Allison Boyer
Dennis Wahlman’s Insects

Insects represent some of the planet's most bizarre – yet familiar – and enchanting life forms. Some can be as intricately delicate as a butterfly, while others can be as tough and gnarly as some beetles.

Dennis Wahlman’s Insects
Allison Boyer
Turtle Bay Auction 2024 Recap

The community eagerly anticipated the Turtle Bay Auction, and this year's event did not disappoint. The theme was "Off to The Races," and guests arrived dressed in their finest Kentucky Derby-inspired ensembles. They were greeted by a stunning display of decorations that transported them to Churchill Downs.

Turtle Bay Auction 2024 Recap
Allison Boyer
Salmon Release 2024

Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding, CA, partners with Coleman Fish Hatchery every year to raise and release chinook salmon to the Sacramento River as a part of the Head Start Program. This is one of the many ways Turtle Bay takes active part in conservation efforts for local wildlife.

Salmon Release 2024
Turtle Bay
Volunteer Spotlight: Tina Shao

Meet Tina! Tina has been volunteering in the Education Department at Turtle Bay for 3 years! Her smile shows it best when it comes to her love for Turtle Bay! Tina has volunteered in many different avenues of the Education Programming including our Summer Discovery Camps! Tina loves to make peoples day and participate in creating a world of wonder, imagination and education for our community.

Volunteer Spotlight: Tina Shao
Turtle Bay
Artifact of the Month: Radiation Kit

This 1960s radiation kit, commonly found in fallout shelters, was an essential survival tool during the Cold War Era. Fallout shelters gained mainstream popularity during the 1950s due to the development and threatening presence of nuclear weaponry.

Artifact of the Month: Radiation Kit

turtle bay

Oktoberfest 2019 Recap

Oktoberfest 2019 Recap

Oktoberfest 2019 at Turtle Bay was a blast! Nearly 700 people came out to celebrate fall in newly renovated Paul Bunyan’s Forest Camp with 14 local breweries paired with delicious food, local art, live music, costume contests, crafts, face painting, and more! Kids and adults of all ages explored Turtle Bay’s new outdoor playground and water feature areas while Black Vinyl 45 played all the hits in the outdoor amphitheater. Some guests even tried their hand at glass blowing their own works of art. 

Artifact of the Month: Shasta County Court Documents

Artifact of the Month: Shasta County Court Documents

At first glance, these four pages may not seem too compelling, but there is more here than meets the eye! What appears to be a stack of personal notes, jotted down in old-fashioned cursive, are actually records from court cases related to miners and land claims. The cases were conducted in French Gulch in the late 1800’s. Legal documents like these offer a glimpse into 19th Century life while also providing insight into the local affairs of 1890.

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Artifact of the Month: 1940s Lucite Handbag

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Artifact of the Month: 1940s Lucite Handbag

One might argue that the handbag (purse, satchel, or just plain old bag) is probably one of the oldest hominid inventions. An animal bladder, a skin, a gourd, or even a really big leaf could be adapted as an effective way to carry our ever-increasing number of possessions. Over millennia, a relatively simple and practical way to carry stuff has been elevated to an art form and a status symbol accessory.

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Artifact of the Month: Match Safes

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Artifact of the Month: Match Safes

These mystery objects were on fire during February, overwhelmingly winning this month’s slot for Artifact of the Month! Some folks may have guessed that these little, metal boxes were lighters, which is not too far off since they are indeed associated with making fire. However, these diverse artifacts are all various types of match safes. 

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Artifact of the Month: Turkana Head Rest

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Artifact of the Month: Turkana Head Rest

This “mystery object” received an overwhelming number of votes in our visitor poll! A mystery no more, this head rest was accessioned into the Turtle Bay museum collection in 1978 with the description, “head rest from the Turkana culture of Northwestern Kenya; used to protect hairdos while sleeping and to keep bugs from getting into hair; carried with a sash worn around the waist and is sometimes used as a stool.” So, now you know!