OPEN TODAY: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. View Hours

Event Series 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...

Scientific Illustration in Charcoal

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 the opening of the new Treasured Trees exhibit, and the redwoods’ resilience to fire, by learning to work with charcoal. Taught through step-by-step...

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...

Event Series Saturdays in the Soil

Saturdays in the Soil

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

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 History, you gain new wisdom about local ecology, native plants, and sustainable gardening while connecting with nature outdoors. It’s time to get your hands dirty! Join us and volunteer in the Museum’s...

Rockin’ Pop Up!

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

Looking for a GNEISS way to spend your weekend? Well, you won't want to take this special event for GRANITE! Join geologists from University of California, Santa Cruz to share your mineralogical marvels and have them identified inside the Museum's galleries. Price: This special event is Free with Admission. $5 Adults | $3 Students and...

Santa Cruz Safari (FULL)

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

Calling young explorers and scientists curious about nature! This summer, young naturalists join us on a journey to investigate the wildlife of the Santa Cruz Mountains and Coast. Campers spend the week exploring nearby beach, creek, and garden habitats, and learning about the wild world of animals around us. CAMP FULL JOIN THE WAITLIST For...

Magnificent Museum (FULL)

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

Are you curious about curating? Join the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History this summer to learn about the natural world by studying museum specimens, exploring outdoors, and building a museum collection of your own. Campers will build friendships while investigating nature, playing games, and creating awesome crafts! CAMP FULL JOIN THE WAITLIST For students...

Redwoods in Sculpture

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

Let’s get festive with redwood horticultural art! Celebrate the new Treasured Trees exhibit and the wonder of forestscapes by crafting an arboreal-inspired sculpture. This course will satisfy both plant and art lovers alike as you learn the science of redwood ecosystems by designing, weaving, and mounting redwood materials into a beautiful model. Create a masterpiece for your...

Can You Dig It? (FULL)

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

Are you a fossil forager, a dinosaur discoverer, or a rock wrangler? Join the Museum as we unearth the fossils, rocks, and ancient history of Santa Cruz by exploring the many surprising things you can learn from digging into the ground. Campers entering K-2nd grade will build friendships while investigating artifacts, studying fossils, playing games,...

Surviving Santa Cruz (FULL)

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

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be able to live here in Santa Cruz? This summer, young adventurers can join us as we investigate the plants and animals that call Santa Cruz home and learn how they manage to survive and thrive here. Campers will go on walking field trips to explore nearby...

Wild World of Santa Cruz (FULL)

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

Have you ever noticed how places in nature around Santa Cruz are different from each other? In this camp young adventurers can join us on a journey to study the many incredible and interesting habitats you can find here. Campers will become more observant of the connections in nature around them and deepen their appreciation...

Biomimicry

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

Biomimicry is an engineering concept that uses ideas from nature to create sustainable solutions. We invite kids to spend the week exploring and drawing inspiration from nature to solve design challenges and engineer their own solutions to help humans live more sustainably on Earth. The week leads up to completing an engineering project and an...

Art & Science in Nature (FULL)

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

Calling young artists and scientists curious about nature! This summer, young explorers can join us on a journey to investigate symmetries, patterns, and curiosities in the natural world. Spend the week exploring nearby beach, creek, and garden habitats, and making all sorts of art inspired by what we discover. CAMP FULL JOIN THE WAITLIST For...

Art & Science in Nature II

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

Calling young artists and scientists curious about nature! This summer, young explorers can join us on a journey to investigate symmetries, patterns, and curiosities in the natural world. Spend the week exploring nearby beach, creek, and garden habitats, and making all sorts of art inspired by what we discover. REGISTER For entering K-2nd grade

Incredible Invertebrates (FULL)

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

Do you love flipping rocks and logs and studying our invertebrate friends? This summer, young naturalists join us on a journey to investigate the animals of Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay that do not have a backbone, ranging from tiny creatures to some of the biggest in the world! Campers spend the week exploring nearby...

Art and Science in Nature (FULL)

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

Calling budding artists and scientists curious about nature! Join us on a journey to investigate symmetries, patterns, and curiosities in the natural world. Spend the week exploring nearby beach, creek, and garden habitats, and making all sorts of art inspired by what we discover. Observe, explore, and appreciate the wonders of the natural world here...

Bodacious Botany

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

Are you a green thumb or a budding botanist? Join the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History for Bodacious Botany camp this summer to learn about the natural world by studying plants, trees, and much more. Campers will build friendships while investigating nature, playing games, and creating awesome crafts! REGISTER For entering 3rd-4th grade

Experiments in Nature

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

Are you a future scientist? We invite kids to join the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History for Experiments in Nature camp to perform experiments and studies in the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, ocean studies, and climate science. Explore nature while learning more about how scientists study the natural world that surrounds us. REGISTER For entering...