud, a spherical repository shell of icy planetesimals in interstellar space between the Sun and the nearest stars. The comet is in a hyperbolic orbit in its journey towards the inner solar system; if it survives its trip around the Sun it will travel back to interspace and will not be a approach the Sun ever again.

As of end March, the comet is visible via binoculars in the Pegasus constellation, and will be at perihelion, its closest approach to the Sun, on April 19 when it will be in the Pisces constellation. The comet will be closest to Earth on April 25, when it will be between the Earth and the Sun, and will be in the Cetus constellation.

Comet/2025 R3 is projected to be visible to the unaided eye around mid-April. Look for it low in the eastern sky just before sunrise. Planets Mercury, Mars, and Saturn are also going to be visible close together in the predawn eastern sky.

For more information about the event, please contact Vinita Domier at [email protected].

For more information about the Davis Astronomy Club, please visit:
https://www.explorit.org/astronomy-club