Welcome

The Pacific Grove Museum is your living personal field guide to the California Central Coast. Explore the birds and wildlife, plants, geology and cultural richness that make this region unique in the world.

The Museum's mission is to inspire discovery, wonder, and stewardship of our natural world.

This Museum is accredited by the American Association of Museums.

Monarchs Come Home Exhibition

Find out about 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, vintage artifacts, a "cabinet of curiosities," and multiple hands-on opportunities--all wrapped in the most up-to-date scientific knowledge and artistic presentation.

It's A MVSEVM in a MUSEUM!

“The MVSEVM” celebrates the founding spirit of the 130-year-old PG Museum, when scientists and citizens roamed the region and the world collecting natural specimens and artifacts. They brought back rare and curious items for study, and the museum grew to house “wonders of nature” made available for display and learning. The exhibition will close on Sept 15  after a run of almost a full year, in order to continue use of the space as the museum’s Special Exhibitions Gallery. 

 


Science Saturday: Endangered Monterey

 What’s endangered in our own backyard? Monterey County is home to many different kinds of animals and plants, and some are on the brink of extinction! Come to the Museum to learn about what’s endangered in the area where you live. Try to see if you can survive like a California Condor, discover the difficult life of a Smith’s Blue Butterfly, create crafts to take home and more! Experts from the Bureau of Land Management will be there to talk about what they’re doing to help endangered animals. Come find out what’s endangered in Monterey!

This event is FREE, so stop by anytime between 11:00am and 3:00pm

Pacific Grove's Chinese Fishing Village

The Museum’s special exhibition on the Pacific Grove Chinese Fishing Village is again being extended due to popular demand. The special exhibition was made possible thanks to the expertise and generosity of Michael E. Croft.  Mr. Croft used historic photographs to recreate the Chinese Fishing Village and the McAbee Beach Village models . The special exhibition includes this models accompanied by panels describing the history of the Chinese Fishing Village, developed by CSUMB Museum Studies intern Marisa Mercado.  The recent addition of the McAbee Beach model offers a new, more complete view of the history of the Chinese fishing industry in Monterey.

This exhibition is off view until after "Illustrating Nature" closes.

Summer Camps at the Museum!

Have fun this summer at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History! This year the Museum is offering four fun programs:

                                 Art & Nature                                             Buggin' Out
                               June 24th-28th                                          July 8th-12th
                               9:00am-1:00pm                                      9:00am-1:00pm
                                 For ages 4-6                                            For ages 4-6

 

                              Jr. Naturalist                                     Science Da Vinci Style!
                              June 17-21st                                              July 22-26th
                             9:00am-3:00pm                                       9:00am-3:00pm
                               For ages 7-9                                            For ages 9-11

 

 

 

We want to know what you think!

Please take a minute to click on this link (www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZQ85WL8)  to help inform us on how to improve the Museum’s galleries and other guest experiences. Thank you!