Today, everyone is dependent on forest plants to provide many of the raw materials for the manufactured products we use every day. Everything from lumber to paper to cancer treatments comes from our local forests. Now, imagine what it would be like to rely on local plants for not just food but nearly everything you to need to live and to thrive. Using Indigenous belongings from Turtle Bay’s Permanent Collection, this exhibition demonstrates how some of our local native plants are used to create the tools of everyday life.

It is with very heavy hearts that we let everyone know that we had to say goodbye to Inali, our grey fox yesterday. There will never be enough words to express our gratitude, admiration, or love we have had for Inali. She has given so much to education, the trainers, and to our guests. Our hearts are broken, but we will cherish the gifts she has given and remember her forever!

Summer is the butterfly season in full bloom! At Turtle Bay’s Arboretum and Garden’s Nursery, Senior Horticulturist and Nursery Specialist Linda Russo points out a multitude of drought-tolerant butterfly plants that thrive in our area with beautiful blooms and interesting foliage.

Saturday, August 20, 2022 - Walk for Wildlife 2022 was a major success, thanks to the nearly 300 participants who walked in support of the animals at Turtle Bay!

The time has come for the 7th West Coast Biennial Juried Art Exhibit! This Turtle Bay tradition is loved by many, and it wouldn’t be possible without your remarkable art submissions. We are asking artists like you to submit pieces of media that you think would make great additions to the 2023 Exhibition.

Lynne Klocke, Turtle Bay’s Nursery specialist, was asked for her choice for Plant of the Month for August: her choice is the wonderful Toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia.

Most people would recognize a hand grenade from pop culture, war movies, or personal experience. They are a dangerous weapon. But don’t worry, Turtle Bay’s grenades are more than 100 years old and inert. They contain no explosives.

Turtle Bay’s beloved animal ambassador, Timber the beaver, is who Sharon Clay, the Curator of Animal Programs, calls “a gentle giant.

With dim lights, low sound, and a relaxed atmosphere, Turtle Bay’s Sensory Hour is an event for individuals of all ages with Autism Spectrum Disorders and/or Sensory Processing sensitivities and their families to experience the museum at their own pace. 

Brews by the Bridge 2022 was one for the books! Rain or shine, we all brought our A-game! With all the admission ticket sales and beer tickets sold, we were able to raise a little over $57,000, surpassing our goal for this event! All the funds are going to Turtle Bay’s world-class exhibitions, animal care programs, and blossoming education programs.

Making memories has been the core of Turtle Bay Museum’s mission since it opened its doors in 2002 along the Sacramento River.

Twenty years later, the epicenter of science, art, history, and culture is celebrating a much-anticipated anniversary. While the museum went through initial growing pains, Turtle Bay continues to break attendance goals month after month.