Meet Mary, the Museum’s longest-standing staff member. For well over a decade, Mary has greeted visitors at our front desk, shared her extensive knowledge of the Santa Cruz area and welcomed guests at the Surfing Museum at Lighthouse Point. A longtime resident of Santa Cruz, she first moved to the area in 1979.
She’s seen the city grow and change long before that, however, as her grandparents began visiting a summer home on Santa Cruz’s east side when she was born. They held up the tradition long enough for she and her siblings to forge deep connections to the area — all five of them have lived here at one point in their lives, she says, and Mary can’t imagine calling anywhere else home.
Today, as one of our Visitor Services Representatives, she’s likely one of the first faces you’ll see when you walk through our doors. She’s somewhat of a history buff, especially when it comes to Santa Cruz, and loves to share historical details gleaned from Museum events and exhibits. Ask Mary how the Seabright area has changed, and she’ll tell you that, to her, Seabright State Beach is still Castle Beach.
When she isn’t at the Museum, you can find Mary at different concert venues around town, from Kuumbwa to the Catalyst. She even travels every year to New Orleans — one of her favorite places next to Santa Cruz — for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. This year marks her 25th trip!
At home on the West Side, Mary enjoys seeing native wildlife while she walks Bethany Curve to West Cliff, where she savors the sweeping ocean views; stormy seas are her favorite.
“I’m proud to say that I work here,” she said, “and proud of the Museum for how far it’s come.”