The MAH is more than a museum—we're a hub for collaboration, bringing together artists, historians, and community partners to create lasting impact. Your MAH Membership helps turn this vision into reality.
This week, we’re sharing stories of how MAH partnerships spark creativity, amplify diverse voices, and make art and history accessible to all. We chatted with Preparator Shanti Nagwani to talk all about the MAH’s partnership with the Amah Mutsun Land Trust, and how together, the MAH and AMLT tend a garden overflowing with cultural importance. Shanti takes it from here:
Planted in the chilly days of winter 2023, the Kincentricity Garden is now bursting into its second vibrant spring. Designed as a place for learning, community, and growth, the name “Kincentricity” refers to the Indigenous belief that all life on Earth is connected. Located both in the MAH’s back courtyard and along the Front Street façade, the garden is composed entirely of native plants thoughtfully selected to highlight the ethnobotanical history of the region. The garden’s design was created and implemented by the Amah Mutsun Land Trust and is now stewarded by MAH staff and volunteers.
Since it was planted, the garden has become a buzzing ecosystem—literally! It’s a small but powerful oasis for native pollinators and birds. This habitat bridges the gap between urban downtown Santa Cruz and its surrounding wild landscapes. This time of year, you may see hummingbirds pollinating a dangling cluster of currant flowers, a pair of juncos building a nest, or a breezy scattering of blooms from annual wildflowers. Come late summer, you can see those same flowers and grasses go to seed, turning dry and golden as they repopulate the garden for the next season.
This project provides a special opportunity and place to gather and celebrate the ecological history of the land, and to learn about Indigenous cultural practices that utilize California’s coastal plants. It inspires us to connect with our own “kin” by demonstrating the impact of starting a native garden in our own space—no matter how small.
The Kincentricity Garden is free and open to the public to view seven days a week. To get more involved, museum visitors can swing by the front desk and check out a plant guide booklet to take with them around the garden, learning about the cultural uses of many of the plants as they go. Lovers of the garden are encouraged to support the efforts of the Amah Mutsun Land Trust by signing up for newsletters, volunteering, and sharing testimonials of support with the MAH. We hope this project will inspire others to plant their own native gardens, share knowledge, center indigenous wisdom, and foster a connection with the land.
As a MAH Member, you help strengthen these connections. Your support nourishes projects that reach beyond our walls—into schools, neighborhoods, and public spaces—ensuring that art and culture thrive across Santa Cruz County. Plus, we’re introducing a treasure trove of new benefits, including expanded Downtown Discounts, free passes, and unique behind-the-scenes experiences, just for MAH Members.