Hello Friends,

In this newsletter, we dive into the JMZ’s latest exhibit, Voyage Solar System Model, with Tina Keegan, exhibits director at the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo. The Voyage Solar System Model was made possible thanks to the generous support of Friends’ donors. If you would like to learn more about how you can support exhibits at the JMZ and recognition opportunities, please contact Marie Ivich, our development manager, at marie@friendsjmz.org.

If you have not yet had the opportunity to do so, I encourage you to check out the new amenities at the recently renovated Rinconada Park, including a new playground inspired by the Magical Bridge. A visit to the JMZ and the newly renovated park could make for the perfect summer outing!

I hope to see you at the JMZ soon.

Lauren Angelo

President, Friends of the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo 

New Exhibit Spotlight: The Voyage Solar System Model 

Questions for Tina Keegan, JMZ Exhibits Director

Tell us about the JMZ’s newest exhibit.

The Voyage Solar System Model is a 1 to 10-billion scale model of the Solar System. All of the dimensions in this model, including the size of and distance between planets, are created to scale. The beginning of the installation – the sun – is located between the JMZ and the Girl Scout House. The installation ends with Pluto at the Palo Alto Rinconada Library. Voyage is a program of the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education and Exhibitology. The exhibition is designed for permanent installation in communities worldwide. We are excited to join this community, which aims to “celebrate our remarkable capacity as a race of explorers to decipher our place in space, and through scientific inquiry, reveal the majesty of the universe.”

The Sun station is located closest to the Junior Museum & Zoo and marks the beginning of the Voyage Solar System Model through Rinconada Park.

How was this new exhibit chosen for the JMZ?

Our JMZ educators requested this accurate model in order to better teach students about the vast scale of our solar system. This beautifully designed and precise model resonates with our commitment to scientific accuracy even for our youngest children. Visitors will gain a conceptual understanding of Earth’s place in space and the nature of worlds across our Solar System through the use of high precision models, text, imagery, and activities promoting inquiry-based exploration. The Voyage Solar System Model was made possible by the generous support of Friends’ donors.

Mars, along with the other planets featured by Voyage, bear their own informational plaques in front of each model.

How can visitors explore the Voyage Solar System Model? 

As a free, outdoor exhibit, the Voyage Solar System Model is available to the public during and outside of the JMZ’s operating hours. Visitors are welcome to explore this exhibit on their own time and at no cost.

Brochures guiding the visitor experience will soon be available at the JMZ, the Lucie Stern Community Center, the Art Center, and City of Palo Alto libraries. You can learn more about this model and find teacher and parent resources here.

Guided tours and other astronomy events will be held for the public throughout the year.

Friends of the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo

info@friendsjmz.org | www.friendsjmz.org

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