Travel back in time with local paleontologist Wayne Thompson from Pacific Paleontology during this hands-on experience in the Santa Cruz Sandhills. Learn first hand about the ancient life of what used to be the Monterey Bay and is now the Santa Cruz Mountains. We’ll hunt for the fossilized remains of ancient creatures like megalodon and explore the Santa Margarita Formation — an ocean sediment rock layer that was formed 10-12 million years ago!
Explore resources about local fossils below.
Sunday, November 12, 2023 9-11:30 a.m. Location: Private property in Scotts Valley
$40 Members | $50 General Space is extremely limited.
This event has reached capacity. Email events@santacruzmuseum.org to be added to a waitlist.
Wayne Thompson with fossil whale jaw in Scotts Valley, 1981. Photo courtesy Wayne Thompson.
What to Expect
Exact meet-up location will be shared upon registration.
We will not walk far from the parking area and will mostly be working and learning in one main spot. Terrain is sandy and mostly flat.
Feel free to bring a chair, stool, or knee pad. Otherwise be prepared for prolonged standing or sitting on the sandy soil.
There are no restrooms or facilities at this location.
Wear layers, comfortable shoes, and bring any snacks you might need. Carrying water is highly recommended. There is no shade coverage in the area — bring adequate sun protection.
Please leave your pets at home.
Youth under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult and fees apply to all participants.
If you need to cancel, refunds will be offered up to 48 hours before the event start time.
Beneath our feet is a world of creatures seldom seen. Join local experts for this set of short presentations at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History exploring the mysteries of the underground. Alex Jones, UC Santa Cruz Campus Natural Reserve Manager, will share the secrets of UC Santa Cruz’s karst caves and burrowing insects, while Matt Sharp Chaney, Midpen Wildlife Biologist, will share stories of salamanders and squirrels, badgers and broad-footed moles, kangaroo rats and kingfishers, and more.
This program is in support of the new exhibit, Underground: Unearthing Unseen Worlds, and is presented in partnership with Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District.
Matt Sharp Chaney is a Wildlife Biologist and the Lead Mammologist for the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) where he has worked for the past 8 years. Prior to working at Midpen Matt worked as an Educational Assistant at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History and he is excited to return for this Naturalist Night. Matt received a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from California State University Monterey Bay in 2015, and a master’s certificate in wildlife management from Oregon State University in 2018. Midpen manages over 65,000 acres of public preserves located within the Santa Cruz Mountains along the San Francisco Peninsula. Matt’s work focuses on the conservation of native mammal species from bats, to kangaroo rats, to mountain lions.
Alex Jones has been an environmental educator for 25 years, practicing natural history while leading students ranging from preschoolers to senior citizens, though he traces his naturalist roots to his own childhood experiences of playing with mud, scaring ducks, and hiding in the shrubbery. Alex currently works as the UC Santa Cruz Campus Natural Reserve Manager and supports education, research, and stewardship activities on campus natural lands. He brings his passion for natural history, ecology, and stewardship to UCSC students through undergraduate course field trips, internships, and volunteer opportunities. As part of his duties, Alex is responsible for monitoring and managing for the federally endangered Ohlone tiger beetle populations that occur on the UCSC campus. Prior work has given him the opportunity to participate in inventories and studies involving plants, invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds in the eastern and western US.
Accessibility
The event will occur inside the Museum and is wheelchair accessible.
Restrooms, water fountains, and light snacks will be available.
Parking is first-come-first-served in the neighborhood. Bike parking is available near the museum entrance.
This program will be in English.
If we are able to record the program, it will be added to this webpage after the event.
Masks are not currently required indoors, but we will alert registrants if an increase in covid transmission rates triggers that requirement.
Thank you to the many community members who joined us for the 7th annual Museum of the Macabre! You can peruse photos from the event here.
Come in costume and imbibe cauldron-concocted cocktails while exploring the chasms of the world beneath our feet. The seventh annual Museum of the Macabre will be bigger than ever with freakish festivities and special exhibits outdoors and inside the Museum’s galleries. This year’s tricks and treats will unearth the mysteries of the underground:
21+ | Admission includes one free drink ticket. Online presale discounts end October 27. $30 at the door. Space is limited.
Saturday, October 28, 2023 6-9 p.m.
Online sales have closed. Tickets available at the door for $30.
Costumes
Dress on theme for a chance to win a costume prize! This year’s theme is THE UNDERGROUND (think creepy crawlies, caves, mushrooms, earthquakes, landfills…)
Costumes should not be obstructive or offensive in nature.
Costumes should not contain sharp or pointed objects, or materials that may accidentally strike guests or exhibits.
Costumes should not contain any elements which resemble or could easily be mistaken for an actual weapon.
Accessibility
The event will occur at Tyrrell Park and inside the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History.
Limited number of tickets available and online presale discounts end October 27.
Please follow local guidelines for COVID safety at the time of the event.
The Museum and restrooms are wheelchair accessible. Park festivities will be on both level and slanted grass. The movie and costume contest will occur in the amphitheater behind the Museum where there are steps to enter. Both will be visible from the grass above.
Please leave your pets at home. Trained service animals are permitted.
Neither a kangaroo nor a rat, the rare Santa Cruz kangaroo rat (Dipodomys venustus venustus) is closely related to gophers and chipmunks and made big news early this summer. Santa Cruz kangaroo rats are considered a keystone species, meaning they have a disproportionately high impact on their surrounding ecosystem despite their small size. Known to only a few locations in the Santa Cruz Mountains, researchers and land managers are studying this rare subspecies and working to restore its habitat.
During this program, we’ll explore Santa Cruz kangaroo rat habitat with Midpen’s Matt Sharp Chaney, hear about new discoveries from local researchers, and explore a site where habitat restoration work is occurring. While we might not be able to see a kangaroo rat, we will find their burrows and explore tools used to trap and study them.
Saturday, October 21, 2023 10 a.m. to noon Location: Felton
$20 Suggested Donation
This program has reached capacity. Email events@santacruzmuseum.org to be added to a waitlist.
Matt Sharp Chaney
Matt Sharp Chaney is a Wildlife Biologist and the Lead Mammologist for the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) where he has worked for the past 8 years. Prior to working at Midpen Matt worked as an Educational Assistant at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History and he is excited to return for this program and Naturalist Night on November 2. Matt received a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from California State University Monterey Bay in 2015, and a master’s certificate in wildlife management from Oregon State University in 2018. Midpen manages over 65,000 acres of public preserves located within the Santa Cruz Mountains along the San Francisco Peninsula. Matt’s work focuses on the conservation of native mammal species from bats, to kangaroo rats, to mountain lions.
Accessibility
Exact location information will be shared with registrants in advance of the program.
Please leave your pets at home.
Youth under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Exact terrain and distance are not yet known, but will be updated here soon. Please email us at events@santacruzmuseum.org with any concerns or questions in the meantime.
What happens to recyclables after we throw them “away”? Visit the recycling facility at Dimeo Lane and see with your own eyes what happens to the 30 to 50 tons of material that Santa Cruzans place into their blue recycle bins EACH DAY. Learn more about what is and isn’t recyclable, and why it is important to avoid “Wish-Cycling”. Witness the sorting machines in action, see a mountain of scrap metal, and learn about the facility’s Household Hazardous waste program. This tour is a must-see for individuals who want to gain a better understanding about the importance of reducing our waste.
This program has reached capacity. Email events@santacruzmuseum.org to be added to a waitlist, or set-up your own free tour through the Resource Recovery Facility.
This program is in support of the new exhibit Underground: Unearthing Unseen Worlds. Email events@santacruzmuseum.org with any questions, accommodation requests, or if you have trouble registering.Members must be logged in to register.
Accessibility
Children must be at least 8 years old to attend.
Location details shared upon registration.
All must wear close toed shoes and long pants for safety reasons.
Part of the tour will be outside, so be prepared for the weather of the day.
The Santa Cruz Mountains are full of limestone caves that hold many secrets, including records of our climate past. Join Dr. Jessica Oster for an exploration into White Moon Cave where she researches stalagmites (mineral formations growing up from cave floors) that record the climate and environment above the cave as they grow. One stalagmite from White Moon Cave has revealed linkages between the plant community and fire activity above the cave and “climate whiplash” or oscillations between extreme wet and dry periods that occurred over 8,000 years ago. We will discuss how climate records from stalagmites are created as well as the unique things we have learned about California climate from Santa Cruz Mountains caves.
Jessica Oster is an Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. She completed her PhD at the University of California, Davis. Oster studies chemical variations in cave mineral formations such as stalagmites to reconstruct climate change in the past, including changes in rainfall, vegetation, and fire activity above the cave. She has developed stalagmite-based records of climate change from caves in northern and central California, Wyoming, Tennessee, India, and the island of Curaçao.
Dig into the fascinating world of fossils during this month’s Family Fun day at the Museum! We’ll explore ancient whales from millions of years ago and dig for fossil shark teeth, while practicing being paleontologists. All ages welcome, but this is especially relevant for kiddos ages 7-10.
Saturday, October 7, 2023 10-11 a.m.
Free | Donations Appreciated
This program has reached capacity. Email events@santacruzmuseum.org to be added to a waitlist.
This program is in support of the new exhibit Underground: Unearthing Unseen Worlds. Email events@santacruzmuseum.org with any questions, accommodation requests, or if you have trouble registering.
Accessibility
We’ll explore ancient whales from millions of years ago and dig for fossil shark teeth, while practicing being paleontologists. Activities will be tailored to the general age of the group.
The majority of the program will take place outdoors.
You are welcome to continue exploring fossils inside the Museum after the program. Kids and Museum Members are free. Admission for adults is $4.
Youth under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
All ages welcome. Instructors will adapt the program for the needs of the group.
Bathrooms will be available during this program outside the Museum.
Wear layers, comfortable shoes, sun protection, and bring any snacks/water you might need.
Follow the latest guidelines for COVID safety at the time of the program.
October’s First Friday celebrates the opening of the new exhibit Underground: Unearthing Unseen Worlds. Dig into the mysterious creatures, caverns, and curiosities of the underground that sometimes inspire fear, but are essential to life as we know it. The event will feature natural pigment making from soil, geology and paleontology experts with specimen displays, worm composting demos, and more. Come eat, drink, and explore with us!
Friday, October 6, 2023 5-8 p.m. Location: Outside the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
Admission to the Museum is free all day from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Follow the latest guidelines for for covid safety.
Restrooms and water fountains are available inside the Museum.
Artist booths and activities will be on somewhat lumpy grass.
About First Fridays
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 Museum all day 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with special outdoor festivities 5-8 p.m. April-October.
