Discover the history of agriculture in this area of the country – including the crops, people, artifacts and farming practices that have made the Central Coast what it is today. View our exhibits & explore our gift shop, “Country Corner.” Families welcome.

Agricultural History Project

2601 East Lake Ave. • Watsonville, CA 95076

831-724-5898

Thurs – Sun, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm or by appointment.

Call for holiday hours. Groups by appointment.

Free Admission – Donations appreciated

Aptos evolved from an Indian village

to a Mexican cattle rancho, Claus

Spreckels’ thoroughbred horse ranch

(the millionaire sugar grower), a lumber town, an

apple processing center, and ultimately a resort. The

first public aeroplane flights took place here and it was

the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake epicenter.

Aptos History Museum

7605-B Old Dominion Court • Aptos, CA 95003

831-688-1467

Mon – Fri, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm and by appointment

Free Admission – Donations appreciated

Capitola, the oldest resort on the Pacific Coast, is celebrated with stories and photographs in the changing exhibits of Capitola Historical Museum. Research materials may be viewed by appointment.

Community walking tours for groups of 25 persons or more can be arranged on weekdays from May through September with advance notice.

Capitola Historical Museum

410 Capitola Avenue • Capitola, Ca 95010

831-464-0322

Wed, Fri thru Sun, 12:00 – 4:00 pm

Free Admission – Donations appreciated

The largest cultural facility in the area  ntegrates art and history to create a unique visitor experience. “Where the Redwoods Meet the Sea: A History of Santa Cruz County and Its People” takes visitors through history with highlights on industry, tourism and the environment with an audio tour option. The Museum oversees three historic landmarks: Evergreen Cemetery, The Octagon, and the Davenport Jail.

The Museum of Art & History

@ the McPherson Center

705 Front Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

831-429-1964

Tues – Sun 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Admission fees:

Adult – $5, Seniors & Students over 18 – $3, Students between 12-17 – $2, and under 12 is free

Free First Friday of each month with extended hours to 9:00 pm.

 Go to The Museum of Art & History Website Link

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Explore Pacific Rim migrations, both by people and by creatures of the air and sea. Discover the stories of settlers and cultures that are a part of this region’s rich history. Park store sales support education in the parks. Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks members receive 15% discount.

Pacific Migrations Visitor Center

1500 Park Avenue • Capitola, CA 95010

831-464-5620, or 831-685-6444.

Call or click for hours/events.

Pajaro Valley Historical Association manages the Bockius-Orr house and gardens, the Snyder Archive and the Volk Museum. We gather, research, preserve and display items relating to the history of the Pajaro Valley. Individual and group tours may be arranged. Facilities can be rented for events.

Pajaro Valley Historical Association

332 East Beach Street • Watsonville, CA 95076

831-722-0305

Tues, Wed and Thurs 11:00 am – 3:00 pm

Free admission – donations appreciated

The Rodgers House, built in the 1870’s by James Rodgers, now beautifies the front entrance to your Santa Cruz County Fair and serves as national landmark on Highway 152 East of Watsonville and West of Gilroy. The house contains archives chronicling the house’s history, including stories of the Rodgers Family and the history of the Pajaro Valley. Several notable family photographs show John Steinbeck, the brother of Esther Rodgers, including one carving the family Thanksgiving turkey.

Rodgers House, Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds,

2601 East Lake Ave. • Watsonville, Ca 95076

831-724-5671

Mon – Fri 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. Tours (10+ people) Mon – Sun by appt

Free admission – donations appreciated

Go to Rodgers House Website Link

Explore San Lorenzo Valley history in a 1906 redwood church. Exhibits include logging & mill camps. Lumber shipped by flume, then narrow gauge. Also local early schools, vignettes of Victorian life, local pioneer biographies, & rotating exhibits. Visit our bookstore for history, local exploring, & nature books.

San Lorenzo Valley Museum

12547 Highway 9, Boulder Creek, CA 95006

831-338-8382

Wed, Fri – Sun 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Free Admission – Donations appreciated

Located in the oldest building in Santa Cruz, a restored adobe, exhibits feature California Indians and life during the Spanish Mission period. Park store sales support education in the parks. Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks members receive 15% discount.

Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park Visitor Center

144 School Street • Santa Cruz, CA 95060

831-425-5849

Call or click for hours/events.

This unique little museum’s exhibit chronicles over 100 years of local surfing history beginning when 3 Hawaiian princes surfed the waves off of Santa Cruz on July 5, 1885, becoming the first persons to introduce board surfing to the United States mainland. Administered by the Santa Cruz Surfing Club Preservation Society.

Santa Cruz Surfing Museum

Mark Abbot Memorial Lighthouse

701 W Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

831-420-6289

Winter Hours: Thur – Mon 12:00 – 4:00 pm

Summer Hours: Wed – Mon 10:00 am

Our museum offers an up close and personal view of the apparatus and equipment used during the history

of the Watsonville Fire Department. Our building was in use by the fire department from 1924 until 1982 when the new building adjacent to the museum was opened. The two buildings together offer a glimpse of the past as well as the present. The museum is operated by the Watsonville Firefighters’ Association, a registered non-profit organization.

Watsonville Fire Department Chief Gene Friend Museum

105 Second Street, Watsonville, CA 95076

831-768-3202

Thurs – Sat, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. Visits are available by appointment.

Free admission – Donations appreciated.

Free parking available behind the fire station.

Explore the history of early ranchers and farmers through exhibits, tours and living history demonstrations. Grounds include Victorian homes, barns, blacksmith and tool shops, farm animals, and an historic adobe. Park store sales support education in the parks. Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks members receive 15% discount.

Wilder Ranch State Park Visitor Center

1401 Old Coast Road • Santa Cruz, CA 95060

831-426-0505

Call or click for hours/events.