Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History

Book our private room for your next event, class or birthday party.

Your membership is not just a contribution; it's a catalyst for inspiring minds that can inspire thousands of people.

History, culture & art come to life through our exhibits, programs, and community science.

Our new mobile exhibit brings nature and science education directly to your schools and community events.

Learn all about our youth programs and see how you can get involved in community science.

Visit the Monarch Sanctuary from November to February when monarchs are in Pacific Grove. See how many there and how to visit.

Monterey County is one of the top five places in North America for bird watching due to its diverse number of resident and migratory birds. The Museum's Birds of Monterey County exhibition features 291 bird species and 409 life mounted birds. Highlights include a California condor, 117 Rollo Beck life-mounted birds.

Pictured Above: Belted Kingfisher from Museum Collection

Entering the Museum's Native Plant Garden you are greeted by a 2400 lb. Jade boulder hoisted from the bottom of the ocean in Big Sur by artist Don Wobber. The Museum's Main Gallery also contains a display on jade, Monterey County geology, paleontology, and mineralogy, with an enclosed viewing window devoted to fluorescent minerals.

Pictured Above: Artist Don Wobber and the jade boulder, Leucothea

The Museum's Native Plant Garden features three spaces that reflect the area’s important local ecosystems – coastal scrub, chaparral and oak woodland – as well as a butterfly garden and an ethno-botanical area featuring plants that local California Indians used for food and utility. Use our Plant List to find drought resistant native plants for your garden. Kids enjoy digging in the garden fossil pit and bringing home one of its fossils.

This exhibition tells the story of the residents of the Point Alones Chinese Fishing Village. The first to immigrate from China as families, these residents were forced out of their homes in 1906 when their prosperous fishing village was purposefully burned down. Having started one of California's largest fisheries, the villagers significantly contributed to California's natural history and economic development. Historic photographs from the Museum's Collection tell their story.

Explore the miraculous and unique annual cycle of western monarch butterflies, which includes a winter migration to California’s Central Coast. Highlights of this exhibition include real specimens, amazing videos, and vintage artifacts--all wrapped in the most up-to-date scientific knowledge and artistic presentation.

Our Rumsen Ohlone Basketry exhibit features rare and historic California Native baskets from the Central Coast. Alongside these, it displays native plants collected by contemporary Ohlone weaver Linda Yamane, a video of her work, large-scale models of coiling and twining techniques, and a hands-on weaving station for visitors.

This exhibition explores the changing landscapes of Monterey County through memory and data, through what we remember and what we record. How have habitats changed? How might they continue to change? What can we do to protect this place we all share? This exhibit highlights Coastal Habitats Mountain Habitats, Valley Habitats and Change in Action. Learn more here.

This exhibit spotlights a variety of amazing collections, from shells to weapons and beyond, brought from the Museum's fascinating basement treasures. See historic photographs, Ed Ricketts collection items, and much more. This exhibit will rotate periodically, trading exhibit material with rarely seen material from the Museum's vast collection.

Created in partnership with Blue Rhino Studio to inspire imagination, curiosity, and exploration, Wonder is the embodiment of how fantastical and magical the natural world is, with every aspect built to delight the senses in themes celebrating the incredible worlds of insects, exploration, plants and animals, culture, and ideas.