Kidding around

Sacramento’s newest museum will have science, math and learning activities. In it, you’ll learn physics concepts such as airflow, energy, friction, gravity, momentum and speed. The catch: You have to be a kid. Geared for children 8 and under, the Sacramento Children’s Museum in Rancho Cordova hosts its grand opening ceremony Thursday, August 25.

The ceremony kicks off at 11 a.m. with speeches from Rancho Cordova Mayor Robert McGarvey, the museum’s community partners and Kathleen Palley, the local mom who came up with the vision to create the museum.

“[Palley] saw that she wanted something where a child could learn and play at the same time and find out that learning was fun,” said Sarah Coffman, the museum’s director of operations. “She was a teacher [and] when she started having children, she felt like this was something that the community needed.”

Following the speeches, there’ll be a ribbon cutting. Afterwards, the public can venture into the building and check out the exhibits until 5 p.m. Infants and children 3 and under can play in the Baby Bloomers wing of the museum where they can interact with “soft manipulatives,” according to Coffman. Other activities include Waterways, where kids can play with water and learn about life-jacket safety; and an art studio, where kids can use a paint wall or a free creation station.

A solar exhibit, sponsored by SMUD, is scheduled to open in September. Camps and reading programs are also planned for the near future.

Sacramento Children’s Museum’s grand opening happens Thursday, August 25, at 11 a.m. Admission costs $7 (for ages 1-59), $6 for seniors and military, and admission is free for children 1 and under. The museum is located at 2701 Prospect Park in Rancho Cordova. For more information, call (916) 952-6852 or visit www.sackids.org.