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Explore the nature of Santa Cruz — wherever you are! Connect with local experts and join your community in deepening understanding about nature, science, and stewardship online and in-person. Stay updated about upcoming events by signing up for our newsletter.

Upcoming Events

  • 1/18 Landscape Photography and Native Plant Walk
    While exploring the native plants of Santa Cruz, learn to appreciate the diverse landscapes through a camera lens. Apply photography tips, tricks, and techniques to capture scenic landscapes. This open-air workshop … Read more
  • 1/25 Laura Hecox Day
    Join the Museum for the annual Laura Hecox Day open house, celebrating the pioneering lighthouse keeper, naturalist, and Museum founder. Born in 1854 and raised in the original Santa Cruz lighthouse, … Read more
  • 1/25 Saturdays in the Soil
    Celebrate Laura Hecox Day by joining Saturdays in the Soil, a recurring volunteer event at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History’s Garden Learning Center and Pilkington Creek! Come together as … Read more
  • 1/29 Nature Journaling: Stick Season
    Explore the hidden beauty of winter and uncover the secrets of seemingly bare forestscapes. The leaves may have fallen, but the beauty of the trees remains to be captured on canvas. … Read more
  • Fungus February 2025
    Explore a month of fungi fun with the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History! Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of mushrooms through expert-led adventures, creative art projects celebrating their beauty … Read more
  • 2/1 West Glenwood Mushroom Exploration
    In collaboration with the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, adventure through exclusive areas as you partake in a fungus exploration! Guided by a master mycologist, prepare to venture into the … Read more
  • 2/2 Fungus Forms & Features in Watercolor
    Capture the intricate beauty of mushrooms with watercolors. Spotlighting local Santa Cruz County mushrooms as models, participants will learn how to paint the nuanced features of these stunning seasonal subjects. In … Read more
  • 2/5 An Endangered Mushroom & CA’s eDNA
    Join us in kicking off Fungus February with the best mushroom mystery story you’ve never heard! In collaboration with UCSC’s Genomics Institute, learn about how a state-of-the-art DNA database was hacked … Read more
  • 2/7 Fungus February First Friday
    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 … Read more
  • 2/8 San Vicente Redwoods Mushroom Exploration
    In collaboration with the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, adventure through exclusive areas as you partake in a fungus exploration! Guided by a master mycologist, prepare to venture into the … Read more
  • 2/8 & 2/9 Fungus February Flameworking & Glassblowing
    Looking for a fiery way to enjoy Fungus February? Experience the excitement of glassblowing in this special hands-on flameworkging program hosted by the talented artists of “Little Wolf Glass!” This workshop … Read more
  • 2/14 Valentines Day Special: Beach Glass and Bubbles
    Give the gift of an experience to your loved one this Valentine’s Day! As part of this special seasonal offering, discover the beauty of beachcombing as you create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece … Read more
  • 2/15 Antonelli Pond Mushroom Exploration
    In collaboration with the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, adventure through exclusive areas as you partake in a fungus exploration! Guided by a master mycologist, prepare to venture into the … Read more
  • 2/15 & 2/16 Fungus February Flameworking & Glassblowing
    Looking for a fiery way to enjoy Fungus February? Experience the excitement of glassblowing in this special hands-on flameworkging program hosted by the talented artists of “Little Wolf Glass!” This workshop … Read more
  • 2/19 Cordyceps, Cappuccinos, & Mind Control
    Fungus February just got a whole lot spookier, especially when the topic is parasitic zombie fungi! Learn about the sinister Cordyceps mushroom that infects insects using mind-controlling spores and turns them … Read more
  • 2/21 Spore Prints & Mushroom Painting
    Capture the intricate beauty of mushrooms using the mushroom spores as the painting medium. Utilizing local Santa Cruz County mushrooms as both the reference and art material, participants will learn how … Read more
  • 2/22 East Glenwood Mushroom Exploration
    In collaboration with the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, adventure through exclusive areas as you partake in a fungus exploration! Guided by a master mycologist, prepare to venture into the … Read more
  • 2/26 Sky Islands, Sea Islands, Dry Islands, & the Biogeography of Macrofungi
    Making maps of the distributions of organisms is one of the most fascinating topics in all of natural history. The theory of island biogeography serves as an ideal starting point in … Read more
  • 2/28 Fluorescent Fungi & Bioluminescent (DNA) Barcodes
    Glowing, glowing, gone! For the last lecture of Fungus February, explore the brilliant world of bioluminesce. In this illuminating lecture, learn about the fluorescing fungi that glow under ultraviolet light, mushrooms … Read more
  • 3/23 Intro to Plein Air Painting – Sandhills
    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 … Read more

Registration Policies
Want to know more about our events or share your suggestions about potential topics? Email us at events@santacruzmuseum.org.

Upcoming Nature Club Events

Nature Club takes young explorers (6th-8th grade) into local habitats to learn about the amazing living world around us while making discoveries along the way. Learn more.

  • 2024-25 Fall/Winter Nature Club
    Nature Club takes young explorers (6th-8th grade) into local habitats to learn about the amazing living world around us while making discoveries along the way. Across four excursions, youth will learn … Read more

Watch previous lectures, tutorials, and more.

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Public Programs at the Museum offer dynamic and inclusive places for learning, dialogue, study, and exploration. Through community outreach, virtual presentations, small-group gatherings in nature, large community events, and stewardship and volunteer opportunities, the Museum builds community around a shared curiosity for and appreciation of the natural environment. Programs help communicate how science impacts our daily lives by connecting local experts with community members, including academics, artists, non-profit organizations, and tribal members.