What exactly does sleep do for your body and mind? What do researchers know about the science of sleep and why do we dream? Did you know that rapid-eye movement (REM) stage of sleep is when brain activity is high and resembles that of being awake? Learn about all of this and more at our Sleep First Friday! Join us for a science of sleep talk, hands on activities and even listen to a bedtime story! Wear your favorite pair of pajamas and join in at our Pajama Party fashion show! We have lots of fun in store that will be sure to have you ready to catch some ZZZ’s at the end of the night!
Buy TicketsBay Area Science Festival Table
6-10pm
Rotunda
Member Lounge
5-10pm
Biology Lab
A relaxed space for members to enjoy tea and rotating activities.
DJ Dance Party
6-10pm
Rotunda
Join the DJ for a giant dance party for humans and dreamers!
Zeiss Astronomy Presentation: The Sky Tonight
6:30pm & 7:15pm
Planetarium
Explore the cosmos as a Chabot Astronomer leads you through the galaxy using a Zeiss Universarium Mark VIII Star Projector. This recently restored Zeiss projector uses advanced fiber-optics to project stars with astonishing clarity.
Family Yoga with Yama Kids Yoga
6:45 & 7:45pm
Hauben
Come join us for a family yoga session! Family yoga is about reconnecting with one another, amidst the hustle and bustle of our lives. We’ll do postures, listen to music, be crazy, find stillness, but most of all we’ll have fun! All family members are welcome to participate; we’ve got something for everyone.
Story Time & Sing Along
7 & 8:30pm
Discovery Lab
Read a-louds and songs for the whole family to enjoy.
Family Meditation with Yama Kids Yoga
8:45pm
Hauben
Come join us for a family meditation. Learning to be still is really difficult, so why not start early? We’ll do some light stretching, breathing, sitting still, and resting in savasana. Even a single moment of calm is great for families – we don’t get many. And please don’t worry about wiggly people: everyone is welcome!
The YAMA KIDS YOGA studio is the new home for the Bendy Berry yoga program. Beth Houghton started Bendy Berry in 2009, when several parents at her daughter’s school suggested the kids might like a yoga class in the after school program. The program took off, soon spreading to several elementary schools and preschools in the Oakland and Berkeley area. To date Beth has worked with over 2,000 kids, and seen them benefit from movement and mindfulness. Driven by a desire to share the benefits of yoga with more of the children in the East Bay, Beth and Iman have partnered to open Yama Kids Yoga – the first kids yoga studio in the East Bay.
Telescope Makers Workshop
7:30-10pm
Chemistry/Physics Lab
Open to all ages, the Telescope Makers’ Workshop is an all-volunteer group committed to helping people build their own telescopes. Drop in to see what they are up to.
Star Stories
7:30pm & 8:30pm
Observation Deck
Come listen to an expert stargazer explain the mythology behind the constellations, stories from the night sky as seen throughout history and look for planets and other clues to help orient you to the night’s sky.
Pajama Fashion Show
7:30pm
Rotunda
Show off your fancy jammies in our coziest fashion show of the year!
Sleep, What is it Good For?
Talk by Eileen B. Leary, Stanford University
8pm
Megadome
In our busy, fast-paced lives, sleep can feel like a pesky, time-consuming nuisance. Yet obtaining adequate sleep can improve cognition, physical performance, and quality of life. Learn why sleep is important, how it works, and simple techniques to optimize your sleep.
Speaker Biography
Eileen B. Leary is a tenacious sleep nerd with 20 years of research and data analysis experience. She began her career as a sleep technologist before transitioning to data science and obtaining her Masters in Epidemiology and Clinical Research from Stanford. As the Senior Manager of Clinical Research at the Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine, Eileen is helping improve the quality of life for people with sleep problems by developing new diagnostic tools using the latest computational solutions. In her spare time, Eileen is pursuing her PhD at Stanford to unravel the mysteries of sleep.
Lunaverse
8pm
Planetarium
Explores the nature of Earth’s moon: its motion and phases, lunar and solar eclipses, tides, and the Moon’s origin. The story unfolds as a conversation between a curious young child and the Moon—Luna—over the course of a night, from moonrise to moonset.
Family Meditation with Yama Kids Yoga
8:45pm
Hauben
Come join us for a family meditation. Learning to be still is really difficult, so why not start early? We’ll do some light stretching, breathing, sitting still, and resting in savasana. Even a single moment of calm is great for families – we don’t get many. And please don’t worry about wiggly people: everyone is welcome!
The YAMA KIDS YOGA studio is the new home for the Bendy Berry yoga program. Beth Houghton started Bendy Berry in 2009, when several parents at her daughter’s school suggested the kids might like a yoga class in the after school program. The program took off, soon spreading to several elementary schools and preschools in the Oakland and Berkeley area. To date Beth has worked with over 2,000 kids, and seen them benefit from movement and mindfulness. Driven by a desire to share the benefits of yoga with more of the children in the East Bay, Beth and Iman have partnered to open Yama Kids Yoga – the first kids yoga studio in the East Bay.
Hypnotica Laser Show
9pm
Planetarium
A mixture of techno and ambient electronic music taken directly from the late-night rave scene, this show reflects influences from hip-hop, soul and pop.
The Mind, Explained: Dreams
9:30pm
Megadome
Why do we dream? When the lights go out, interesting things happen in the brain and body. What’s the significance of dreams, and what can they teach us? Join us to watch Netflix and Vox’s deep dive into the mind, narrated by Emma Stone. (Note for visitors with children: some content may not be suitable for younger viewers.)
