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Tuesday 10am - 4pm Wednesday 11am - 4pm Thursday 11am - 4pm Friday 10am - 4pm Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 10am - 5pm

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

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Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History

Connecting people with nature and science to inspire stewardship of the natural world. Learn more and plan your visit at santacruzmuseum.org.
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Since 1905, the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History has displayed a unique collection of natural wonders to Santa Cruz residents and visitors. The Museum has made its home in the Seabright neighborhood since 1932, currently located in a historic Carnegie library. The Museum provides engaging exhibits, unique events, and dynamic educational programs fulfilling its mission, "Connecting people with

nature and science to inspire stewardship of the natural world." The Museum's life-size gray whale model, created in 1982, is a cherished landmark to local residents.

05/31/2026

Last call for wonder! 🌿✨ Today is the final day of our "Art of Nature" exhibit — see this Pacific Blue Mussel watercolor from and art pieces from 52 local artists!

From ceramics to bold naturalist illustrations, this exhibit is packed with creativity inspired by the wild world around us. If you’ve been meaning to stop by, this is your sign to celebrate the artists who bring nature to life.

Catch it today… or wait a whole year for its return. 🌼🖼️

05/30/2026

Dive into the beautiful blue world of cyanotype printing in this hands-on workshop celebrating the shapes, textures, and surprising diversity of seaweed!

Participants will experiment with arranging different species of marine algae to produce striking sun-developed artworks to take home, while also learning about the fascinating ecological roles seaweeds play along our coast. All materials provided. No experience necessary. Registrater: https://loom.ly/rYVog_o

05/29/2026

Seaweed summer has washed ashore at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History — and we’re diving in! 🌊🌿

This summer, we’re celebrating the slippery, shimmery, totally fascinating world of seaweed with hands‑on workshops, creative art sessions, and ocean‑inspired events for all ages. From kelp crafting to tide‑pool explorations, we’re turning the spotlight on the algae that keep our coastline thriving. Join us for a seaweed‑soaked season of discovery — it’s going to be un‑kelp‑ievably fun! 💚https://santacruzmuseum.org/series/seaweed-summer/

05/28/2026

Thanks to the City’s “Downtown Pops!” economic development initiative, this winter the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History will temporarily relocate to 1339 Pacific Avenue, just across the street from Santa Cruz Roasting Company. Securing this prime location would simply not have been possible without the financial support of our City partners and their backing of our lease for this property–thank you, !

Our move is the next step toward breaking ground on our Bright Future renovation and expansion project. We will relocate in stages, beginning with the store which we expect to open before the holidays. Get ready to find seasonal treasures for your favorite naturalist while scoping out your usual gifting destinations!

Though our timelines are not set in stone, we hope to be fully settled–exhibits and all–by February 2027, and anticipate being downtown for about two years while our historic home is renovated.

(left to right): Board President Susan Pearce, Project Manager Brit Charlebois, Santa Cruz Economic Development Manager Rebecca Unitt, Executive Director Felicia Van Stolk, Project Committee Chair Juliana Rebagliati.

05/27/2026

It's World Otter Day! 🦦 🤎 Santa Cruz’s favorite fuzzy marine neighbors, the Southern Sea Otters, live along the central California coastline and play a critical ecological role by eating sea urchins that would otherwise overgraze kelp forests. Their dense fur — the thickest in the animal kingdom — helps them stay warm since they lack blubber, and they must eat 20–30% of their body weight every day just to keep their metabolism going.

On World Otter Day, let’s give a big Santa Cruz shoutout to these whiskered wonders! Whether they’re gliding through kelp forests or snoozing in the sun, otters remind us why protecting our coastal and freshwater habitats matters.

If you are fascinated by marine life, check out our Naturalist Night: A Dive into Undersea Gardens with marine ecologist Dr. Connor on June 3rd for a night of stories, research, and insights from a range of ocean environments right here along the Central Coast! Registration link in bio.

Photo credit: Chris Soriano, Education Specialist for the Santa Cruz Museum of History. Spotted at Elkhorn Slough during our Earth Stewards Project outing.

05/26/2026

Dive into our region’s vibrant undersea gardens and discover the incredible habitats that support diverse communities of seaweeds and marine life with our next Naturalist Night on June 3rd.

From colorful coastal tide pools to the depths of the Monterey Canyon, marine ecologist Dr. Connor will share stories, research, and insights from a range of ocean environments right here along the Central Coast. Whether you’re a longtime ocean lover or just curious about what exists beneath the surface, this talk will offer a fascinating glimpse into the hidden ecosystems just off our shores. Registration link: https://loom.ly/8FzKMYM

05/25/2026

The annual "Art of Nature" exhibit will be on display for just one more week!
52 incredible artists, one stunning exhibit, experience it before it’s gone for the year!

05/24/2026

Happy Memorial Weekend, Santa Cruz! 🇺🇸✨
We’re honoring all our veterans today!

Show your military ID at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History for FREE admission!
Come explore with the kids and enjoy some nature‑powered inspiration on us.

See you at the Museum!

05/23/2026

Happy World Turtle Day, Santa Cruz! 🐢 Celebrate our shelled friends with some fun local turtle facts that’ll make you fall in love with them even more.

Santa Cruz is home to the Western Pond Turtle, California’s only native freshwater turtle, found in ponds, rivers, and lagoons throughout the region. These shy sun‑lovers spend their days basking on logs and rocks and play a vital role in healthy wetland ecosystems. Their populations are declining due to habitat loss and competition from invasive species like red‑eared sliders, making local conservation efforts more important than ever.

If you'd like to see a Western Pond Turtle up close, and learn more about the natural world around us, swing by The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History!

So today, let’s give a big Santa Cruz shoutout to the turtles who call our coast and waterways home. Whether they’re basking in a lagoon or gliding through the bay, these ancient reptiles remind us to slow down, soak up the sun, and protect the habitats we share. 🌊💚🐢

05/22/2026

Swing by our "Art of Nature" exhibit to view this super cool ceramic piece from . Modeled after Tafoni, a wondrous rock formation found, among other places, along the California Coast. The beautiful honey-comb surface forms through a process of weathering over thousands of years to carve out pits in the sandstone. See it now through May 31st!

Address

1305 E. Cliff Drive
Santa Cruz, CA
95062

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 4pm
Wednesday	11am - 4pm
Thursday	11am - 4pm
Friday	10am - 4pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	10am - 5pm

Telephone

+18314206115

Website

http://www.santacruzmuseum.org/

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