Original Holiday Gift Ideas from the Exploratorium

When is a gift more than just a gift? Surprise, challenge, and delight even your hardest-to-shop-for friends and family with our unique selection. Adore them, don't bore them!

1. Exploratorium originals
If you’re looking for a unique experience friends or family can unwrap, then shop online for an eclectic selection of books, clothes, toys, tinkering items, and unusual gadgets for people of all ages. For last-minute shoppers, your online order can be ready within three hours for Curbside Pickup in San Francisco at Pier 15.

2. Gifts for makers
Do you love building as much as we do, or know someone who does? Either way, we've rounded up fun gifts for all the makers on your list. From kid-friendly dough machines to advanced mechanical timer kits, explore ideas for crafters and builders. Plus, every purchase helps support the Exploratorium’s nonprofit mission to transform learning.
 

3. Stocking stuffers for pi lovers
Pi necklaces, pizza pi cutters, cutie-pi socks . . . these gifts pay tribute to the never-ending number pi (3.14159 . . .), the ratio of any circle’s circumference to its diameter. They’re lovingly collected at the very place that founded Pi Day in 1988, and are sure to bring joy to the math enthusiasts and pi lovers in your life.
 

4. The gift of time together—and of memories
Experiences (and the memories they leave behind) make wonderful gifts, so make a date to spend time together discovering something new. Attend a virtual event, get a taste of kitchen science, delve into a tinkering project, and enjoy all the “museum at home” you’ve been craving—it’s all free. Stay safe, start here, and keep exploring!

5. The gift of a year of memorable experiences
What could be more thoughtful than the gift of a VIP pass to perception-altering experiences, good for an entire year? With a gift membership, you’re treating your friends and family to 12 months of unique programs, discussions, events, and exhibits. Every gift membership includes immediate digital benefits, including a 10% discount at the Exploratorium Store and access to special members-only virtual events and resources. And when the Exploratorium reopens, your recipient will enjoy a full year of free museum admission.