Join us at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History for a special First Friday celebrating our Art of Nature exhibition and the beauty of plants. This month’s event is Flora-themed, highlighting the incredible diversity of local plant life and the artists inspired by it. Meet Art of Nature artists, learn about their creative process,...
Are you a super sleuth when it comes to nature? Campers ages 5-7 are invited to join a week of hands-on investigation, creative challenges, and outdoor discovery during the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History's Spring Break Day-camp for nature detectives! During spring break 2026, campers will join us to gather clues from the local...
Don’t miss this special Member-only opportunity for a private guided tour of the geologic wonders of Santa Cruz. Led by geological experts from the University of California, Santa Cruz, go back in time to discover fossils, rare minerals, and learn the history and stories of what makes West Cliff such a rockin’ place! This event...
Join us to explore the fascinating world of bird nests! Study real nest specimens and captivating photos to learn how birds build their homes, what materials they use, and how each nest is uniquely designed for different species. ¡Venga a vernos para explorar el fascinante mundo de los nidos de aves! Estudie ejemplares reales...
Find the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History at Earth Day Santa Cruz! We’ll be hosting a nature-inspired art activity. Earth Day Santa Cruz is an annual event bringing our community together to promote environmental stewardship, healthy living, and sustainability. Together with local businesses, schools, and community organizations, we engage our citizens through education, hands-on...
CAMP FULL - CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE WAITLIST Calling young explorers and scientists curious about nature! This summer, young naturalists join us on a journey to investigate the wildlife of the Santa Cruz Mountains and Coast. Campers spend the week exploring nearby beach, creek, and garden habitats, and learning about the wild world of...
Are you curious about curating? Join the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History this summer to learn about the natural world by studying museum specimens, exploring outdoors, and building a museum collection of your own. Campers will build friendships while investigating nature, playing games, and creating awesome crafts! Times: Drop-off 8:30-9 a.m. | Pick-up 3-3:30...
CAMP FULL - CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE WAITLIST Are you a fossil forager, a dinosaur discoverer, or a rock wrangler? Join the Museum as we unearth the fossils, rocks, and ancient history of Santa Cruz by exploring the many surprising things you can learn from digging into the ground. Campers entering K-2nd grade will...
Have you ever wondered what it takes to be able to live here in Santa Cruz? This summer, young adventurers can join us as we investigate the plants and animals that call Santa Cruz home and learn how they manage to survive and thrive here. Campers will go on walking field trips to explore nearby...
CAMP FULL – CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE WAITLIST Have you ever noticed how places in nature around Santa Cruz are different from each other? In this camp, young adventurers can join us on a journey to study the many incredible and interesting habitats you can find here. Campers will become more observant of the connections...
Biomimicry is an engineering concept that uses ideas from nature to create sustainable solutions. We invite kids to spend the week exploring and drawing inspiration from nature to solve design challenges and engineer their own solutions to help humans live more sustainably on Earth. The week leads up to completing an engineering project and an...
CAMP FULL - CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE WAITLIST 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...
Vertebrates are the incredibly diverse species of animals that have a backbone to support their body. Kids will learn all about different branches of the tree of life and how they connect to all the other life on the planet. Campers will explore the Museum’s specimens and surrounding habitats to learn more about the wonderful...
CAMP FULL - CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE WAITLIST Calling young artists and scientists curious about nature! This summer, young explorers can 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...
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. Times:...
CAMP FULL - CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE WAITLIST Are you a green thumb or a budding botanist? Join the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History for the Beginning 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,...
Birds are fascinating and charismatic animals and the study of them is both fun and scientific. Campers will use scientific tools to study the many species of birds that visit the Museum and the surrounding habitats to study the great diversity of birds that call Santa Cruz home during the summer. Join us to dive...
