Turtle Bay Exploration Park

Blue skies, river views, and the iconic Sundial Bridge.⁠
Take a walk, go for a run, or hop on your bike and explore the Sacramento River Trail. Enjoy beautiful views of the river and the Sundial Bridge while birdsong fills the air along the way. It's a wonderful way to spend a summer day in Redding.

What started as a simple question about an artist became an unexpected journey through Shasta County history. This month's Artifact of the Month highlights a charming folk art painting of Noble Castle (also known as Noble Bungalow), but the story behind it is even more fascinating. From a mysterious donation agreement to the ruins of a once-grand retreat, Associate Curator of Collections and Exhibits Amanda Kramp follows the clues to uncover the people, places, and history connected to this remarkable piece.

Read the full blog to discover the story behind the painting, then visit the Museum during August to see the artifact in person.
Read more about this painting on our blog at turtlebay.org/blog/2026/7/30/painting-of-noble-castle

Don’t miss your last chance to see Wings of Summer: Butterflies this weekend! Before the exhibit takes flight for the season, step into the Butterfly House in Wildlife Woods and enjoy a relaxing walk surrounded by colorful butterflies. Complete your visit with a butterfly feeding for an unforgettable up-close experience.⁠
⁠
Free for members | Included with admission⁠
⁠
Feed a butterfly: $2 per feeding stick

Turn up the fun while cooling down!
Family 2nd Saturday: Beat the Heat is filled with interactive activities that explore the science of staying cool. Join us on Saturday, August 8, from 10am to 1pm for a refreshing day of learning, creativity, and family fun.

Family 2nd Saturday
Saturday, August 8 | 10am-1pm
Free for members | Included with admission

Nature has equipped animals with incredible adaptations.⁠
During our Walk on the Wild Side Animal Show, you can watch Banshee the barn owl fly silently, see Mischief the raccoon use his keen sense of touch, and watch Digger the badger squeeze through tight tunnels. Along the way, our Animal Trainers will explain how these unique traits help each species thrive in the wild.⁠
⁠
Walk on the Wild Side Animal Show is offered Tuesday through Sunday through August 9, then continues Saturdays and Sundays only through September 6.⁠
⁠
The show takes place in our Forest Amphitheater.⁠
Shows start at 11 am and noon.⁠
⁠
Free for members | Included with admission

Summer adventures are still waiting at Turtle Bay! Join us on Thursday, August 6 for REU Discount Day and enjoy reduced admission as you explore POPnology, watch an animal show, wander through the Butterfly House, and spend time playing outdoors.⁠
⁠
$5 Children | $10 Adults⁠
Children 2 and under are free⁠
⁠
Thank you, Redding Electric Utility - REU for presenting Discount Day!

Gentle fluttering wings and peaceful moments among the flowers await at Wings of Summer: Butterflies. Visit the Butterfly House in Wildlife Woods before the exhibit closes August 9 and enjoy a chance to slow down, explore, and connect with nature at Turtle Bay.⁠
⁠
Free for members | Included with admission⁠
⁠
🦋 Feed a butterfly: $2 per feeding stick

We chose this quirky ceramic sculpture (1983.62.9 Gift of David Gilhooly) as Artifact of the Week because it delighted one of our Collection volunteers while she was completing an inventory project. Created in 1981 by Glenn Takai (1947-2019), a third-generation Japanese American from Sacramento, California, the piece follows his 1970s style during which time he had been perfecting his wheel-thrown forms and focusing attention on surface decoration. He was known for applying a variety of motifs to his works, including Asian dragons, monkeys, and frogs. Here, he affixed his personal icon, the lizard, a stylized adaptation of his earlier dragon imagery.

Takai’s thrown pot emulates the work of Peter Voulkos (1924-2002), one of the most significant sculptors of the 20th century, who has been referred to as the “Father of Contemporary Ceramics”. Voulkos, initially known for elegantly thrown functional ceramics, dramatically rerouted his trajectory in the 1950s, and ultimately broke the division between fine art and craft, a move that redefined ceramics. He established ceramics departments at the Los Angeles County Art Institute and at UC Berkeley, where he was a professor from 1959-1985.

This sculpture was donated by David Gilhooly from his personal collection. David Gilhooly was one of the leading artists who pioneered the Funk Art Movement. Takai was a student of Gilhooly at UC Davis, and showed at the early funk gallery, the Candy Store, with other Funk Art notables Jim Nutt, Robert Arneson, Gladys Nilsson, and Maya Peeples, many of which are also represented in Turtle Bay’s Collection. This piece was exhibited in Art Exposed, October 2017 to March 2018.