Arts, Music, and Theater

Santa Cruz County is home to a wide array of Art Galleries & Dealers, artists, painters, and sculptors. Pacific Avenue alone has more than 20 public art pieces, which you can view using the Public Art Walking Tour brochure. Don’t miss Santa Cruz Open Studios in October, when you get a chance to peek into the studios of local artists.

And, if you’re here on the first Friday of the month, don’t miss the chance to visit participating galleries, which are open between 12noon and 9 p.m, through First Friday Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz County has museums to cater to all your interests, from art to surfing to agriculture:

• Museum of Art & History at the McPherson Center
• Santa Cruz Art League 
• Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery at UCSC
• Santa Cruz Surfing Museum 
• Capitola Historical Museum
• San Lorenzo Valley Museum 
• Pajaro Valley Historical Assocation 
• Agricultural History Project  
• Historic Rodgers House 

Santa Cruz County is a wonderful place to experience live music. A vibrant performing arts community in Santa Cruz ensures that there's always a performance to catch in the area. Here are just a few of the public venues in the County:

• Barn Theater (UCSC)
• Cabrillo College Theater (Aptos)
• Cabrillo College Performing Arts Center (Aptos)
• Henry J Mello Center (Watsonville)
• Kresge Town Hall (Kresge College, UCSC)
• Kuumbwa Jazz Center (Downtown)
• Rio Theatre (Midtown)
• Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium (Downtown)
• UCSC Music Center Recital Hall (UCSC)
• UCSC Theater Arts Mainstage (UCSC)
• Vets Hall (Downtown)

Santa Cruz County natural museums, aquarium, and gardens showcase the natural beauty of the area:

• Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History 
• Seymour Marine Discovery Center at Long Marine Lab 
• UCSC Museum of Natural History Collections
• Bigfoot Discovery Museum 
• UCSC Arboretum
• Sierra Azul Nursery and Sculpture Garden

For more than 120 years, Santa Cruz Chamber members have been committed to improving our community for everyone who visits, works, or lives in Santa Cruz County.

For a list of local Santa Cruz Chamber member attractions, visit the Attractions section of the Chamber business directory.