Do you love flipping rocks and logs and studying our invertebrate friends? This summer, young naturalists join us on a journey to investigate the animals of Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay that do not have a backbone, ranging from tiny creatures to some of the biggest in the world! Campers spend the week exploring nearby...
Calling budding artists and scientists curious about nature! Join us on a journey to investigate symmetries, patterns, and curiosities in the natural world. Spend the week exploring nearby beach, creek, and garden habitats, and making all sorts of art inspired by what we discover. Observe, explore, and appreciate the wonders of the natural world here...
Are you a green thumb or a budding botanist? Join the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History for Bodacious Botany camp this summer to learn about the natural world by studying plants, trees, and much more. Campers will build friendships while investigating nature, playing games, and creating awesome crafts! REGISTER For entering 3rd-4th grade
Are you a future scientist? We invite kids to join the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History for Experiments in Nature camp to perform experiments and studies in the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, ocean studies, and climate science. Explore nature while learning more about how scientists study the natural world that surrounds us. REGISTER For entering...
In collaboration with Santa Cruz Shakespeare, join us and the Children's Museum of Discovery for our two Family Days at the Grove! All ages welcome for these two amazing shows. Arrive early to take part in the fun activities and enjoy lunch before the shows in our beautiful picnic area overlooking Monterey Bay.
Jumbo July wraps up by showcasing the giants dwelling within the redwood duff. These gargantuan trees hide an equally massive array of wildlife, and none more extraordinary than the seemingly mythical Giant Salamander. There is a lot to unpack with these large legends and here is an opportunity to learn about their incredible survival abilities,...
The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History is turning 120 years old! Author Taylor Lahey will be reading his debut book, 'Câmbio'. To celebrate, we're throwing a huge birthday party for August's First Friday! We're bringing together some of our friends from across the community for a night of games, arts and crafts, music, and...
Love nature, science, and art but don’t know where to start? Here is your opportunity to master a new skill and bring home your own environmentally-inspired masterpiece after just one class. Celebrate the opening of the new Treasured Trees exhibit, and the redwoods’ resilience to fire, by learning to work with charcoal. Taught through step-by-step...
In collaboration with Santa Cruz Shakespeare, join us and the Children's Museum of Discovery for our two Family Days at the Grove! All ages welcome for these two amazing shows. Arrive early to take part in the fun activities and enjoy lunch before the shows in our beautiful picnic area overlooking Monterey Bay.
For one night only, meet the creative genius behind the internationally acclaimed children's book, Câmbio. During this intimate evening, join celebrated author Taylor Lahey as he shares the rich story behind crafting his historical fiction. What started as a research trip to Brazil evolved into an experience with a city's time-tested sustainability program. Taylor's work...
Come enjoy our collection of shells, sea sponges, and more! We'll learn about marine life and will make a shell print that you can take home. ¡Venga a disfrutar de nuestra colección de conchas, esponjas marinas y más! Aprenderemos sobre la vida marina y haremos una impresión de conchas que podrá llevar a casa.
Go outside and learn to paint gouache and watercolor landscapes while surrounded by nature as inspiration! This open-air art workshop will teach the techniques necessary to capture environmental perspectives through the creative use of negative space, layering, various stroke techniques, and more. Using the Museum's exclusive access to various vistas as reference, participants will be...
In collaboration with the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, adventure through exclusive areas as you partake in a redwood forest exploration. Guided by an expert ecologist, prepare to trailblaze into the unknown as you explore unique redwood forest ecosystems, survey wildfire scars, and, if you’re lucky, you might even discover an albino redwood! Open...
Looking for a GNEISS way to spend your weekend? Well, you won't want to take this special event for GRANITE! Join geologists from University of California, Santa Cruz to share your mineralogical marvels and have them identified inside the Museum's galleries. Price: This special event is Free with Admission. $5 Adults | $3 Students and...
Join us for a family-friendly event at Pajaro Valley Arts! We will be learning about shells and performing a shell print, which you'll be able to take home with you. Venga a un evento familiar en Pajaro Valley Arts! Aprenderemos sobre las conchas y realizaremos una impresión de conchas, que podrá llevarse a casa.
In collaboration with the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, adventure through exclusive areas as you partake in a redwood forest exploration. Guided by an expert ecologist, prepare to trailblaze into the unknown as you explore unique redwood forest ecosystems, survey wildfire scars, and, if you’re lucky, you might even discover an albino redwood! Open...
Capture the beauty of redwoods on canvas using the forests as inspiration. In celebration of the new Treasured Trees exhibit, adventure into the redwoods of the Byrne-Milliron Forest and learn to paint with oils using nature as a living reference. This open-air art workshop will teach the techniques necessary to capture environmental perspectives through the...
Join the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History for a collaborative workshop connecting local educators with tribal leaders and scholars. This workshop aims to deepen knowledge, clarify terminology, and provide a space for dialogue about incorporating a native perspective into K-12 curriculum. Teachers will have the opportunity to work side-by-side with colleagues and tribal representatives...
Join us to celebrate California Biodiversity Day with a hands-on park beautification project! Discover the beauty of native wildflowers and help support local ecosystems. Participants will go on a native plant walk, learn about California flowers and pollinators, and the conservation efforts to restore fragile coastal landscapes through sustainable gardening. After the plant walk, participants...
Join the Museum for the biggest beach cleanup day of the year! Participate in the marine stewardship efforts and volunteer in this nationwide event. This year, we’re proud to partner with Save Our Shores and Pajaro Valley Arts for a Sunset State Beach cleanup. After the Save Our Shores beach cleanup, join Pajaro Valley Arts...
Join us for a hands-on, in-person workshop in partnership with the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History. This training is required for new participating teachers, grades 6th-12th. REGISTER Attendees will: Receive a 5-lesson curriculum aligned with NGSS and Common Core Get hands-on training in Pacific mole crab data collection and analysis → includes a classroom...
Every year, Sea Otter Awareness Week takes place during the last full week of September to celebrate and inspire deeper awareness of these marine mammals. The week is organized by Defenders of Wildlife, Sea Otter Savvy, and the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Find Museum Naturalists at Lighthouse Point and participate in sea otter...
Every year, Sea Otter Awareness Week takes place during the last full week of September to celebrate and inspire deeper awareness of these marine mammals. The week is organized by Defenders of Wildlife, Sea Otter Savvy, and the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Find Museum Naturalists at Lighthouse Point and participate in sea otter...
Families will have an opportunity to view and interact with the herpetology collection from the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History. Herpetology is a branch of zoology that studies reptiles and amphibians. The exhibit includes snake specimens in jars, snake skins, sea turtle carapace, and even a live rosy boa named Dolores! Las familias tendrán...
For Safari September’s grand finale, travel back in time to learn the mysteries of the prehistoric American Cheetah! Discover how this extinct top predator once dominated ancient North America and why it no longer exists. Using cutting-edge paleogenomics research, uncover how scientists use prehistoric data to inform future conservation efforts. After the presentation, Dr. Josh...
Every year, October 15th is National Fossil Day. But why limit the fun to just a day? At the Museum, we’re turning it into a month-long celebration of fossils with a Pleistocene Pop-Up exhibit and events! Our Fossil Frenzy First Friday will showcase paleontologists, geologists, and scientific illustrators with a fossil focus. Bring your mystery...
We are coming together as a community to steward Tyrrell Park through the City’s Adopt-A-Park program. At the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, you gain new wisdom about local ecology, native plants, and sustainable gardening while connecting with nature outdoors. It’s time to get your hands dirty! Join us and volunteer in the Museum’s...
Join your friends at the Museum as we put the “pal” in paleontology at this Pleistocene Pop-Up family fun festival all about fossils! Meet geologists, paleontologists, naturalists, and artists for an afternoon of family-friendly fun, activity stations, fossil interactives, and so much more. Featured programs throughout the day include a fossil identification station, a Rockin’...
Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind opportunity to participate in a paleontological expedition to uncover the remains of extinct marine life. Guided by paleontologist Wayne Thompson, travel 5-million years back in time to the bottom of the seafloor and discover the prehistoric creatures of the ancient Monterey Bay area. Participants will search for, decipher, and identify the...
NOTICE: Temporary Program Pause Due to the U.S. government shutdown, our Full Moon Hikes at the Cotoni-Coast Dairies National Monument (in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management) are currently on hold. We plan to reschedule these special programs once operations resume. Thank you for your understanding. For questions, please contact events@santacruzmuseum.org.
Where are all the dinosaur fossils in California? What happened to California dinosaurs? Did they exist here? Were there dinosaurs in Santa Cruz? If not, why? Learn the answers to those questions and much more as we unearth the mysteries of California’s dinosaurs. Join vertebrate paleontologist and environmental geologist, Prof. Hilde Schwartz, as she takes...
Come enjoy our collection of natural history. Learn about local mammals and their dentition. ¡Venga a disfrutar de nuestra colección de historia natural. Aprenda sobre los mamíferos locales y su dentición. These programs are funded by the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, created through AB 209 and administered by California State Parks, Office of Grants...
Come Join Us for Toddler Tumble Time! We’ll be featuring our natural history collection and offering a fun coloring activity. Bring your little ones to explore and learn about fascinating local creatures. Don’t miss out on the fun! ¡Acompáñanos en la Hora de Juegos para Pequeñitos! Presentaremos nuestra colección de historia natural y ofreceremos una...
Join us for family activities, bike demos, a raffle, and snacks! ¡Acompáñenos para actividades familiares, demostraciones de bicicletas, rifas y refrigerios!
Visit us at Pajaro Valley Arts to see our mammal collections, create an animal print, and preview artwork from Open Studios artists across the region. Visítenos en Pajaro Valley Arts para ver nuestras colecciones de mamíferos, crear una impresión de huella de animal y descubrir las obras de los artistas de Open Studios.
Join us for a howling good time with this year’s Museum of the Macabre: Creatures of the Night! The Museum will be turned into a haunted house full of the bone-chilling taxidermy that inspired your favorite movie monsters. Get up close and personal with every type of Halloween horror. Experience the natural history of your...
