Explore the nature of Santa Cruz — wherever you are! Connect with local experts and join your community in deepening understanding about nature, science, and stewardship online and in-person. Stay updated about upcoming events by signing up for our newsletter.
Upcoming Events
- Mobile Museums
Find our pop-up mobile museums at events around Santa Cruz County and beyond! When: Saturday, April 19, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 4 PMWhere: Downtown Santa Cruz (Pacific Avenue, Cooper Street … Read more - 4/18 Art of Nature Workshop: Butterflies in Watercolor
As part of this Springtime special, get up close and personal with the art of arthropods! Featuring beautiful insect displays, from the rarely seen insect taxidermy collection, this program is perfect … Read more - 4/19 Saturdays in the Soil
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, … Read more - 4/19 Earth Day Rockin’ Pop Up!
Looking for a GNEISS way to spend your weekend? Well, you won’t want to take this special event for GRANITE! Celebrate Earth Day with a rockin’ afternoon at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural … Read more - 4/20 Earth Day Special: Birding Photography
Learn to appreciate the diverse bird populations of Santa Cruz through a camera lens. Level-up your birding by applying photography tips, tricks, and techniques to capture these animals in action. Guided … Read more - 4/23 Art of Nature Workshop: Birds in Gouache
As part of this Art of Nature special, learn from one of the featured exhibitors on how to capture the intricate beauty of birds. Spotlighting local Santa Cruz species as models, … Read more - 4/25 Earth Day Special: Sea Glass Art
Go green this Earth Day by creating a work of art from upcycled beach glass! As part of this special seasonal offering, discover the beauty of beachcombing as you create a … Read more - 4/26 Earth Day in Oils – Environmental Oil Painting
Let’s go to the beach and learn to paint in oils! In recognition of Earth Day, learn how to use oil paints in an environmentally friendly, solvent-free way. This open-air art … Read more - 4/27 Intro to Plein Air Painting – Superblooms
Go outside and learn to paint gouache and watercolor landscapes while surrounded by nature as inspiration. This open-air art workshop will teach the techniques necessary to capture environmental perspectives through the … Read more - 5/2 Micro May First Friday
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 … Read more - 5/3 Scientific Illustration & Observation in Stippling
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. … Read more - 5/9 Nudibranch Painting Party!
As part of this Art of Nature exhibit special, join an esteemed artist as you learn the science and art behind the most adorable sea slug around! Featuring beautiful scientific illustration … Read more - 5/10 Local Artist Market & FREE Museum Day
Join over 40 local Santa Cruz artists as they showcase their craftsmanship! We will be featuring a wide array of goods, ranging from paintings and photography to jewelry, decor, and embroidery. … Read more - 5/15 Micro May Naturalist Night: The Marvels of Microfossils
What might look like sand to the untrained eye may be the missing clue in a paleontological puzzle. Microfossils are preserved remains, traces, or imprints of past life, including bones, shells, … Read more - 5/16 Micro May Nature Journaling: Magnify the Micro
Explore the hidden wonders of nature’s tiny treasures! From insects to shells, acorns to flower buds, there are stunningly intricate details in backyard beauty. Using watercolors, colored pencils, and other mixed … Read more - 5/17 Saturdays in the Soil with the Society for Conservation Biology
Join the Museum for a very special community gardening day, as we team up with the Santa Cruz County Chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology! Dig in and flex your … Read more - 5/21 Micro May Naturalist Night: Pint-Sized Parasites
Forget the horrors lurking in the shadows, instead ask what’s lurking under your own skin! Join an eco-pathologist to uncover the nuanced nightmares that call host organisms home. From flatworms to … Read more - 5/23 Micro May Collections Club: Magnifying Microfossils with Microscopes
As a special continuation of the Microfossil Naturalist Night lecture, join Paleontologist Wayne Thompson for a chance to view his microfossil research up close and personal! Using scientific microscopes, experience the … Read more - 5/24 Member Meetup: A Cotoni-Coast Dairies Behind-the-Scenes Tour
Don’t miss this special, limited-time opportunity for a private guided tour of the Cotoni-Coast Dairies National Monument – before it’s even open to the public! Guided by land stewards and environmental … Read more - 5/25 Micro May: Biota & Biomes in Macrophotography
Learn to appreciate the diminutive flora and fauna of Santa Cruz through a camera lens. Magnify your photography skills by applying special micro and macro tips, tricks, and techniques to capture … Read more - 5/29 Micro May Naturalist Night: The Hidden Life of Hummingbirds
What’s the buzz with hummingbirds? You may have seen them in your backyard, but how much do you really know about the secretive world of the world’s smallest bird? There is … Read more - 5/30 Micro May: Cigarette Surfboard Popup in the Park
For one night only, join the artists, designers, and conservationists behind The Cigarette Surfboard for a special popup exhibit in Tyrrell Park! For the first time, see all 10 beautifully decorated … Read more - 5/31 Micro May: Oil Painting in Miniature
Explore the tiny side of Tyrrell Park and learn to paint in oils! In celebration of Spring, learn how to capture the beauty of nature’s miniature marvels using oil paints. From … Read more
Registration Policies
Want to know more about our events or share your suggestions about potential topics? Email us at events@santacruzmuseum.org.
Upcoming Nature Club Events
Nature Club takes young explorers (6th-8th grade) into local habitats to learn about the amazing living world around us while making discoveries along the way. Learn more.
