Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

Dive into ocean topics and explore the roles of oceanographers and marine biologists. Investigate why seawater is salty, how ocean currents move, and how data is collected. Study marine creatures as scientists and build models of your own. Participants will also venture into local habitats for some off-site adventures.

Tentative Schedule
January 13--Currents in the Ocean (SBMNH)$20 members/$25 non-members
January 20--Tides &Tidepools$20 members/$25 non-members
January 27--Be an Oceanographer$20 members/$25 non-members
February 3--Invertebrates$20 members/$25 non-members
February 10--Human Impacts & Recovery Efforts$20 members/$25 non-members
February 17--Be a Marine Biologist$20 members/$25 non-members
February 24--Adaptations & Behaviors$20 members/$25 non-members
March 2--Field Trip (TBD)$20 members/$25 non-members

Put on your hard hat and live the life of a geologist! Discover how volcanoes make mountains, how water forms valleys, and how fossils tell stories of the past. Explore the boulders along Mission Creek and look at rocks of all shapes and sizes.

Explore the wonders of some marvelous marine animals with activities, crafts, games and investigations at the Sea Center. Take a close look at what it takes to be a whale, a sea otter, a polar bear, an abalone, and plankton. Play games to learn about their special abilities for thriving and surviving in the open ocean. Create, build and make models of animals to take home.

Discover what is on the Moon. Explore ways to get there. Learn what it takes to build a rocket to the Moon. Negotiate for parts with limited resources. Try landing a lunar module on the Moon’s surface.

Discover nature’s secrets in all its glory! Examine the colors, textures, and patterns of nature. Explore how nature demonstrates the impacts of climate change in tree rings and ice cores. Observe tracks and deduce which animal made them. Discover how the secrets of nature extend from the ocean’s depths to outer space.