Catch “Beautiful Bats” this Saturday with the Bat Conservancy of Coastal California. Learn about the fascinating adaptations of these fuzzy flying mammals, make fun craft projects, get your face painted, and grab a cone from the Penny Ice Creamery. Drop in from 11am – 2pm.
A pair of juncos are nesting in a Museum window. While this fastidious photographer only captured one on film, other Museum employees believe there are two hatchlings in the nest atop the eastern restroom window sill. The parents are rather protective, but don’t seem too concerned by Museum guests using the facilities. Check out more pics on the Museum Facebook page.
Join Frank Perry for Urban Geology - our summer installment of the Connect With Nature series on July 28. This local historian, geologist, and paleontologist will guide you on a walking tour of the most notable geological features of Santa Cruz. We’ll see outcrops of fossils, learn how the San Lorenzo River shaped the area’s topography, and examine the rocks of well-known city landmarks. Registration is now available online.
Our Summer Camps are fun and inspiring! The Art and Nature Explorers scoured the beach for natural materials to create mobiles with. They tested local water quality and tooled through city open spaces, taking time to draw, connect, and learn. Next week, the lucky kids in our Nature and Survival Skills Camp will learn ancient ways of living, and enjoy an overnight camping trip where they can apply their skills. There are still a couple of openings in the second session of this camp, running July 23-27. So if you’re looking for an enriching summer day camp with an overnight finale, read more info about Nature and Survival Skills Camp.
Interactivity – we welcome your creativity! Our topo map at the entrance to the Museum asks, “How have you connected with nature?” A host of animal images are available to mount to the map so you can show us where you most recently saw a stellar jay or a harbor seal. A couple of new animals appeared on the map today, crafted straight from mounting putty. I started wondering, how else can we invite interaction? So I ask you – what do you want to see at the Museum? Leave your comments here on the blog.
