Beyond the Barstow
Childhood in Archaeology
The Museum Is Now Open
Welcome to the Natural History museum of the Inland Empire!
Visit the Western Science Center, home of the Pacific Mastodon, in Hemet, CA! Opened in 2006, we are one of the largest natural history museums in Riverside County and serve California’s Inland Empire and beyond. Join us as we discover the past, explore the present, and promote a more sustainable future while preserving our region’s ancient history.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Join us for the annual Inland Empire Science Festival at the Western Science Center in Hemet, CA! IESF is an annual recognition and celebration of STEM in the Inland Empire. Science organizations from across the region will be at the event sharing what they do with the community.
Celebrate May the 4th and learn all about the science of Star Wars!
A perfect camp for the curious young scientist! Each day campers will explore science through hands-on experiments, crafts, stories and games.
Learn about many of your body systems through engaging activities and by dissecting a fetal pig!
In this mini-camp you will learn how to create replica fossils by making your own mold, then casting and painting your fossil!
This special mini-camp is 3 days of fun for all Jr. Time Travelers! Come and explore different cultures throughout time and space with crafts, games, food and fun.
Have a rockin’ good time learning about earth, rocks and the stories they can tell us with this special mini-camp!
Explore and discover the fun of science with this camp! Young scientists will explore different science themes through hands-on activities and fun experiments.
Learn about how plants and animals thrive in the wide variety of terrains found in Southern California in this new camp!
A hands on camp for those who want to create, build, and fix. Learn the basics of tool safety, how to make use of plans, and get to make crafts to bring home and show off!