About the MAH

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The Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH) is a thriving community gathering place that offers rotating art and history exhibitions, visual and performing artworks, public festivals, education and outreach programs, and cultural celebrations in collaboration with our many partners.

Our vision is to ignite shared experiences and unexpected connections that enrich our community.

To achieve that, our mission is to bring people together through art and local history to explore our diverse cultures. We are guided by the following values:

• Engagement & Collaboration
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility
• Innovation & Experimentation
• Excellence & Rigor
• Accountability, Integrity & Responsibility

Read MAH 2026, our latest strategic plan.

A portrait in numbers

These statistics paint an interesting picture of the MAH. Get the full view by reading our 2020-21 Annual Report.

Visitors

17,000

2011

95,000

2020

Budget

$700K

2011

$1.8 Mil.

2020

Events

25

2011

600

2020

The People of the MAH

Featured Team Member

Guest Services Representative

Jennifer Villegas-Naranjo

Jennifer Villegas-Naranjo (she/her) received a BA in the Fine Arts from UCSC in the Spring of 2020. She started her journey at the MAH as a Youth Programs Intern in the fall of 2017, which later lead to her current position in Guests…

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Featured Team Member

CAC Administrators of Color Fellow

Eric Mora

Eric Mora (he/him) was born in Salinas, CA, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University. He is currently a Master of Public Administration candidate at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS),…

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Featured Team Member

Director of Exhibitions & Programs

Marla Novo

Marla Novo (she/her) earned a Master of Arts in Art History from San Jose State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from UC Santa Cruz. She has over 25 years of experience curating exhibitions at non-profit institutions as…

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MAH Staff Portraits 2020 Laurel Maxwell6

Featured Team Member

Guest Services Manager

Laurel Maxwell

Laurel Maxwell (she/her) is a Santa Cruz local who enjoys her work as Guest Services Manager as she gets to listen to the stories of guests who visit the MAH. Her time as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic made Laurel…

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Featured Team Member

Preparator & Technical Coordinator

Natalie Jenkins

Natalie Jenkins (she/her/they/them) received an MFA in Visual Art from the University of California, Riverside, after studying Fine Art and Craft with an emphasis on Woodworking at the Oregon College of Art and Craft. As a visual artist…

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Featured Team Member

Guest Services Representative

Ezra Bowen

Ezra Bowen (they/them) was born the youngest of five to a blended working-class, immigrant family in Southern California. They originally came to Santa Cruz in 2007 in pursuit of higher education and graduated from UCSC with a B.A. in Film…

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Meet Us All

Our History

The Evolution of the MAH

From our humble beginnings to the dynamic space we are today, the MAH has adapted to meet the needs of Santa Cruz County.

Dig into our history of partnerships, perseverance, and resilience to discover how we became one of the country's most creative and forward-thinking community museums.

Our Story

Work at the MAH

Join the crew behind Santa Cruz County’s most creative events, exhibitions, and partnerships. Check out job opportunities or apply to be a volunteer or intern today.

Careers

Other Ways to Get Involved