Plan Your Visit
The Museum and Museum Store are located blocks from the beach and a few minutes drive from the Monterey Bay Aquarium in beautiful historic downtown Pacific Grove. Visit the Aquarium first, bring your ticket, and we’ll give you a $2.00 admissions discount.
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10:00 am - 4:00 pm, Wednesday - Sunday (CLOSED Monday & Tuesday)
The Museum is closed for the following holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day.
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$12.00 for Adults
$8.00 for youth 4-18, students with school ID, seniors, and military
Admission is FREE for: 3 years and under, Museum Members, Monterey County residents, Monterey County school field trips, and visitors to only the Museum Store.
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Self-guided tours are welcome to the Museum. If your group includes more than 10 people, please let us know ahead of time and we'll coordinate with any other large groups.
If your group would like a specialized experience, schedule your docent-led tours around our Museum galleries here.
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From Highway 1, North or South directions, take the Highway 68 West Exit. Stay in your right lane. This road turns into Forest Avenue. Follow Forest for 1 block past Lighthouse Avenue. The Museum is located at the corner of Forest and Central Avenues.
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Unlimited parking on two sides of Jewell Park, directly across the street from the front entrance of the Museum. Two-hour limit on Central Avenue and Grand Avenue. All day parking in parking lot on Forest Avenue on Saturday and Sunday only.
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Adult visitors with disabilities will receive discounted admission at half price ($4) of the Senior rate upon request. One-to-one aides or attendants of guests with disabilities receive complimentary admission. This includes one family member or friend who is serving as an interpreter for deaf guests or as a guide for blind guests. Guests with foster youth may also receive free admission upon request.
Food and Drink:
Food and drink is not permitted in the Museum. A water fountain is located in the garden patio. -
Food and drink is not permitted in the Museum. A water fountain is located in the garden patio.
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Leucothea
Artist Don Wobber found this 2,400 pound jade boulder decades ago on the bottom of the ocean off of Jade Cove in Big Sur and helped pioneer making jade harvesting permitted for works of art. Today you can find Leucothea in the Museum garden. Please note that currently Big Sur's Jade Cove is located in the Monterey Bay National Sanctuary and thus protected.
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Sandy the Whale
Artist Larry Foster created the beloved Sandy the Gray Whale who welcomes us all to the Museum. Sandy is an actual life-sized model of a female Gray whale and has been a local favorite since the 1980s. School Field Trips tend to start and end with Sandy the whale.
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Environmental Art
This kinetic wind sculpture located in the Museum's Native Plant Garden was created by artist Lyman Whitaker. There are many pieces of environmental art all around the garden, what will you find on your visit?
Visiting the Museum with Kids
We welcome children of all ages with their grownups. All of our galleries have child-friendly interactives and exhibits to explore. Here are some ideas to make your visit great:
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Scavenger hunts are located on the sharing desk in Nature Exchange. Take completed scavenger hunts to a docent or staff member for a prize!
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The Exploration Station gallery invites visitors of all ages to explore their connection to nature with hands-on activities. These activities include arts and crafts, guided curiosity activities, nature drawing, and themed scavenger hunts. There are new themes and activities every month, so you can come back and explore more!
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Our Garden has a pebble pit with real fossils to discover. Children may take one fossil home each — if you find more than one, hide it for the next kid!
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You can find a quiet space in the Bird Room or Native Plant Garden. Food and drink is not allowed in the Museum. But if your child needs a snack break, you can go to the patio in the Garden. There is a water fountain on the garden patio.
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We have stroller parking outside the front door, on the back patio, and in the Bird Gallery. If you're unsure of where to park your stroller, feel free to ask our front desk staff for their help!
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There are changing tables in both the women’s and men’s restrooms. A family and all-gender restroom is located through the classroom.
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Jewell Park is across the street from the Museum, and it is a good place to run, play, and picnic. Caledonia Park is two blocks west of the Museum on Central Ave, and it has a playground.
Walk two blocks to the water and enjoy a child-friendly beach, Lover's Point, or walk the recreation trail looking for seals, otters, and birds. A fresh water ADA accessible pool, open to the public during the summer, can also be found at Lover's Point.
Schedule a Museum Tour
Discover the unique natural and cultural wonders of the Central California coast with this curated experience. Explore the Museum with a guide who will show the long history the Museum has of inspiring discovery and stewardship of the natural world.
Price: $30 per group (price does not include Museum admission)
Length: 45 minutes.
Booking: To book a tour, select a time slot in the calendar below.