Education
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Choose from field trips for your grade, and add a tour of the Monarch Sanctuary for your class. Schedule a class field trip
Changes in Habitat
We are offering a brand new field trip, Changes in Habitat, for grades 3-5! For teachers willing to test pilot this new program, we can provide extra time slots and bus scholarships. Schedule a time by contacting us at Education@PGMuseum.org
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Use the Museum’s Education Collection in your classroom! Outreach kits are free and available for 2-week check out. Kits contain collections of items, tools, books, posters, models, games, puppets, and curriculum. Put exciting museum specimens and science tools in your students' hands.
Coastal Ecology
Shells, skulls, pelts, and other specimens are in this classroom kit to help your students learn about coastal ecosystems around Monterey Bay. Curriculum focuses on food chains, adaptations, and conservation.
Fossils
Your students can hold a stegosaurus spine, make a trace fossil, and identify fossils using guidebooks and posters. Kit contents inspire students to learn about dinosaurs, fossils, and geologic timescales.
Monarchs and Pollinators
This kit provides museum education collections items and curriculum to explore monarch adaptations, life cycle, and migration. Materials also explore other pollinators including bees, hummingbirds, beetles, moths, bats, and other butterflies. The curriculum includes activities on adaptations like camouflage and mimicry; ideas on using pollinator science in math, writing, and science learning; and activities that focus on conservation.
Monterey Bay Cultures - Chinese Fishing Villages
This kit provides museum education collections items, tools, books, posters, activity materials, models, and curriculum to explore the Chinese Fishing Villages of Monterey Bay and other fishing cultures in this area. The curriculum focuses on history, culture, and environmental conservation. Visit our Fishing Village page for more.
Monterey Bay Cultures – Natural Resources of the Ohlone
This kit includes the resources in the lower grades kit and includes additional resources on Monterey’s Japanese-American fishing people and their history.
Rocks and Minerals
This kit contains dozens of rock and mineral specimens, tools, books, posters, and curriculum to explore rocks and mineral formation and chemistry, the rock cycle, rock identification, geologic time, and other geology topics.
Skins, Skulls, and Scat (Box #1, Box #2)
This kit provides museum education collections items and curriculum to explore predator-prey, food chains, adaptations, tracks, and local animals in their habitats.
C-MORE Science Kits
C-MORE Science Kits, developed at the University of Hawaii, offer lesson plans and materials for hands-on ocean science activities. They are designed for use with a range of grade levels. Each kit provides the information and supplies necessary for educators to teach their students about a particular topic in oceanography.
Topics include: Marine Debris, Marine Mystery, Knots, Ocean Acidification, Ocean Conveyor Belt, Plankton, & Random Sampling.
Questions? Email Education@PGMuseum.org
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LiMPETS (Long-term Monitoring Program and Experiential Training for Students) is an environmental monitoring and education program for students, educators, and volunteer groups. The LiMPETS network provides authentic, hands-on coastal monitoring experiences that empower teachers, students and the community to conduct real science and serve as ocean stewards.
The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History provides this program free of charge to Monterey County schools. Learn More about LiMPETS
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Watershed Guardians gets students grades 6-12 to their local watershed to conduct water quality testing and participate in community science and stewardship.
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Students in grades 6-12 are invited to share their field research at the Student Research Symposium at the Museum each April. Students can communicate their findings in a research poster or community action project.
Posters and projects are reviewed by a panel of local scientists and all student-scientists receive feedback on their work and learn about careers and further study in science and conservation. This event is fully bilingual and brings families and the community together to celebrate the work of the student-scientists. Learn more here
The 2026 Student Research Symposium is on April 26! Registration will be available February 20, 2026, and projects will be selected by April 2.
Questions? Email Education@PGMuseum.org
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TLiMPETS Teacher Workshop
Both our LiMPETS and Watershed Guardians programs offer teacher workshops and 1:1 coaching. Please reach out to our program coordinator for more information at JJohnston@PGMuseum.org
Below are the next upcoming teacher workshops:
LiMPETS Sandy Beach Monitoring Teacher Workshop
Saturday, September 20, 2025: 8:00 am - 1:30 pm
Open to high school and middle school teachers
School Programs
Changes Field Trips sponsored by American Water.
Museum Summer Camps
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Thank you to Montage Health Foundation for supporting our amazing summer of discovery and fun. Check back in February 2026 when camp information will be available.
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We hope you’re able to come to camp, but if not, please reach out to us at the Education@PGMuseum.org or by calling/texting 831-282-2267. To receive a refund, cancellations must be made at least 2 weeks prior to the start of camp. All refunds/rescheduling is subject to a $25 administrative fee.
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Please visit our support page and register to become a Family Member or higher. Discounts will be applied at checkout.
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Please contact us, and keep in mind it is very helpful if you provide a screenshot of any error message.
Email: education@pgmusem.org
Call/Text: 831-282-2267
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We do offer scholarships, though resources are limited and depends on foundation support.
Education for All Ages
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The California Naturalist course will introduce you to the wonders of our local ecology and engage you in the stewardship of California’s natural communities. The course will combine a science curriculum with guest lecturers, field trips, and project-based learning to immerse you in the natural world of Monterey County. The next course will be offered in Fall 2026.
Course format: The class will meet from 6:00-8:00 each Wednesday evening online and every other Saturday in-person at a different field site in Monterey County. The online classes involve guest speakers as well as group and individual work. Field trips involve hands-on learning in the field with a guest expert. Students will also participate in a group capstone project and will take part in at least one community science project.
Tuition: Tuition is $450. PGMNH Members receive a 10% discount. PGMNH volunteers and staff from partner organizations receive a 20% discount. For information on discounts, email education@pgmuseum.org
Cancellations: Registrants may cancel up to two weeks before the first day of instruction for a full refund, minus a $50 administrative fee. If registrants cancel within 2 weeks, they will either receive a 50% refund (minus the processing fee) or, if they successfully refer another student to replace their spot, a full refund (minus the administrative fee). Otherwise, cancellations will not receive a refund.
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Here at the Pacific Grove Museum, education comes alive and people are encouraged to explore their interests. Exploration Station is an interactive learning space for guests of all ages to engage in hands-on exploration and discovery. While the majority of our activities are designed for children pre-school through 8th grade, everyone is welcome to enjoy this interactive space. Monthly topics typically match our Science Saturday themes.
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Admission is FREE!
Science Saturdays are held on the last Saturday of every month, during the academic year, from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. Join in on themed activities, crafts, workshops, and lectures. Learn more on our events page.
Our 2025-26 Science Saturdays are partially sponsored by Mechanics Bank and Monterey County Fish and Game Advisory Commission.
Wonder on Wheels
Wonder on Wheels (WOW) is our new mobile museum that launched in earnest in 2025. This mobile museum is the culmination of years of planning with community input and support to bring the joy of discovery and museum specimens to every learner in Monterey County! You can find WoW at libraries, community centers, and other venues throughout the County.
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WOW is a fully electric interactive vehicle that brings the museum experience to all communities in Monterey County. WOW is designed to engage people of all ages and includes three themed interactive carts: Pollinators and Flowers, People and our Land, and Monterey Bay Wildlife. Each cart features local and native specimens from Monterey County and offers bilingual interactive activities such as opening drawers, flower dissections, scavenger hunts, and cultural crafts.
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The van's exterior is wrapped with vintage field guide-style drawings of local flora and fauna in Monterey County, allowing guests to color the illustrations. Additionally, the van is equipped with an interactive board called "Build your own Museum," where guests of all ages can create their own museum using magnetic pieces.
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The first cart is named "Pollinators and Flowers" and includes three engaging activities: "Be a Bee," "Match the Pollinator," and "Flower Dissections."
In the "Be a Bee" activity, participants learn about the pollination process between flowers and bees. The "Match the Pollinator" activity helps individuals understand how different flower shapes, colors, and scents attract various pollinators, such as birds, bees, and beetles. Finally, "Flower Dissections" allows learners to explore the intricate anatomy of a flower by dissecting it, examining it under a microscope, and organizing the flower's anatomical parts.
Along with the three activity carts the cart also includes museum specimens like beetles, bees, flowers, butterflies, and more preserved specimens for all to view.
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The second cart is named “Monterey Wildlife” and includes three main engaging activities: “Test your knowledge of local wildlife”, Who was here?”, and “Spot the adaptations”.
In the “Test your knowledge of local wildlife” activity, participants will look at clues like skulls, tracks, and fur patterns to guess which local wildlife they are observing. The “Who Was Here” activity encourages individuals to examine images depicting tracks, feathers, and other clues to determine what recently occurred in that image. Lastly, “Spot the Adaptations” invites participants to observe an animal puppet and identify characteristics that enhance its chances of survival.
Additionally, this cart is heavily equipped with museum skulls, furs, claws, and craft activities like stenciling local wildlife tracks!
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The third cart is named “People and Our Land” and includes three engaging activities: “Cart scavenger hunt”, “Chinese Fishing Village photos”, and “Ohlone basket weaving”.
In the "Cart Scavenger Hunt" activity, participants will search for materials in the cart and learn how these materials were used by the people of Monterey Bay. The "Chinese Fishing Village Photos" activity includes questions next to the CFV photos, which are designed to encourage individuals to immerse themselves in the past. The third activity, "Basket Weaving," provides cultural background on the significance of Ohlone basket weaving to the Ohlone people and includes instructions on how to weave an Ohlone basket.
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Why rent Wonder on Wheels? It provides an immersive learning experience that brings the museum's offerings to your location, creating an unforgettable event for all ages. From exploring how pollination impacts food production to understanding local wildlife through animal skulls and pelts and learning traditional skills like basket weaving or fishing methods, WoW delivers a fun, engaging experience for all.
Naturalists in Training
An internship for high school students
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The Naturalists in Training is an internship for high school students. Interns hone their skills in science communication, natural history, and conservation. They use their knowledge and skills to work with Museum visitors of all ages.
There are 2 internship tracks: a summer-only program and a school-year program. Students may choose to apply for one or both, depending on the student’s interests and availability. Students can receive either community service or a stipend for their work.
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The summer track is recommended for students with summer availability and who would like to gain professional experience in the education field. To apply, students must be entering grade 10 or higher.
Summer track participants must be able to attend two all-day workshops (Saturday, May 23 and Saturday June 6), a half-day workshop (Saturday, August 1) and must have enough availability for at least 2 weeks of summer camp (Mon-Fri from June-July, 8:15 am - 4:15 pm).
Read the full program description linked here.
Applications for summer 2026 are open! Submit both the NITs application and send the reference form to someone who knows you well, like a teacher, mentor, or supervisor.
All applications are due by April 5, 2026.
Questions? Email the Volunteer Coordinator.
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Applications for the 2026-2027 school year are now open!
Submit both the NITs application and send the reference form to someone who knows you well, like a teacher, mentor, or supervisor.
All applications are due by April 5, 2026.
Read the full program description linked here.
Questions? Email the Volunteer Coordinator.
The school year program is recommended for students with school year weekend availability and who would like to gain experience in the environmental sciences and conservation fields. To apply, students must be entering Grade 9 or higher.
Participants must be able to attend an all-day workshop (Saturday, June 6) and a half-day workshop (Saturday, August 1). They must have enough availability to participate in 6 Science Saturday shifts (last Saturday of the month, 6-hour shifts) and 6 flexible volunteer shifts throughout the school year.
Students can participate in optional enrichments engaging in local field science and conservation. They gain experience, mentoring, and can receive either community service or a stipend.
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For the summer program, any current high school student (going into grades 10 or above) may apply. For the school year program, any student going into grades 9 - 12 may apply.
A Naturalist in Training needs to enjoy working with children and the public, have an appreciation for science and nature, and be willing to learn new things. Look at the descriptions of the summer and school year tracks to see which ones most closely match your interests and availability.
NITs are required to follow safety safety guidelines, show up on-time to all assigned shifts, and prepared for trainings and volunteer shifts. See the descriptions of the summer and school year programs for availability requirements.
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Applications for both the summer 2026 and the school year 2026-2027 programs are now open!
You can read the full program description linked here.
To apply for either program, fill out a NITs application. Send the reference form to a professional who knows you well, like a teacher, mentor, or supervisor.
All application materials are due by April 5, 2026.
Questions? Email the Volunteer Coordinator.
Applications for summer 2026 and the 2026-2027 school year are now open! To apply, fill out both the NITs application below and send the reference form to a professional who knows you well, like a teacher, mentor, or supervisor.
All applications are due April 5, 2026.
Questions? Email the Volunteer Coordinator.
Museum Field Trips
The Museum provides a wide variety of free educational programs for Monterey County students during the school year aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards taught by our education staff. These fun, hands-on learning in the Museum experiences are designed for elementary school students. Our programs last 30 minutes in our classroom followed by a chaperone-guided museum tour and scavenger hunt. We can accommodate two classes from the same school in a 1-hour time block, and require a 1:8 chaperone to student ratio.
Add a Monarch Sanctuary Field Trip (Nov - Feb)
Take a journey through the life of migrating monarchs with our incredible docents at the Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary! During migration season (November-February), the Sanctuary is a great spot to learn about monarchs, local pollinators, and food webs.
Located approximately 1 mile from the Museum, the Monarch Sanctuary is a great addition to any Museum field trip. Check the box on the reservation form to let us know you are interested in visiting the Sanctuary with your class in addition to the museum. If a docent is available, they can accommodate a class of up to 30 students for a half-hour program at the Sanctuary.
The Museum is proud to offer free educational opportunities throughout Monterey County. To support these efforts, schools that are able should consider a donation of $100 per field trip visit.
Field Trip Scheduling
Please select your field trip theme and make a booking using the form below. Your field trip is not confirmed until you receive confirmation from the Museum's Education Department. If you have any questions about a field trip or class program, please contact education@pgmuseum.org.