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LiMPETS Community Science Programs

Best for 6th - 12th
Schedule Now
LiMPETS, Nature Club, Tide Pooling

Schedule Your Field Trip

LiMPETS (Long-term Monitoring Program and Experiential Training for Students) is a hands-on science program for students, teachers, and volunteers. Participants explore coastal ecosystems and collect real scientific data that helps monitor the health of California’s beaches and tidepools.

The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History provides this program free of charge for Santa Cruz County students (grades 6-12)*

Students gain skills in field research, use real scientific tools, and build a stronger connection to their local environment. By doing this important work, they become advocates for protecting the ocean and coastal habitats.

*Teachers must complete a LiMPETS Training Workshop before participating. Email education@santacruzmuseum.org to learn about upcoming training opportunities.

Learn more at the LiMPETS website.

LiMPETS Field Programs:

Sandy Beach Monitoring Program (Grades 6-12)

Students collect data on the distribution and abundance of Pacific mole crabs (Emerita analoga), helping track population changes over time at local beaches. Programs offered October – December.

Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program (Grades 9-12)

Students survey 26 key invertebrate and algae species at specific tidepool monitoring sites along the coast. Program offered January – May.

Grades 6th - 12th
Days Offered Tuesday - Friday
Start Time Program times vary depending on the tides. Once you choose a date, we’ll send a confirmation email with the exact timing of your program.
Program Duration 2 - 3 hours *Program length may vary slightly depending on tide conditions.
Chaperones Required Recommended ratio 1:10
Supplemental Activities To prepare students for their field experience, teachers are expected to lead a pre-trip lesson in the classroom. We provide easy-to-use curriculum and resources to support both pre- and post-trip instruction.
Months Offered October - May
Cost $200; Free for Santa Cruz County schools

Fill Out the Form Below to Schedule a Field Trip

Contact Information

Name(Required)
School Address(Required)

Class Information

Please enter a number less than or equal to 70.
We can accommodate a maximum of 70 students per field trip. If you have a group of more than 35 we will need to do 2 rotations, please email us at education@santacruzmuseum.org
If you have a preferred monitoring site, please include it here. We’ll do our best to accommodate your request, but we appreciate your flexibility as site availability may vary.

Schedule Your Field Trip

Please Note: program start times are dependent on the tides and may change. After you select a date, we’ll send a confirmation email with the exact timing for your program.