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

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  FULL 11/23 Behind-the-Scenes at a National Monument: A Cotoni-Coast Dairies Tour 
  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 … Read more
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  12/6 A Family Fun First Friday: Dino December!
  Bring your whole family for a T-REXcellent night at the Museum! From dinosaur-themed arts and crafts to fossil displays and interactives, audiences of all ages are in for … Read more
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  12/7 Scientific Illustration & Observation in Sculpture
  Love nature, science, and art but don’t know where to start? Here is your opportunity to master a new skill and bring home … Read more
• 
  12/7 & 12/8 Museum Store Holiday Sale
  Shop local this holiday season and find unique gifts for natural history fans of all ages. The Museum Store carries a variety of … Read more
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  12/8 Horticulture Workshop: Create a Living Holiday Wreath
  Let’s get festive with native flowers, succulents, and air plants!  Deck the halls and get into the holiday spirit by crafting a living botanical … Read more
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  12/13 Winter Special: Sea Glass Art
  As part of this special seasonal offering, discover the beauty of beachcombing as you create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece from shoreline treasures. Using local … Read more
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  12/14 Local Artists Market
  Join over 20 local Santa Cruz artists as they showcase their craftsmanship! We will be featuring a wide array of goods, ranging from … Read more
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  12/15 Intro to Plein Air Painting – Beachscapes
  Go outside and learn to paint gouache and watercolor landscapes while surrounded by nature as inspiration. This open-air art workshop will teach the … Read more
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  12/21 Saturdays in the Soil
  We are coming together as a community to steward Tyrrell Park through the City’s Adopt-A-Park program. At the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural … 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.

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  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.

• Fungi Fundamentals: Mushrooms of the Bay Area with Christian Schwarz and POST (watch recording)
• Naturalist Night | Animals Underground: The Burrowing and Cave Dwelling Creatures of the Santa Cruz Mountains with Matt Sharp Chaney and Alex Jones (watch recording)
• Caves and Climate Change with Jessica Oster | Online Talk
• Naturalist Night: Reintroducing Fire (watch recording)
• Perils in Paradise: Natural Disasters in Santa Cruz County with Gary Griggs
• Transforming Taxidermy: Remembering Richard Gurnee
• Ancient Coastal Connections: Collaborative Archaeology on the Santa Cruz Coast with Mike Grone
• Santa Cruz Sea Monsters with Geoffrey Dunn (recording)
• Seabright and the Castle: Then and Now with Dr. Gary Griggs
• Remembering Castle Beach: Stories from the Exhibit (recording)

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.