18th Annual Best of Northern Santa Barbara County

Best Learning Center/Museum Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum 705 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria Three, two, one, blast off! The Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum’s newest exhibit is all about space, and Executive Director Nancy Gastelum said the museum’s partnership with Vandenberg Air Force Base has really brought the vision to life.  “I think the […]

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HOBNOB: Mid-Summer melange

BY HELEN ANN THOMAS It was Monday, July 2, at 4 p.m. There were tempting appetizers from Moxie Café, respectable wines for imbibing, and a group of groovy guests, not to mention an awesome venue–the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum. Yet this was my saddest hobnobbing experience ever. About 100 folks gathered to bid farewell […]

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Allan Hancock College joins the Santa Maria Public Library and Discovery Museum to provide free makerspace projects

BY KASEY BUBNASH Creativity is not bound by age, race, or socio-economic background at Allan Hancock College, the Santa Maria Public Library, and the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum, where free events called “makerspaces” give all locals the opportunity to learn new skills through making. From simple arts and crafts projects to computer coding and […]

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Hobnobbing with Helen: Night at the Museum

A night at the museum A dark and glossy Dark Trooper from Star Wars stood out in the crowd of more than 100 at the Discovery Museum’s annual fundraiser, A Night at the Museum, on Saturday evening, Sept. 23. The event combined an emphasis on science and technology with food, wine, and beer. The live […]

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Summer camps in Santa Maria focus on art and writing

BY REBECCA ROSE You’re a pirate, rocking back and forth as your ship hits a storm, trying to make shore and look for your treasure. You’re on a rocket ship and you meet a giant alien. You’re a deep-sea diver and you find a magic city underwater. These imaginary adventures are the kinds of situations […]

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Local kids can get professional art instruction at the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum

BY HAYLEY THOMAS CAIN Have you forgotten what it was like to be a kid? Let me refresh you. There was probably a lot of, “Don’t eat the paste,” “No, you can’t draw on Mommy’s wall,” and, “No glitter allowed on the dining room table!” going on. Instinctively, you knew that making things (with Play-Doh, […]

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Hobnobbing with Helen

Jan. 18, 2017 BY HELEN ANN THOMAS Hold on to your hats, folks. A great new exhibit is coming to the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum. The exhibit is designed and intended for children, but I am sure that I’m only one of many adults who will be ready to simulate a rocket launch at the corner […]

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Annual Wish List issue is a resource for those who want to be a star to a service organization in need

This is a excerpt from the Santa Maria Sun‘s annual holiday Wish List issue. See the full article here.  Dear Santa, It’s been a busy year at the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum! Thanks to donations from the local community, we’ve installed five new exhibits: Discovery Reading Tree, Discovery Farms Produce Truck, Catching Air, Moxie […]

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Hobnobbing with Helen at “Night at the Museum”

Hobnobbing with Helen BY HELEN ANN THOMAS Remember the days when the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum featured a big tank with a small shark and other marine life? Remember the snake (not my favorite) and some lizards and iguanas (which I miss)? The Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum, under the direction of Executive Director […]

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Wish fulfillment: Nonprofits throughout the county reveal what they need to continue providing their valuable services

BY CAMILLIA LANHAM Watching the fluffy, feather-like puffs of a dandelion cloud wander over grass is like releasing your wishes into the wind behind the power of belief—and probably some crossed fingers—followed by thoughts of “Please, please, please!” Every year we give our local charity organizations a chance to release their wish lists into the […]

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Gifts from the heart: For last-minute shoppers there is still time to find a heartfelt, handmade present

BY JOE PAYNE It’s not a pleasant feeling, when December rolls around and you still haven’t made a single holiday gift purchase. It’s a fear that hits you right in the gut, like too much fruitcake. But don’t give up hope just yet, because the Sun has brought you once again the annual Last Minute […]

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Hobnobbing with Helen: A Night at the Museum

BY HELEN ANN THOMAS Wow! What a cool thing to do. I’m not talking about the mermaid with a purple whatever, perched on a platform, or the medley of exquisite mini-desserts and the made-onsite beignets from Chef Rick. (Well, to be fair, these were all cool, too.) I’m talking about the science exhibits at the […]

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