Walnut Creek – Lindsay Wildlife Museum announced the opening of two expansive new exhibits, Raptors, Hunters in the Sky and Wildlife Hospital, Behind the Scenes.

The new raptor exhibit includes interactive stations designed to foster learning and appreciation for the hawks, eagles, falcons and owls that live among us. Stations include a model of a hawk children can climb on to view an interactive flight simulation, giving them the sense of soaring high above Mount Diablo.

“Visitors have always enjoyed coming to see the live eagles, hawks and owls that reside at the museum,” said Loren Behr, executive director of Lindsay Wildlife Museum. “This gives the public the opportunity to learn a more about them in an enjoyable way.”

The museum is home to more than 50 wild animals that are non-releasable due to injuries or habituation to humans.

The new wildlife hospital exhibit features an operating theater with one-way glass. Here, visitors can witness presentations of actual hospital procedures with live wild animals, such as feeding orphaned baby birds or conducting physical therapy on an owl with a wing injury.

“We are excited to give our visitors the chance to see some of the important work that is done every day behind the scenes in our wildlife hospital,” Behr said.  “Our wildlife rehabilitation hospital treats more than 5,400 animals per year with the goal of releasing as many as possible back to the wild.”

Lindsay Wildlife Museum is open Wednesday through Friday from noon until 5:00 p.m. and weekends from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Admission is $7 adults; $6 seniors and students; $5 for children 2-17; free to members and children under 2.

For more information, go to www.wildlife-museum.org.