Plan Your Visit
Hours
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Wednesday: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Thursday: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Friday: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Sunday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Holiday Closures
New Years Eve, New Years Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas DayAdmission Prices
Admission is free for everyone on the First Friday of every month. See other special admission programs below.
Adults
Ages 18 and upSeniors
Ages 60 and upCollege Students
With valid school IDYouth & Members
Youth under 18 or Museum Members
Special Admissions, Programs & Large Groups
Museums for All
We are proud to offer FREE admission to visitors and their families who present an EBT/SNAP card. Through this initiative, we’re partnering with museums across the country to make sure everyone can experience the best museums have to offer. Learn More.
ASTC Passport Program
Free admission is available to families with a membership card from a reciprocal science museum featuring the Association of Science and Technology Centers logo. Your participating museum must be located more than 90 miles from the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History. Learn More.
Blue Star Museums
Free admission for active duty military personnel (with valid ID) and their families, Armed Forces Day through Labor Day.
Large Groups
Due to the small size of the museum, reservations are required for group visits of more than 10 people, even on Free Days. If you’d like to make a special request to visit, explore our Group Visit page. To learn more about our school tour programming, visit our Education page.
Located in the Heart of Seabright
How to Find Us
We are located in the heart of Santa Cruz, across the street from Seabright Beach, just a short walk across the river from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Housed in a historic Carnegie library within a City park, the Museum offers gorgeous views and opportunities for wildlife viewing.
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1305 E Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz, CA 95062 -
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Parking is available on Pilkington Avenue or surrounding streets. Please note: 1 hour parking permits will be issued to visitors on the Museum-side of Pilkington.
Bus stops are located at the corner of Murray and Seabright, a 6 minute walk from the Museum. Plan your trip with the Santa Cruz Metro.
Be green! Consider walking or biking to the Museum as you enjoy the coastal views. A bike rack is located in front of the Museum near a rack of rentable e-bikes.
Accessibility
The Museum is committed to ensuring accessibility for all visitors within our facility. To learn more about mobility, sensory considerations, and more, visit our Accessibility page.
Visitor Safety
Visitor safety is of the utmost importance to the Museum and all County health guidelines will be observed. Museum staff will be sanitizing public objects regularly, and bathrooms are stocked with soap for hand washing.
Photography/Art
Photography is welcome in our galleries! Consider tagging the Museum on social media (@santacruzmuseum). Artists may sketch museum specimens on exhibit, and we are happy to provide chairs or stools for your use. To sketch specimens from our collections that are not currently on exhibit, please contact collections@santacruzmuseum.org.
Need a Unique Nature-Themed Gift? Visit Our Museum Store
