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Past Events

2/21 Exploring the Mushrooms of the Santa Cruz Mountains with Christian Schwarz (FULL)

Join Christian Schwarz for a guided exploration of the beauty and biodiversity of the Santa Cruz Mountains with a particular emphasis on the mushrooms of the redwood coast. Hone your observational skills and celebrate the myriad creatures that surround us during this limited capacity walk.

Note: We will announce the location a week or so prior to the event. Location will be within Santa Cruz County and determined based on this season’s mushroom crop! We recommend registering prior to the location being announced if you are able as this program will likely reach capacity. All registrants will be notified once the location is determined.

Monday, February 21, 2022
President’s Day
9 a.m. to noon

$25 General | $15 Museum Members (join today!)

This program has reached capacity. Email events@santacruzmuseum.org to be added to a waitlist. 

Accessibility and COVID protocol

  • Participants should be prepared to walk up to 2 miles on uneven terrain. More specific location notes to come.
  • Youth under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Registration fees apply to all ages.
  • We will provide hand lenses and field guides as resources, but feel free to bring along your favorite mushroom observation tools (we have a number of resources in our online store and Members receive 10% off).
  • Follow the latest guidelines for COVID safety at the time of the event.

About our Walk Leader

Christian Schwarz is a naturalist currently living in Santa Cruz, the land of milk (caps) and honey (mushrooms). He studied Ecology and Evolution at UCSC, and now spends his time photographing, teaching about, collecting, and researching macrofungi. He is coauthor of Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast. Fungi satisfy his curiosity with their seemingly endless forms – from the grotesque to the bizarre to the sublimely beautiful. Besides dabbling in mushroom taxonomy, he loves fish, plants, nudibranchs, moths, and dragonflies. He is passionate about citizen science, especially iNaturalist.

Explore our other Fungus February events, supported by the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz and Far West Fungi Santa Cruz.

2/16 Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz Monthly Meeting

Join the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz for their monthly meetings at the Museum! We welcome the general public to our meetings, which include presentations by knowledgeable mycologists, informal mushroom identification, and refreshments. Admission to the Museum is free for Fungus Fed meetings!

Every 3rd Wednesday
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
7-9 p.m.

How to Attend the Meeting

If you plan to come in person, please RSVP via this Google Form. For those of you who would prefer to join us via Zoom, Please Join Here. The session will be opened at 6:30 pm for those who would like to socialize and chat with fellow mycophiles before the main meeting, which will start at 7:00 pm. Zoom participants will be able to chat among themselves until the start of main meeting.

About the February Presentation

Arthur Lee is the founder of Mazu Mushrooms, Pescadero, CA. Art will share with us his family’s journey and the basics of mushroom cultivation.  He will teach us how to build grow houses of different scale, shotgun fruiting chambers (plastic tubs), Martha’s tents (a mini greenhouse), and setting up larger greenhouse-like structures.

For those attending in person, grow kits, spawn bag, cultures and other supplies are available for demonstration.

2/15 Naturalist Night | Intro to Beekeeping with Emily Bondor

Do you want to start keeping bees, but aren’t sure if it’s right for you? Are you determined to start your own hive, but just aren’t sure how, or what to do first? Join Emily Bondor of the Santa Cruz Bee Company for this presentation and conversation inside the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History to find out if beekeeping is right for you and gain a sense of practical next steps in the process. We’ll also discuss ways to best support pollinators in our own backyards. Part of our evening speaker series, Naturalist Night.

Tuesday, February 15, 2022
5:30-7 p.m.

Location: Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
Free with admission*

Register

*Free for Members and Youth | $4 General | $2 Students and Seniors

WHAT TO EXPECT

  • This program will be led by Emily Bondor of Santa Cruz Bee Company who will share a brief presentation about the basics of beekeeping and ways to best support pollinators in our own backyards. The goal of this event is for attendees to find out if beekeeping is right for them and gain a sense of practical next steps in the process.
  • Follow the latest guidelines for COVID safety at the time of the event. Masks are required inside the Museum, space is limited, and please only come if you’re boosted.

About the Presenter

Emily Bondor is a bay area Beekeeper and Educator. She started the Santa Cruz Bee Company in 2015. Through the business, Emily mentors new beekeepers, provides full-service hive management services, and manages her own hives throughout Santa Cruz county. She sells honey and hive products locally. Emily has been teaching beekeeping courses through Cabrillo College since 2016 and has been helping run the Santa Cruz Beekeepers Guild since 2017. Learn more online at www.santacruzbeecompany.com and on Instagram at @santacruzbeeco.

This program is in support of our new exhibit, Pollinators: Keeping Company With Flowers, on view January 15-March 6. Sponsored by 90.3 KAZU, Kenneth S. Norris Center for Natural History, and UCSC’s Center for Agroecology.

2/12 The Art of Fungi Workshop with Andrea Dingeldein (FULL)

Join Andrea (science illustrator) and Marisa (fungiphile and Museum staff) for a day full of fungal exploration — from forest foraging to science illustration!

We’ll start by exploring mushroom biodiversity in the forest, collecting a few specimens that inspire our curiosity and creativity. After a quick break for lunch, we’ll gather back at the Museum for a session of illustration (outdoors weather permitting). Andrea will guide us through the steps in her process, from observing and sketching the form of mushrooms to recording the important details needed for identification. Bring along your own nature journaling tools and materials or use the ones provided, and walk away with a new set of skills and knowledge to help you connect with nature!

Saturday, February 12, 2022
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

$25 General | $15 Museum Members (join today!)
Materials provided.

Register

This program has reached capacity. Email events@santacruzmuseum.org to be added to a waitlist.

Accessibility and Covid Protocol

  • The first part of the program will occur around the UC Santa Cruz Campus (exact location shared upon registration). Be prepared to walk up to 2 miles on uneven terrain.
  • Bring along your own nature journaling tools and materials, or use the ones provided (paper, ink, watercolors, etc).
  • Restrooms and water will be available at the Museum, but not in the field for the first half of the program.
  • Youth under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Registration fees apply to all ages.
  • Follow the latest guidelines for COVID safety at the time of the event.

Learn more about our Program Leaders

Andrea Dingeldein is a science illustrator specializing in artistic depictions of our local maritime and terrestrial habitats. With watercolors and field notebook in hand, she sets out into California’s tidepools, redwood forests, and coastal prairies to document the wonders and oddities of the natural world – from nudibranchs and seaweeds to fungi and flowers. Back in the studio, she transforms her field studies into polished illustrations for scientists, parks, and environmental organizations that work hard to protect and defend the ecosystems she knows and loves. Learn more about Andrea at thelocalnaturalist.com or on Instagram @the_local_naturalist.

Marisa Gomez is Public Programs Manager at the Museum where she infuses her work with tenants of curiosity, enthusiasm, and community. As a steward of the Museum’s public programming, she is committed to providing unique and engaging experiences that connect people with nature in a variety of ways and engage learners of all backgrounds. Marisa has a B.A. in Creative Writing from San Jose State University, is a Certified California Naturalist, serves on the Board of the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum & Botanic Garden, and spends her free time on a bike — searching out mushrooms, algae, rocks, and flowers to puzzle over.

Explore our other Fungus February events, supported by the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz and Far West Fungi Santa Cruz.

2/8 Naturalist Night | Pollinators in the Dark: Bats and their Flowers with Dr. Winifred Frick

Bat diversity around the world includes remarkable adaptations, including species that are highly specialized to drink nectar and pollinate flowers. Worldwide, bats pollinate about 500 different plant species, some of which are commercially important, such as durian in southeast Asia, columnar cacti that produce pitaya fruits in Mexico, and, of course, the wild cultivars of agave for mescal and tequila. Nectar feeding bats live in tropical habitats, although some nectar-feeding bat species perform long distance migrations, following a nectar corridor in Mexico into the southwestern United States. During this talk, Dr. Winifred Frick will illuminate the fascinating features of these pollinators of the dark. Part of our evening speaker series, Naturalist Night.

Tuesday, February 8, 2022
6-7:30 p.m.

Location: Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
Free with admission*

Register

*Free for Members and Youth | $4 General | $2 Students and Seniors

What to Expect

  • Follow the latest guidelines for COVID safety. Masks are required at all times, space is limited, and please only come if you are boosted.
  • The program will occur inside the Museum and we will limit the number of people who can attend so that some distancing can occur.
  • The gift shop will be open and our new exhibit Pollinators will be on view for you to explore before and after the presentation.
  • Restrooms and water fountains are available, but there will not be any food so please snack before coming!

About the Speaker

Dr. Winifred Frick is Chief Scientist at Bat Conservation International and an Associate Research Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Santa Cruz.  She has studied bats for over 20 years and has worked around the world, including places such as Mexico, Rwanda, Guinea, Fiji, and Jamaica to study and protect bat populations.  With nearly 1400 species, bats are the second most diverse group of mammals on earth, yet many species are threatened by the forces of global change.  As Chief Scientist at Bat Conservation International, she directs high priority research and development of scalable solutions for achieving meaningful conservation outcomes for bats.  She has studied pollinating bats in the Sonoran desert habitats of the Baja California peninsula in Mexico. You can learn more about the work of Bat Conservation International at www.batcon.org.  Frick received her B.A. in Environmental Studies from University of California, Santa Cruz and her Ph.D. in Forest Science at Oregon State University in 2007.

This program is in support of our new exhibit, Pollinators: Keeping Company With Flowers, on view January 15-March 6. Sponsored by 90.3 KAZU, Kenneth S. Norris Center for Natural History, and UCSC’s Center for Agroecology.

2/2 Nature Journal Studio (FULL)

Nature journaling can help us view the natural world with new perspectives, learn about our surroundings, and see the extraordinary in the ordinary.

During monthly Nature Journal Studio sessions inside the Museum, Melinda Nakagawa will guide you through a topic as we practice skills in a group setting and share our learning with others. We will develop observation skills and awareness of nature, improve sketching skills, and practice strategies to bring the 3-dimensional world onto the page. Rather than an art class, nature journaling is about observation, curiosity, wonder, and honing these abilities. February’s theme: Mushrooms!

While Nature Journal Studio is located in a primarily in indoor setting, focused on skills building and community, there are other opportunities for field experiences through Spark in Nature.

Wednesday, February 2 | 6:30-8 p.m.

Location: Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
Free (donations appreciated)

Register

Sign-up for other Nature Journal Studio events.

Accessibility and COVID protocol

  • All experience levels are welcome. Youth under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
  • You can attend one session or come each month.
  • This program occurs indoors unless otherwise noted. Masks are required inside the Museum regardless of vaccination status.
  • Capacity is limited, so please register in advance.
  • Basic materials are provided, but feel free to bring your favorite nature journal tools.

About Melinda Nakagawa

Melinda Nakagawa is a biologist, naturalist, and educator with a passion and skill for connecting people to nature. She founded Spark in Nature to guide participants to cultivate a deeper relationship with the natural world, slowing down to nature’s pace and seeing rather than just looking at the world.

With an approach that bridges nature, art, and heart, she welcomes all people regardless of their skill level or background. Through her gentle guidance, hundreds of participants have awakened their spark of curiosity, sense of wonder, and connection to the natural world.

Melinda has partnered with local institutions such as the world-renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium and Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History to lead educator trainings on nature journaling. She leads the Monterey Bay Nature Journal Club’s free online Sunday sessions.

She has an M.S. degree in Marine Science, and has also worked as a naturalist guide, floral designer, and wildlife rehabilitator. For the past two decades Melinda has kept nature journals and continues to learn more from nature with each journal she fills.

Nature journal examples by Melinda Nakagawa.

Explore our other Fungus February events, supported by the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz and Far West Fungi Santa Cruz.

Rockin’ Pop-Up: Terrestrial Planets of our Solar System

Join the Geology Gents, Gavin and Graham, for the first installment of a three-part trilogy exploring the planets of our solar system. February will examine the terrestrial planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.

About the Series: Join the Geology Gents, Gavin Piccione and Graham Edwards, for monthly conversations about rocks live on Facebook. Each month we’ll explore a different geologic topic, from Santa Cruz formations to tips for being a more effective rockhound. Submit your questions ahead of time by emailing events@santacruzmuseum.org and feel free to include pictures of rocks you’d like identified! Note: you do not need to have a Facebook account to be able to watch the program live.

Watch Past Pop-Ups
Read our blog Rock Record

Laura Hecox Day 2022

January 31, 2022 — Thank you to everyone who attended the 2022 Laura Hecox Day celebration. The weather was lovely, making the outdoor event even more festive for our partner organizations, museum members, and volunteers. This year’s celebration of the Museum’s founder included a ceremony where Museum Executive Director Felicia Van Stolk and Board President J.M. Brown presented Mark Hylkema with the 2022 Laura Hecox Naturalist Award. We were honored to be joined in celebrating our awardee and the legacy of our founder by Representative Jimmy Panetta (20th Congressional District, CA) and Jonathan Engleman (Office of Senator John Laird). They recognized Mr. Hylkema for his many years of service to the Santa Cruz community and the State of California. Santa Cruz Mayor Sonja Brunner was on hand to honor the Museum and the legacy of our founder by delivering a proclamation reaffirming January 29 as Laura Hecox Day in the City of Santa Cruz.

Take a trip to the 19th Century during this free and festive celebration in honor of the founder of the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, Laura Hecox! Tour historical collections, create Victorian-era inspired crafts, play games, and more!

Saturday, January 29, 2022
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tyrrell Park1305 E. Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz
Free! Drop-in any time.

What to Expect

FREE ADMISSION
Explore some of Laura’s original collections inside the Museum! Enjoy free admission to our special exhibit Pollinators: Keeping Company With Flowers. Admission will be free all day, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

GAMES AND CRAFTS
Make and play the Victorian way with the fine folks of Wilder Ranch State Park and learn about lighthouses with our friends from Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park.

HISTORY
Learn more about Laura Hecox and explore objects from the past with Museum Collections Manager Kathleen Aston, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, and the Capitola Historical Museum. Local historian and recipient of the 2017 Laura Hecox Naturalist Award, Frank Perry, will present about Laura’s life and legacy at 1 p.m.

WOMEN IN SCIENCE
Get to know the folks at WiSE UCSC and explore the importance of supporting women in science and engineering.

GEOLOGY
Calling all rock collectors! Like many of us, Laura Hecox started collecting rocks as a child. Bring your favorite specimens and geologists Gavin Piccione and Jessica Gagliardi will help you identify them.

LAURA HECOX NATURALIST AWARD
The Laura Hecox Naturalist Award recognizes Santa Cruz County community members who exemplify the Museum’s mission to connect people with nature and science by helping others to appreciate, understand, and protect the wonders of the natural world. Help us honor this year’s recipient, Mark Hylkema, during an award ceremony at 11 a.m.

Please follow the latest guidelines for COVID safety at the time of the event.

About Laura Hecox

Laura Hecox was keeper of the original Santa Cruz lighthouse from 1883 to 1916, as well as a naturalist who shared her profound love of the environment and marine life with the world through her curated exhibits. Before passing away in 1916, Hecox donated her collections to the City of Santa Cruz, where they became the foundation of Santa Cruz’s first public museum. In 2017, the City proclaimed January 29 Laura Hecox Day in honor of her birthday. Learn more about Laura Hecox.

Pollinators and Urban Community Gardens with Stacy Philpott

Pollinators are essential to our environment, but habitat loss, pesticide use, and introduced diseases are causing issues for these creatures all over the world. During this talk, Stacy Philpott will share her research from the past decade exploring how urban garden and landscape management influence pollinators. We’ll tour urban gardens near Santa Cruz and learn about some of the factors that lead to successful pollination and pollinator diversity, as well as issues with parasites and pathogens.

About the Speaker

Stacy Philpott is a Professor of Environmental Studies and Director of the Center for Agroecology at UC Santa Cruz. She is an agroecologist interested in community ecology, ecosystem services, urban agroecology, and interactions between agriculture, conservation, and farmer well-being. Stacy has worked for more than 20 years to understand how farm management and the landscapes surrounding farms influence diversity of insects, plants, and birds on farms, and the ecological interactions among species. She has worked in tropical agroforestry systems in Mexico and Indonesia, annual cropping systems in Nicaragua, and in urban agricultural systems in Michigan, Ohio, and California. She has written more than 140 research articles and book chapters. 

This program is in support of our new exhibit, Pollinators: Keeping Company With Flowers, on view January 15-March 6. Sponsored by 90.3 KAZU, Kenneth S. Norris Center for Natural History, and UCSC’s Center for Agroecology.

1/22 Family Fun with Honey Bees! (FULL)

Connect with the fascinating world of honey bees during this family friendly event outside the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History. We’ll explore a hive, learn how honey bees live, and come to understand the importance of pollinators before making take home crafts out of beeswax!

Saturday, January 22, 2022
10-11 a.m.

Free (donations appreciated)

Register

WHAT TO EXPECT

  • This program will be led by Emily Bondor of Santa Cruz Bee Company.
  • We will meet in the amphitheater behind the Museum.
  • Please wear a mask!

About the Presenter

Emily Bondor is a bay area Beekeeper and Educator. She started the Santa Cruz Bee Company in 2015. Through the business, Emily mentors new beekeepers, provides full-service hive management services, and manages her own hives throughout Santa Cruz county. She sells honey and hive products locally. Emily has been teaching beekeeping courses through Cabrillo College since 2016 and has been helping run the Santa Cruz Beekeepers Guild since 2017. Learn more online at www.santacruzbeecompany.com and on Instagram at @santacruzbeeco.

This program is in support of our new exhibit, Pollinators: Keeping Company With Flowers, on view January 15-March 6. Sponsored by 90.3 KAZU, Kenneth S. Norris Center for Natural History, and UCSC’s Center for Agroecology.