Does Exploratorium pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Exploratorium employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.5 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Exploratorium. This rating has decreased by 8% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Exploratorium?

72% of Exploratorium employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Exploratorium 4.0 out of 5 for work life balance, 4.3 for culture and values and 3.4 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Exploratorium?

High School Explainer (27) , Explainer (10) , Field Trip Explainer (8) , Project Manager (4) , Event Explainer (3) , Administrative Director (2) , Educator (2) , Exhibit Designer (2) , Guest Service Associate (2) , Guest Services (2) , Manager (2) , Program Manager (2) , Research Assistant (2) , Visitor Services (2) , Visitor Services Associate (2)

What are the pros of working at Exploratorium according to real employee reviews?

"Great people and place to work" ((in 21 reviews)); "Large and friendly staff." ((in 13 reviews)); "good benefits" ((in 13 reviews)); "Brilliant and creative coworkers." ((in 10 reviews)); "Great Culture and work environment" ((in 8 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Exploratorium according to real employee reviews?

"Pay is low, especially for the Bay Area, and the work we do is critical to the museum." ((in 5 reviews)); "On call position can have very irregular hours" ((in 4 reviews)); "Location for parking is bad." ((in 3 reviews)); "With a few notable exceptions, "managers" are people who have no skill managing." ((in 3 reviews))

What are employees saying about Exploratorium layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about Exploratorium layoffs and their outlook for job security at Exploratorium in 2026.

What are the top reviewed Exploratorium locations?

San Francisco , New York , Paris , Martinez , South San Francisco

Exploratorium reviews

4.2

72% would recommend to a friend

(170 total reviews)

Lindsay Bierman

61% approve of CEO

41% positive business outlook

Company ratings over time

Ratings trend for the last 6 months (170 reviews)

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Exploratorium has an employee rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, based on 170 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Exploratorium employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation industry (3.9 stars).

Reviews by job title

170 reviews

5.0

Jun 1, 2022

High School Explainer

High school explainer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

great atmosphere and learn on the job while working with kids

Cons

could get really busy at times

3.0

May 10, 2022

Great staff, questionable communication from leadership

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Unionized! Great people throughout the institution, you'll be happy to be the trenches with them. The Education group seems to function well as a department. The work itself is somewhat satisfying, but I wish the Exploratorium invested more in environmental sciences or acted as a leading voice for climate change solutions or simply took a stance on issues that impact the Bay Area community. The museum has published mission, vision, and values statements, but it hasn't successfully walked the walked, in my opinion. Hopefully the new executive director can change that.

Cons

Poor scoping by project leaders; inefficient project timelines; staff is expected to work with a high tolerance for low bandwidth; not many opportunities for career growth; the museum leadership doesn't know what certain staff members do or what skills they have so those folx are mismanaged or not used to their full potential; siloed org chart; leadership needs to improvement on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (many staff members are helpful vocal advocates); consistent issues with low moral, turnover, and a history of layoffs. You easily get the sense that a lot of the staff and middle managers who have been there for 3+ years are burnt out.

4.0

Apr 30, 2022

Positive work environment, but On call work is irregular

Research assistant

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

- Nice, low stress work environment and culture - learn on the job - casual dress code, not an uptight environment

Cons

- too many On Call positions at the Exploratorium, not many regular positions offered - On call work is irregular. It's hard to know when you'll be contacted to work

Viewing 40 - 42 of 170 Reviews

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Jobs at Exploratorium

High School Explainer

High School Explainer: PACE Program

Event Logistics Supervisor

Board Relations Manager

Exploratorium

Exploratorium reviews

Company ratings over time

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

High School Explainer

Great staff, questionable communication from leadership

Positive work environment, but On call work is irregular

Top companies for "Compensation and Benefits" near you

Jobs at Exploratorium