Get Involved With Your Better Nature

Visit the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History

A visit to the Central Coast of California is not complete without a stop at the Museum of Natural History in Morro Bay State Park. The museum offers activities for all ages: nature walks, exhibits, lectures, puppet shows, videos, docent-led tours and special events.

Visit the Chumash garden along the side of the museum and learn how the Chumash used native plants of this area in their daily lives.

The Museum of Natural History is within minutes of the Heron Rookery, Morro Bay State Park, Montaña de Oro State Park, the El Moro Elfin Forest and Audubon's Sweet Springs Nature Preserve. The museum overlooks Morro Bay which is both a State and National Estuary. The museum and gift shop are open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm daily. Call 772-2694 for more information.

Morro Bay Museum of Natural History Library

The Morro Bay Museum of Natural History has a collection of approximately 2,000 volumes of books and other educational materials on a great variety of natural history topics in its downstairs library.  Our books cover topics from botany to insects, birds to marine mammals, geology, evolution, Native American cultures, State Park plans, and much more.

This wonderful library is available for anyone to conduct research.  Only State Park staff and Docents may check out books, but we encourage college and high school students to do research for science projects and scientific papers.  So far, our library is known mostly to Docents, Rangers, and Central Coast Natural History Association board members.  We invite anyone interested in natural history to come visit us. 

Please spread the word about our library.  Those who want to check materials out of the library may consider becoming Docents if they aren't already.  The checkout process for eligible persons is simple and straightforward,  Materials may be kept for a maximum of one month.  Renewal is subject to need and is based on whether other readers have requested the item.  We have multiple copies of our most popular volumes.

Check Out Our Central Coast State Parks

New Hearst Property Aquisition        Cayucos State Beach        Estero Bluffs State Park        Limekiln State Park       Los Osos Oaks State Reserve

Montaña de Oro State Park        Morro Bay State Park        Morro Bay State Park Museum of Natural History      Morro Bay State Park Golf Course

Pismo State Beach        Oceano Dunes SVRA        Hearst San Simeon State Park        W.R. Hearst Memorial Beach

Other Links of Interest

Central Coast Natural History Association (CCNHA)        Nature Walks        School Programs         Mind Walks