Mother's Day
Happy Mother’s Day! All mothers—and especially mamás latinas—are invited to celebrate this special holiday with their families at the Exploratorium. To honor this day, we offer bilingual programming for moms y toda la familia. Enjoy fabulous performances of folklórico dances and a mariachi concert serenading mothers. Make paper flowers as a gift, and learn all about the “mother food” of the Americas, maize. Pay what you wish for a day of fun at the Exploratorium!
Please note: Pay what you wish on Community Days, when museum entry is on a first-come, first-served basis. Entry is subject to capacity; admission is not guaranteed. Daytime Member & Donor Hours (Sundays, 10:00 a.m.–noon) will not be available this day.
Get to know the wonderful world of las plantas! From maíz to marigolds, plants shape our cultura and our planet. Take a look at plants from many angles—food, science, gardening, and more. Don’t miss this special exhibition developed with collaborators from the Latinx and Indigenous communities.
Create take-home artworks that invite you to see familiar plants in new ways. Using a monoprinting technique, this activity gets you up close to the details of each specimen—and leaves you with a handmade print that showcases the natural beauty and architecture of the plant.
Use LED lights and paper circuits to adorn a greeting card for someone special to you.
With Karla McNeil-Rueda
What are the scientific and cultural contexts of chocolate? What’s the story behind this tempting treat? Join Karla McNeil-Rueda of Cru Chocolate as she shares the “bean-to-bar” process that turns cacao beans into chocolate bars. Hear about the women-led teams of farmers she works with, and enjoy a taste of atole champurrado, a traditional Mexican hot chocolate and corn drink. Tastings are limited and first come, first served.
With Irma Ortiz
Traditionally used as party decorations, Mexican paper flowers are simple to create and charming to receive. All materials are provided. Children welcome! Limited capacity; first come, first served. Free tickets for this activity are available in the Observatory.
With Andi Xoch and Elizabeth Montufar
Get creative and decorate your very own terra-cotta pot! Make a beautiful vessel for a plant to take root, with help from the artist and the inspiration behind the amazing plant patios in our ¡Plantásticas! exhibition. Learn a little bit about how to repot plants for success, and maybe even add some flora to your pot.
With Doña María Ávila Vera, Irma Magaña Canul, and Dr. Isabel Hawkins
Learn about the cultural context and the science of corn—and see for yourself how a corn tortilla is made from scratch! Yucatec Maya elder María Ávila Vera and her daughter-in-law Irma Magaña Canul will share traditional cooking methods that have been passed down and refined through generations. They will be joined by Exploratorium Senior Scientist Dr. Isabel Hawkins, who will highlight the nutritional, ecological, and scientific significance of corn.
With Aldo González Rojas and Gabriela Linares Sosa
Join Aldo González Rojas and Gabriela Linares Sosa for a special workshop on native Mexican maize. Over 8,000 years ago, Mesoamericans in what is now southern Mexico first domesticated maize. Across generations, local and Indigenous communities have passed down their knowledge as its harvesters and caretakers. Hear how Indigenous farmers tend to their crops, learn about the different kinds of maize native to Mexico, and share your own stories about corn!
Aldo González Rojas is Zapotec from the community of Guelatao de Juárez, where he is Municipal President. In 2002, through the Union of Organizations of the Sierra Juárez of Oaxaca (UNOSJO) and other organizations, he participated in the founding of the Network in Defense of Corn.
Gabriela Linares Sosa is Zapotec from the Sierra Juárez of Oaxaca. She is a biologist and the founder of Defense of Native Maize of Oaxaca. She has worked with UNOSJO since 2007, and recently joined the Coordination of the Assembly of Indigenous Women of Oaxaca.
With Cascada de Flores
Dance with delight during an interactive performance by Cascada de Flores! Vocalist Arwen Lawrence and guitarist Jorge Liceaga have honed a rich repertoire of rancheras, boleros, sones, and guarachas that embody Mexico’s embrace of sounds from Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Colombia. To kick off our Mother's Day celebration, they’ll share a selection of their favorites that are guaranteed to enchant listeners of all ages.
With Cuicacalli Ballet Folklórico
Cuicacalli Dance Company’s México Lindo y Querido is a Ballet Folklórico performance that takes audiences on a journey through diverse regions of Mexico through music and dance. Indigenous, European, and African styles of music and dance are fused to create what we know as folklore mexicano (Mexican folkloric dance). México Lindo y Querido will fill you with pride, love, and joy—elements that the wonderful culture of Mexico offers to the world!
Cuicacalli (House of Culture) is a year-round youth dance program based at Brava Theater in the heart of San Francisco’s Mission District.
With Jesús Cortés
Learn about Cuicacalli Ballet Folklórico with Cuicacalli Dance Company Director Jesús “Jacoh” Cortés. Put on your dancing shoes as he invites you to try out some steps for yourself!
Jesús Cortés is a renowned international performer. In 2008, he founded Cuicacalli (House of Culture), an international, cross-cultural, dance-arts educational institution based at Brava Theater in San Francisco’s Mission District. Cuicacalli offers Indigenous, ballet folklórico, and contemporary dance programs.