Nature Club
The Nature Club invites young explorers (6th–8th grade) to venture into local habitats and uncover the wonders of the living world. Guided by expert naturalists, participants will make discoveries, build connections with nature, and gain hands-on experience exploring the biodiversity of Santa Cruz County.
For a one-time payment of $100, explorers can join four exciting adventures throughout the year. Learn more below!
Further details about each meetup will be emailed to registered club members about a week in advance.
Programs begin Saturday, October 18, 2025, and are once a month on a Saturday from 1:30 to 4:00 PM.
Neary Lagoon in the autumn is full of life! Migratory birds seek food and shelter in large numbers and provide excellent opportunities to study them up close. The Museum will provide binoculars for each participant.
Join us to explore approximately 4 miles of trail in Pogonip, the largest open natural space in Santa Cruz. Enjoy beautiful views of Santa Cruz and the Monterey Bay, and learn about our local history by visiting the historic limekilns and examining redwood trees through the lens of time.
Explore collections and specimens from the Museum that do not always get to be seen by the public. The Museum’s extensive collection of fossils, shells, and animal specimens allows us to investigate nature up close and personal.
The tide pools at The Hook are some of the best in Santa Cruz, and they are teeming with living creatures. Explore tide pools and nearby coastal prairie habitat and learn about the amazing plants and animals that live there.
Limited Scholarships Available
We believe that every young explorer should have the opportunity to connect with nature. To help make The Nature Club accessible, we offer a limited number of scholarships for families who may need financial assistance. If cost is a barrier, we encourage you to apply!
Our goal is to ensure that curiosity and passion for the natural world are never out of reach.
Inclusivity and Accessibility
Most meetups are wheelchair accessible, but not The Hook due to the uneven nature of the tide pools, or Moore Creek due to the trails (this would warrant a discounted registration fee of $25 per session). DeLaveaga Park and the Pogonip Spring Trail to the limekilns have a mix of accessible areas and steep trails. Neary Lagoon/wharf/Sanctuary Exploration Center locations are accessible with one steep hill at the pollinator garden; this can be solved by changing the meeting location to the Blackburn Street entrance instead of the California/Bay entrance.
Please reach out to education@santacruzmuseum.org if you have questions about specific locations.