About the MAH

Jump to

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

Jennifer Villegas Naranjo
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…
Read Bio
Marla headshot
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…
Read Bio
LRK 8087
Featured Team Member

Systems Coordinator

Robert Ojeda

Robert Ojeda (he/him) earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of California in Riverside. Prior to arriving at the MAH Robert worked in the financial industry before choosing to focus on his calling for building…
Read Bio
LRK 8079
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…
Read Bio
MAH Staff Portraits 2020 Whitney Ford Terry2
Featured Team Member

Exhibitions & Projects Manager

Everett Ó Cillín

Everett Ó Cillín (they/them) received an MA in Museology from the University of Washington after studying Film and Philosophy at Humboldt State University. Everett has had the opportunity to work in a variety of non-profits and museums…
Read Bio
LRK 8091
Featured Team Member

Marketing Coordinator

Bianca Curiel

Bianca Curiel (she/her) is a graduate of Parsons School of Design in New York with a BBA in Strategic Design and Management. She is a multidisciplinary designer and creative, skilled in design concept and strategy for branding, marketing,…
Read Bio
Meet Us All

Our History

History Image 09

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