This little gem of a science museum located at Modesto Junior College showcases habitats and natural history of the Central Valley, including hominid fossils found in the region and local Native American artifacts. There are also live animals, a planetarium,and the Science on a Sphere, which projects meteorological and seismic developments onto a large globe.
If you go:
Open daily 9 to 4 except Sundays, Mondays, and major holidays. The first Friday of every month, there is a Science Night featuring a planetarium show.
Links:

2201 Blue Gum Avenue
Modesto, California 95358 USA
gvm@mjc.edu
Phone Numbers:
Great Valley Museum
+1 (209) 575-6196
+1 (209) 575-6196