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green sea glass

Earth Day Special: Sea Glass Art

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Go green this Earth Day by creating a work of art from upcycled beach glass! As part of this special seasonal offering, discover the beauty of beachcombing as you create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece made from shoreline treasures. Using local and sustainably-sourced resources, participants will learn the basics of environmental sculpture and design with step-by-step instruction....

oil painting of a wave

Earth Day in Oils – Environmental Oil Painting

Seabright Beach 1300 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Let’s go to the beach and learn to paint in oils! In recognition of Earth Day, learn how to use oil paints in an environmentally friendly, solvent-free way. 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. Paint a...

Find Us At: Wilder Ranch’s Art in the Park

Wilder Ranch State Park 1401 Coast Road, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Find the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History at Wilder Ranch’s Art in the Park! We’ll be hosting environmentally-inspired art activities and displaying beautiful artifacts from our collections. Come celebrate the incredible artistic talent we have in our community, especially artists inspired by nature. Bring your art supply of choice and get creative, or take...

plein air painting of a marsh

Intro to Plein Air Painting – Superblooms

Watsonville Wetlands 30 Harkins Slough Road, Watsonville, CA, United States

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...

Featured Micro May

Micro May First Friday

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Get to know Santa Cruz’s WILD SIDE at the Museum of Natural History. Nerd out on your night out during monthly after-hours events, featuring rotating themes, vendors, and activities. Free admission to the Museum all day 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with special indoor festivities 5 to 8 p.m. Big fun can come in small packages! Micro...

A butterfly drawn with a stippling technique
Micro May

Scientific Illustration & Observation in Stippling

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

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 Micro May through stipple art, which uses small dots to create the impression of texture, shading, or solidity. Learn this unique art style...

After-School Activity: Animal Tracks

Arte del Corazón 80 Airport Blvd # 206, Freedom, CA, United States

Come learn about local mammals and their tracks. Come and create an animal track for your to take home! We will be at Arte del Corazon every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month! Free and open to Watsonville residents. Venga a aprender sobre los mamíferos locales y sus huellas. ¡Venga a crear una huella...

After-School Activity: Plant Pressing

SOMOS Watsonville 112 E Beach St., Watsonville, CA, United States

Discover a botanical process with fresh flowers and a cardboard press. Come and learn how to make a plant press to dry and preserve your favorite flowers. Open to Watsonville Residents Descubra un proceso botánico con flores frescas y una prensa de cartón. Venga y aprenda a hacer una prensa de plantas para secar y...

Mobile Museum: Oceans

Watsonville Public Library 275 Main St STE 100, Watsonville, CA, United States

Come find us at the Library! We will be sharing our Oceans themed collections : orca tooth, krill, baleen, and more! ¡Vaya a visitarnos a la Biblioteca! Compartiremos nuestras colecciones con temática oceánica: dientes de orca, krill, barbas y mucho más. These programs are funded by the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, created through AB 209...

Nudibranch Painting Party!

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

As part of this Art of Nature exhibit special, join an esteemed artist as you learn the science and art behind the most adorable sea slugs around! Featuring beautiful scientific illustration displays from the exhibit, this program is perfect for aspiring artists and marine biologists alike. Taught by a professional illustrator and exhibitor, this workshop will...

Local Artist Market & Open House

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Join over 40 local Santa Cruz artists as they showcase their craftsmanship! We will be featuring a wide array of goods, ranging from paintings and photography to jewelry, decor, and embroidery. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to support our community’s artisans, celebrate local talent, and grab a gift just in time for Mother’s...

Pinned butterfly specimens in a drawer

Family Fun: Entomology

Watsonville Public Library 275 Main St STE 100, Watsonville, CA, United States

Come for Toddler Tumble Time. We will have diverse specimens to share with everyone! Specifically, we will be showcasing our entomology collections. Open to Watsonville Residents Venga a disfrutar la Hora de Toddler Tumble cada segundo martes del mes. ¡Tendremos diversos ejemplares para compartir con todos! Mostraremos nuestras colecciones de entomología. These programs are funded...

After-School Activity: Plant Pressing

Environmental Science Workshop 120 2nd St., Watsonville, CA, United States

Make a print that will last forever inspired by the different things you see in nature! This printmaking technique is called “embossing”. Used during the 19th century to design stamps and seals for documents, to make coins, and to make a variety of different types of prints. Free and open to Watsonville Residents ¡Haga una...

Micro May

Naturalist Night: The Marvels of Microfossils

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

What might look like sand to the untrained eye may be the missing clue in a paleontological puzzle. Microfossils are preserved remains, traces, or imprints of past life, including bones, shells, footprints, and even preserved soft tissues. Despite their diminutive size, they have massive implications when trying to understand the past. Learn from a paleontologist...

Family Fun: Science Illustration

Pajaro Valley Arts 37 Sudden St., Watsonville, CA, United States

Come do scientific illustrations with us! You will be making close observations of specimens and using descriptive language and drawings to reflect your observations. Open to Watsonville Residents ¡Venga a hacer ilustraciones científicas con nosotros! Observará detenidamente los especímenes y usarás lenguaje descriptivo y dibujos para plasmar sus observaciones. These programs are funded by the...

3 people working in a garden
Saturdays in the Soil

Saturdays in the Soil

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Join the Museum for a very special community gardening day, as we team up with the Santa Cru​z County Chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology​! Dig in and flex your green thumb as we tackle invasive species in Pilkington Creek and plant native species in the Museum’s Garden Learning Center​. Learn from horticultural experts...

Find Us At: The Redwoods Festival

Roaring Camp Railroads 5401 Graham Hill Rd., Felton, CA, United States

Join the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History as we team up with the Sempervirens Fund to celebrate 125 years of protecting redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains! Hosted among the redwoods at the historic Roaring Camp, our first-ever Redwoods Festival will celebrate the redwoods. A day filled with fun, connection, and a celebration of...

After-School Activity: Geology

Arte del Corazón 80 Airport Blvd # 206, Freedom, CA, United States

Dig into fun! Discover rocks, fossils, and the secrets of our Earth! We will be at Arte del Corazon every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month. Free and open to Watsonville residents. ¡Explora y diviértete! Descubre rocas, fósiles y los secretos de nuestra Tierra! Estaremos en Arte del Corazón cada 1er y 3er miércoles...

Micro May

Naturalist Night: Pint-Sized Parasites

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Forget the horrors lurking in the shadows, instead ask what’s lurking under your own skin! Join an eco-pathologist to uncover the nuanced nightmares that call host organisms home. From flatworms to fungus, learn about tiny terrors! REGISTER Instructor: Chloe Rickards, Ecologist Materials: Light refreshments will be served prior to the start of the program. After the lecture,...

Micro May

Magnifying Microfossils with Microscopes

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

As a special continuation of the Microfossil Naturalist Night lecture, join Paleontologist Wayne Thompson for a chance to view his microfossil research up close and personal! Using scientific microscopes, experience the wonders of the prehistoric microscopic world in this once-in-a-lifetime, hands-on opportunity. Who knows what fossils you will see, what paleontological mysteries will be uncovered, and...

a line of people hiking in a field

(FULL) Member Meet-Up: Cotoni-Coast Dairies

Cotoni Coast Dairies Davenport, CA

Don’t miss this special, limited-time opportunity for a private guided tour of the Cotoni-Coast Dairies National Monument – before it’s even open to the public! Guided by land stewards and environmental scientists from the Bureau of Land Management, learn what it took to designate a National Monument, the history of the land, and observe all...

Micro May

Biota & Biomes in Macrophotography

Henry Cowel State Park Felton, United States

Learn to appreciate the diminutive flora and fauna of Santa Cruz through a camera lens. Magnify your photography skills by applying special micro and macro tips, tricks, and techniques to capture and shed light on the micro world around you. Guided by an expert nature photographer, this open-air workshop will lead you on a nature...

Micro May

Naturalist Night: The Hidden Life of Hummingbirds

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

What’s the buzz with hummingbirds? You may have seen them in your backyard, but how much do you really know about the secretive world of the world’s smallest bird? There is a lot to unpack in these minuscule aviators and here is an opportunity to learn about their incredible flight abilities, diet, size, and social...

Micro May

Oil Painting in Miniature

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Explore the tiny side of Tyrrell Park and learn to paint in oils! In celebration of Spring, learn how to capture the beauty of nature’s miniature marvels using oil paints. From pint-sized pollinators to delicate florals, this workshop will train your eye to find, and appreciate, the artful beauty hidden under your nose. This open-air...

After-School Activity: Ornithology

Arte del Corazón 80 Airport Blvd # 206, Freedom, CA, United States

Meet our local birds and craft your own mushroom hat — nature and fun in one! Free and open to Watsonville residents. ¡Conoce las aves de nuestra zona y crea tu propio sombrero de hongo — naturaleza y diversión en uno!  These programs are funded by the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, created through AB 209...

Genome June

The Banana Slug Genome

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History is thrilled to be partnering with the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute as they open the vault to bring you a month of intriguing science mysteries and behind-the-scenes research! We’re starting Genome June at a slow pace, but that’s on purpose! For the first lecture of the month,...

Featured Genome June

Genome June First Friday

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Get to know Santa Cruz’s WILD SIDE at the Museum of Natural History. Nerd out on your night out during monthly after-hours events, featuring rotating themes, vendors, and activities. Free admission to the Museum all day 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with special indoor festivities 5 to 8 p.m. Join us for Genomic June! The Museum is...

Rispin Mansion – National Trails Day

Capitola Beach Capitola Beach, CA, United States

Be part of a select group of volunteers who will gain access to the currently off-limits, and rumored to be haunted, Rispin Mansion property. To celebrate National Trails Day, the Museum is partnering with the City of Capitola and Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship to remove invasive plants as part of a garden beautification project...

World Oceans Day Beach Cleanup

Seabright Beach 1300 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Celebrate World Oceans Day with the Museum as we team up with Save Our Shores for a beach cleanup! Give back to your community while showing your love for marine ecosystems as we take to Seabright Beach scrub it clean of trash. All trash grabbers, gloves, bags, and other materials will be provided by the...

Family Fun: Science Illustration

Watsonville Public Library 275 Main St STE 100, Watsonville, CA, United States

Come do scientific illustrations with us at Toddler Tumble Time! You will be making close observations of specimens and using descriptive language and drawings to reflect your observations. Open to Watsonville Residents ¡Venga a hacer ilustraciones científicas con nosotros! Observará detenidamente los especímenes y usarás lenguaje descriptivo y dibujos para plasmar sus observaciones. These programs...

After School Activity: Mammals

Environmental Science Workshop 120 2nd St., Watsonville, CA, United States

Discover local wildlife and take on the egg drop challenge — science meets adventure! Free and open to Watsonville Residents ¡Descubre las especies locales y participa en el desafío del huevo — ciencia y aventura se unen! These programs are funded by the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, created through AB 209 and administered by California...

After School Activity: Mammals

SOMOS Watsonville 112 E Beach St., Watsonville, CA, United States

Discover local wildlife and take on the egg drop challenge — science meets adventure! Free and open to Watsonville Residents ¡Descubre las especies locales y participa en el desafío del huevo — ciencia y aventura se unen! These programs are funded by the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, created through AB 209 and administered by California...

Genome June

The Most Interesting Fish in the World

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History is thrilled to be partnering with the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute as they open the vault to bring you a month of intriguing science mysteries and behind-the-scenes research! Genome June will make a splash with this next lecture and just in time for World Oceans Day! Join...

Member Opening: Treasured Trees

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Museum Members are invited to join us for s special opening celebration of our newest exhibit, Treasured Trees: The Story of Coast Redwoods. Enjoy a festive evening with refreshments, and be among the first to explore the exhibit! RSVP Online or email events@santacruzmuseum.org Delve into the rich natural history of California’s coast redwoods. This exhibit...

After School Activity: Mammals

Arte del Corazón 80 Airport Blvd # 206, Freedom, CA, United States

Discover local wildlife and take on the egg drop challenge — science meets adventure! Free and open to Watsonville Residents ¡Descubre las especies locales y participa en el desafío del huevo — ciencia y aventura se unen! These programs are funded by the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, created through AB 209 and administered by California...

Redwoods in Collage

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

For one night only, join celebrated international artist, Nicole Sylvia, for an evening of redwood-inspiring collaging! Drawing inspiration from the new Treasured Trees exhibit, participants will learn the beauty and intricacies of paper art. This workshop will cover the process of collage from ideation to structuring compelling compositions. Participants will learn how to arrange a...