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A cultural institution founded by the Junior League of the East Bay, the Junior Center of the Arts and Sciences was organized in 1954. According to its web site: "After World War II, members of the Junior League sought new ways to serve the community. An advisory committee of fifty-two educators, scientists, artists, government officials and community leaders recommended working with children in creative fields to provide new interests, encourage talent, and foster understanding in a climate of common interest. Inspired by this idea, the Junior League invited the Art League of the East Bay and the East Bay Children's Theatre to join them in exploring the concept of establishing a new center for children. In 1949 these three groups began an extensive study to determine the needs and goals of a 'Junior Center.'" (See "About the Junior Center,"Accessed 05/22/2013.) The City of Oakland's Recreation Department became interested in assisting the project and created a matching grant of $70,000 to facilitate construction. The Junior League and its partners spent five years fundraising, but attained their goal, opening the "Junior Center of the Arts" in 05/1954; After the Russians launched Sputnik on 10/04/1957, the American Federal Government felt upstaged, embarrassed and panicked about the state of science education in the US, and, in this atmosphere, increased curricular emphasis was placed on the teaching of science to children. The word "Science" was added to the Junior Center's title in the late 1950s. The architectural firm of Reynolds and Chamberlain designed the first center. This building housed the center until 1992, when the City of Oakland offered a site in its Lakeside Park; it moved here in 04/1992.

PCAD id: 5547