The Natural History Museum of Santa Maria

Vertebrate identification.... Can you help us figure out what kind of creature may have left this bone behind?

Sunday's Garden Talk was a blast! Sunny, informative, and socially distant. Entitled, "We’re Wild about California Native Plants," here's what our Museum Board President, Judy Garrett, had to say about the event. "On a pleasant, sunny winter day, members of the Natural History Museum Board, Garden Committee, Advisory Committee and museum docents gathered in the Chumash garden on Sunday, December 6, 2020 with Susan Tuttle, Education Coordinator at Los Flores Ranch Park and cer...tified California naturalist. She spoke about how native plants are adapted to our local climate and soil conditions showing us specimens of coffeeberry, coyote bush, buckwheat and live oak comparing differences with silk tassel bush. These plants provide nectar, pollen, and seeds that serve as food for native butterflies, insects, and birds. They don’t require fertilizers, pesticides, mowing and are drought tolerant . She discussed California live oaks and their importance to the Chumash Indians, and we learned about oak seed collection that is best done in September before the acorns have fallen. Those on the ground usually have worms and aren’t good for planting. We learned about the nature walks that Susan leads in the LFRP and in the Santa Maria River bed. She handed out CA poppy seeds to all 13 people in attendance. It was an informative talk, enjoyed by all. See more

WOW - just take a look at this fabulous photo, our photo contest winner from October!! Find out more here: https://smnaturalhistory.org/photo-contest/

CONGRATULATIONS to our October Photo Contest WINNER, Nancy, for her entry "Our New Pet." (Age category, adult.) Email [email protected] to submit your photo entry in one of four age categories, or follow this link for more information: https://smnaturalhistory.org/photo-contest/

Online shopping? Please shop through #AmazonSmile and support the Natural History Museum. It's super easy and it wont cost you anything!

We're seeing monarchs everywhere, lots of birds and squirrels, fantastic sunsets, and more! Share your nature-photos here in comments... and be sure to invite your friends and family to participate in our contest! Camp Fire Central Coast of California Camp Tacanneko DANA Adobe & Cultural Center Santa Maria-Bonita School District Santa Maria Joint Union High School District-Staying Connected City of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks City of Santa Maria

Learn how to decipher the composition of the soil in your own backyard! Check out this project and more at https://nhm.org/educational-resources/learning-resources. [Photo from NYTimes Sunday edition.]... Thank you Virginia Perry Souza for sharing this! See more

Learn how to decipher the composition of the soil in your own backyard! Check out this project and more at https://nhm.org/educational-resources/learning-resources. [Photo from NYTimes Sunday edition.]... Thank you Virginia Perry Souza for sharing this! See more

Photo contest! Submit your nature photos via email - four age categories! PRIZES! A special THANK YOU to Arrow Camera for supporting this fantastic event! (Be sure to enter monthly -- details below!)

The Natural History Museum is excited to be a host for this fabulous live drive-up event...... THIS weekend! Get your tickets here: https://smct.org/events/

Did you know? #Milkweed is the ONLY source of nourishment for #monarch caterpillars?!

Over 100 local children have been enjoying our exclusive nature journal. Do you have yours yet? Contact us right away!

Have you seen the video? Thank you to our #filmster, Daniel Montellano!!!! https://drive.google.com//16BzYsJbQezXf-YuA-EAxoptis/view

Virginia waters the poppies in the garden while our favorite T-Rex looks over the indoor exhibits.

Meet Judy, Board President of the Natural History Museum.

New page editor, Rebecca McClintock, here at the native garden

https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2017//80-foot-steel-kraken/

Bison haven’t stepped foot on this land in the Badlands National Park since 1870. Today we celebrated the park opening up 22,000 acres of new bison range, somet...hing you, our supporters, helped make possible. Almost 1,200 bison now have 80,000 acres to graze. Here’s what happened: https://wwf.to/2MwlCCA See more

Sound on! Sometimes Aussie birds just take your breath away! This lyrebird has got quite the repertoire! ... : Four Finger Photography in Adelaide, SA.

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