Snakes and Science: A Successful Inland Empire Science Festival at Western Science Center Museum

Leya Collins, the WSC Museum Laboratory Manager, welcomed visitors to the Inland Empire Science Festival at the Western Science Center in Hemet. She held “Charlotte,” a non-venomous Reticulated Python, as she greeted attendees on April 20.

The event was a hit with Hemet Unified School District students, their families, and many others who came to enjoy the annual Inland Empire Science Festival held outside of the Western Science Center Museum and Academy. Attendees were able to explore the WSC Museum, where fossils of prehistoric animals and their histories are preserved and on display at 2345 Searl Parkway.

For HUSD students and families, the day was made even more special as they were offered free admission to the museum. Leya Collins, along with event coordinator Brett Dooley, welcomed visitors to the festival. Collins, with the python draped around her neck and shoulders, explained the purpose of the event as bringing science to the Inland Empire and showcasing the importance of science to the community.