Youth Science Institute, Los Gatos

About Youth Science Institute

Youth Science Institute is a nonprofit organization offering hands-on, nature-based science education at three locations in the Bay Area, including one in Los Gatos at Vasona Park. Visitors participate in interactive programs featuring live animals, nature hikes, and inquiry-based science activities across multiple disciplines. The institute runs School and Group Programs that bring classroom science to life through field trips and outdoor learning experiences. Summer Science Camp combines hands-on science adventures with live animal encounters and outdoor exploration. Community programs include engaging events, workshops, and family activities that connect people with science and nature. New Program Bundles combine two complementary educational experiences, with options including Junior Explorers, Creekside Discoveries, Critter Quest, Creature Connections, Wildlife and Water, and Hidden Habitats. These programs suit students from preschool through sixth grade and their families who want to explore, ask questions, and learn through direct experience with the natural world. Program experiences are available in 60-minute and 2-hour options.