Lindsay Wildlife Experience, at 1931 First Ave. in Walnut Creek, is part museum and part working animal hospital. Its stated mission is "connecting people with wildlife to inspire responsibility & respect for the world we share."
What you'll see
The museum has California wildlife exhibits and natural history specimens. In its Wildlife Hospital Behind the Scenes exhibit, visitors can watch veterinary procedures through a large one-way window, according to Wikipedia. Other exhibits include Raptors, a live beehive display and The Burrow, an underground-wildlife exhibit that opened in 2013.
About 70 animals live at Lindsay as "animal ambassadors." Nearly all have a physical, psychological or behavioral problem that would keep them from surviving in the wild.
A short history
Alexander Lindsay founded the museum in 1955 as the Diablo Junior Museum. It moved to a water-pump house in Larkey Park in 1965 and started the country's first formal wildlife rehabilitation program in 1970. It became an independent nonprofit in 1986, moved into a new 28,000-square-foot building in 1993, and took its current name in 2015, Wikipedia says.
Found an injured animal?
The wildlife hospital takes patients at a drop-off area. Its website lists patient intake hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day. Many patients are hit by cars, poisoned, fall from trees during trimming, or are caught by cats, which is why Lindsay urges owners to keep cats indoors.
Programs
Lindsay runs preschool programs such as Tiny Tuesdays and Wild Wednesday, Junior Zookeeper experiences, camps, hikes and private animal experiences. Check its site for admission and hours before you go.