Press Page

Welcome to the MAH's online press office. Here you will find recent news coverage, press releases, brand assets, and how to get in touch for interviews.

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In the News

"And, with a retrospective, The Art of the Santa Cruz Speed Wheel, on display at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, the timing seemed apt to share some images of the brand’s rich history alongside words from essential figures and artists inspired by it all."

"In the museum, the archive appeared small at first, housed in an L-shaped display table that took up only a portion of the room. But, as I approached the table, it became clear that the collection was quite vast, a sweeping array of objects spanning time and place."

"The MAH has brimmed with innovative couplings of art and history, including last spring’s series of specially commissioned live performances in Evergreen Cemetery and ‘The Art of the Santa Cruz Speed Wheel’, an exhibition showcasing work by iconic skateboard artist Jim Phillips.”

"The 15-foot RedBall is planning a summer residency in Santa Cruz County for six days, June 8-13, 2021. For each of those days, it will show up in a different place to be inflated on site. Then it will hang out to pose for selfies and interact with the curious public, just as it’s done in Barcelona, Paris, Busan, Sydney, Montreal, and long list of other chic places, soon to include li’l ol’ Santa Cruz."

"It's not an easy set of stories to confront, but there's no more important set of stories to hear, in terms of confronting the quality of our collective humanity, or lack thereof."

More From the MAH

Hear from staff about upcoming initiatives and behind-the-scenes info over in the MAH blog.

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Featured Blog Posts

Free First Friday Art Works Exhibition Opening 27511424606 O

Tools & Resources

Thu, Dec 5, 2019

3 Ways We Invite You to Share Unexpected Connections

Learn the three strategies we use to help you uncover unexpected connections– both with strangers and new forms of art and history.

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Updates

Tue, Nov 17, 2020

Our Exhibition Philosophy

At the MAH, we believe that great exhibitions make our community grow stronger and more connected. Dive into the four kinds of exhibitions we put on every year.

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Updates

Thu, Nov 14, 2019

Newcomers Guide to the MAH

Welcome to the MAH! If you're new here let's dive in and answer some of your most frequently asked questions.

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Full Article List

Celebrating a MAH-velous 25 Years (City on a Hill Press, January 2021)

Dia de los Muertos Observed in Popup Installation at MAH (Santa Cruz Sentinel, October 2020)

MAH Reimagines Dia de los Muertos Celebrations (GoodTimes, October 2020)

How Local Museums Galleries are Staying Afloat During Pandemic (GoodTimes, September 2020)

Local Museums Galleries Hold Steady During Pandemic (Pajaronian, September 2020)

Museums Find Silver Lining During COVID-19 Shutdown (KAZU, July 2020)

Best of Santa Cruz County 2020: Arts & Culture (GoodTimes, March 2020)

MAH's New Leader Isn't Your Typical Museum Director (GoodTimes, February 2020)

MAH welcomes new director Robb Woulfe (Santa Cruz Sentinel, February 2020)

'Forever families' make it official on Santa Cruz County's adoption day (Santa Cruz Sentinel, November 2019)

Mayor's message | Senior center is a happening place (Santa Cruz Sentinel, November 2019)

An artistic stamp of approval (Register Pajaronian, October 2019)

How Nina Simon Reinvented Santa Cruz Art (GoodTimes, June 2019)

Santa Cruz museum director Nina Simon to depart in coming year (Santa Cruz Sentinel, November 2018)

Bay Area kid-friendly art museums abound (Marin Independent Journal, September 2018)

Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History Enhance Exhibit Through Augmented Reality App (Cison PR Wire, September 2018)

Sleepovers? Feminist tours? Custom beer? Museums get creative to engage new audiences (Washington Post, April 2018)

Museums Of The Moment: Pop-ups: Pop-ups (Study Break, April 2018)

Santa Cruz: Abbott Square Market transforms dark spot in downtown (San Francisco Chronicle, November 2017)

A look at cultural catalysts as Santa Cruz celebrates sesquicentennial (Santa Cruz Sentinel, August 2016)

Preview: Nina Simon’s New Book ‘The Art of Relevance’ (Santa Cruz GoodTimes, August 2016)

In her new book ‘The Art of Relevance,’ MAH director Nina Simon explores what it takes to connect, and stay connected, to the community (Santa Cruz Sentinel, August 2016)

Museum named finalist for big award (San Francisco Chronicle, April 2016)

Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History Feature (Local Santa Cruz, April 2016)

Natural History Museum launches center focused on urban wildlife (Southern California Public Radio, April 2016)

Business Model Case Study of the MAH (Culture Hive, October 2015)

What will this year’s 40 Under 40 Honorees Accomplish Next? (Silicon Valley Business Journal, August 2015)

Nina Simon: Silicon Valley 40 Under 40 Winner (Santa Cruz Tech Beat, August 2015)

Can Punch Cards and Photo Booths Build Visitor Loyalty? (Institute of Museum and Library Sciences, October 2015)

Training Helps Get the Most Out of Santa Cruz County Volunteers (Santa Cruz Sentinel, August 2015)

Justin Hoover Moves to Santa Cruz Museum of Art (SOMA Arts Blog, June 2015)

Who Gives? (GoodTimes Santa Cruz, December 2014)

Nina Simon: The museum of ‘and’ (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 2 November 2013)

Wallace Baine, Baine Street: Debate 2.0: The new MAH and its critics (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 12 October 2013)

‘Me to We Design’ Tips for Building A Successful Participatory Art Project (Public Art Review, August 2013)

A Night in the Museum (Santa Cruz Weekly, 16 July 2013)

Museum Directors are Listening to What (Nina) Simon Says (Monterey County Weekly, 3 July 2013)

Top 10 Things to Do With Kids in Santa Cruz (San Jose Mercury News, 27 June 2013)

Innovator drives museum’s success (Santa Cruz Weekly, 19 March 2013)

Opening Up the Museum: A TEDxSantaCruz talk by MAH Director Nina Simon (video posted by TEDxSantaCruz, 6 Nov 2012)

Citizen Placemaker: Nina Simon on Museums as Community Hubs (Project for Public Spaces, 1 June 2012)

Staging a Turnaround: New MAH director has increased attendance, membership (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 3 January 2012)

Museum 2.0: Interview with Nina Simon (GoodTimes, 24 August 2011)

An Afternoon at the Smart Museum (GoodTimes, 10 August 2011)

The Museum of Art & History is now in the hands of internationally known innovator Nina Simon (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 30 June 2011)

MAH Introduces Exhibition with Virtual Opening (City on a Hill Press, January 2021)

Exhibit Displays Pandemic-Era Artwork, Stories and More (GoodTimes, January 2021)

Local Art Groups Look Ahead to Going Virtual for Fall Exhibitions (GoodTimes, September 2020)

How Conservation Photographers Use Images to Save our World (GoodTimes, May 2020)

New Exhibit Highlights Local Role in the Push for LGBTQ+ Rights (GoodTimes, May 2020)

Queer Santa Cruz Exhibit at the MAH Opinion (GoodTimes, May 2020)

Santa Cruz Museum Launches New Virtual Exhibit (The Pajaronian, April 2020)

Putting the Pop-Apocalypse Obsession in Perspective (Santa Cruz Sentinel, March 2020)

Artist Brings Spanish Language Bookstore To Santa Cruz (KAZU, March 2020)

Creativity and Innovation of Mountain Biking on View in Santa Cruz (KQED News, February 2020)

Business Digest: Mountain biking exhibit opens Feb. 7 (Santa Cruz Sentinel, February 2020)

MAH Exhibit Highlights the Stories Behind Tattoos (Good Times, January 2020)

Seriously, Call Your Mother Today (KQED, January 2020)

Focal Point | Santa Cruz Tattoo'd (Santa Cruz Sentinel, December 2019)

Amazing stories shared about the Loma Prieta Earthquake, preserved for history (KSBW The Central Coast, October 2019)

How Public Art Revived the Ruins of Post-Quake Santa Cruz (Good Times, October 2019)

Inside Santa Cruz's First Spanish Bookstore (Good Times, August 2019)

Spanish language bookstore installed in Santa Cruz museum (Register Pajaronian, August 2019)

MAH Bids Farewell to the Chamber of Heart and Mystery (Good Times, July 2019)

A symbol of community strength (Register Pajaronian, July 2019)

Justin Favela: Regeneración, Artforum Review (Artforum, July 2019)

How 186 seniors building an exhibit on social isolation also built a community (Shareable, May 2019)

Can art make a difference in the face of dire climate news? (Crosscut, May 2019)

Santa Cruz museum installs exhibit at Watsonville's Goodwill (Registered Pajaronian, January 2019)

Victor Cartagena’s Exhibit ‘We Feed You’ Hits the MAH (Good Times, April 2018)

The Dead Will Talk To You Now, Or At Least Listen, In Santa Cruz (KQED Arts, February 2018)

Museum exhibitions where photos tell the story… (Los Angeles Times, November 2017)

What’s Foster Care Like? Learn From the Youth Who Lived Through It. (NPR-KQED, October 2017)

New Chamber of Heart & Mystery allows kids to fire up their writerly imaginations (Santa Cruz Sentinel, September 2016)

Screaming Hand at the MAH (Local Santa Cruz, August 2016)

30 Years of the ‘Screaming Hand’ – an icon of Santa Cruz skate culture (NBC Bay Area, August 2016)

Santa Cruz is ready to celebrate one of the world’s most enduring commercial images, and the man who created it (Santa Cruz Sentinel, August 2016)

Santa Cruz Art Show Redefines “Open Studios” by Putting Artists on Display (KQED, June 2016)

The Kinsey Collection: A new MAH exhibit traces the painful but noble history of Africans in America (Santa Cruz Sentinel, February 2016)

Kinsey African American Art Collection in Santa Cruz (KSBW, February 2016)

Exhibit separates power from masculinity (Santa Cruz Sentinel, December 2015)

Pressing Rewind (Good Times, December 2015)

Making Furniture from Fungi (Scientific American, December 2015)

Toy Train exhibit returns to Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (KSBW, December 2015)

Santa Cruz prepares to say goodbye to surfboards (Santa Cruz Sentinel, November 2015)

The Museum of Art & History pays respect to Santa Cruz’s wearable-art tradition in ‘Uncommon Threads’(September 2015)

Year of the Dead Continues (Bestclassicbands.com, August 2015)

Santa Cruz Surfers Hit Waves With Replicas of Historic Boards (KSBW, July 2015)

Surfers Paddle Back in History at ‘Olo Hui Nala (Santa Cruz Waves, July 2015) – Feature and video on paddle out, surf demo and luau

How Surfing’s Valuable Artifacts Came to Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz Sentinel, July 2015)

Woodie Procession in Santa Cruz welcomes historic surfboards (Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 2015)

Hundreds witness homecoming of historic Hawaiian surfboards (Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 2015)

The Boom & Antarctica: Meet the woman making music from the sounds of the southernmost continent(Noisey, May 2015)

UCSC Dreamweavers Partner with Watsonville High (Santa Cruz Sentinel, February 2015)

Commentary, Just Add Water: An Ocean of Art’ – (Santa Cruz Sentinel, January 2015)

Individual Experience: MAH features one-on-one performances by Marie Caroline-Hominal (Santa Cruz Sentinel, January 2015)

Annual Santa Cruz Toy Train Exhibit Ends Season with a Flurry (Santa Cruz Sentinel, December 2014)

Everybody’s an Art Curator (The Wall Street Journal, October 2014)

The Museum of Art & History Wants Your Art (Hilltromper, October 2014)

Pop Up Museums in Santa Cruz (The Incluseum, August 2014)

A stunning new exhibition at the Museum of Art & History explores the rich psychic territory between identity and photography (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 28 March 2013)

Thomas Campbell captures the surf world’s creative spirit (Paper Magazine, January 2013)

Stacey Grant, Santa Cruz Stories: Seeing the Ordinary as Extraordinary (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 17 Sept 2012)

Artists and Craftspeople Gather at the Museum of Art & History to demonstrate the diverse art of working with metal (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 16 Aug 2012)

Find out what your neighbors collect at the Santa Cruz Collects exhibition (Untapped SF, 13 Aug 2012)

Love Your MAH:’Love Fest’ is the latest example of the Museum of Art & History redefining a museum’s role in its community (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 19 April 2012)

All You Need is Love: Unpredictable & Irresistible (UCSC Student Guide, spring issue)

Painting Slashed at Museum of Art & History (Patch.com, 20 March 2012)

Beyond the Birdhouse: Santa Cruz Woodworkers lift wood into the realm of fine art (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 18 August 2011)

Street painter brings her version of 500-year-old painting to life in chalk at Museum of Art & History in Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 30 July 2011)

‘Experience Clay’ offers workshops, activities, artists demonstrations (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 17 July 2011)

Black History Month (Growing up in Santa Cruz, February 2021)

Pictures from a Pandemic (Voices of Monterey Bay, February 2021)

Finding Stories Among All That Was Lost: Santa Cruz Storytellers Preserve History of CZU Fire (NBC Bay Area, November 2020)

Stories in the Ashes (UC Santa Cruz, November 2020)

First Year Teacher in the Pandemic: An Interview by the MAH (Santa Cruz Parent, October 2020)

UCSC Produces Podcast About 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake (GoodTimes, October 2020)

Podcast Series Features 'Stories from the Epicenter (Santa Cruz Sentinel, October 2020)

Peace in the Ashes: Santa Cruz Journalists Collect Oral Histories from CZU Lightning Fire Victims (Santa Cruz Sentinel, October 2020)

The Backstory on Santa Cruz's Rich Surfing History and Culture (Mercury News, August 2020)

Trailblazers: Uncovering the Roots of Mountain Biking in Santa Cruz- A 24 Hour History Lesson (The Radavist, August 2020)

Coast Line | League of Women Voters to mark its 100th birthday on Feb. 22 (Santa Cruz Sentinel, February 2020)

Moment of silence to be held in Santa Cruz on moment Loma Prieta hit 30 years ago (KSBW The Central Coast, October 2019)

The Earthquake That Ended the Santa Cruz Hippie Era (Good Times, October 2019)

Photo | Cemetery arch repair (Santa Cruz Sentinel, August 2019)

Efforts to honor historic Santa Cruz Chinatown underway (Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 2019)

Veterans honored at historic cemetery in Santa Cruz (KSBW, May 2016)

Memorial Day ceremony highlights cemetery renewal effort (Santa Cruz Sentinel, May 2016)

Ceremony to commemorate historic Santa Cruz County structures (Santa Cruz Sentinel, May 2016)

Chinese Qing Ming holiday brings people to Evergreen Cemetery (Santa Cruz Sentinel, April 2016)

Project charts a trail through Santa Cruz’s LGBTQ rights history (Santa Cruz Sentinel, March 2016)

Two South County Homes Earn Historical Awards (Register-Pajaronian, May 2015)

Taste of History: Heritage Food Project traces Santa Cruz County history through recipes, crops (Santa Cruz Sentinel, December 2014)

Historic building and congregation honored at Blue Plaque unveiling (Register Pajaronian, 15 July 2013)

Restored, Refurbished: Homeless Volunteers Help Clean Up Historic Cemetery (Good Times, 17 January 2012)

Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History honoring two researchers, local historians (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 4 January 2012)

A Haunting Tour of Evergreen Cemetery Spooks Locals (Patch, 30 October 2011)

Dine Al Fresco: Top 20 Patios in Santa Cruz County (Santa Cruz, October 2020)

Socially Distanced Yoga in Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz Sentinel, October 2020)

Halloween Events in Santa Cruz 2020 (Santa Cruz Life, October 2020)

Santa Cruz Comedy Festival Returns With a Pandemic Twist (GoodTimes, September 2020)

Central Coast Comeback:Entertainment (KION, September 2020)

Local Groups Celebrate Latinx and Hispanic Heritage Month (GoodTimes, September 2020)

Santa Cruz Instagram Accounts You Should Follow (Event Santa Cruz, August 2020)

Local Groups Join Together to Host Virtual Pride Celebration (GoodTimes, July 2020)

'Virtual' Santa Cruz Pride Weekend (Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 2020)

Santa Cruz Memorial Day Ceremonies Look and Sound Different Amidst Pandemic (KSBW, May 2020)

Bay Area Valentine's Day Events Guide (NBC Bay Area, February 2020)

Christmas at the Santa Cruz MAH more than a holiday meal (KSBW8, December 2019)

'Looking for Marla' teaches inclusivity | Rachel Kippen, Our Ocean Backyard (Santa Cruz Sentinel, November 2019)

Imaginations, flames spark at GLOW festival (Santa Cruz Sentinel, October 2019)

Day of the Dead 2019 events in SF Bay Area (The Mercury News, October 2019)

Art tour on the move (Register Pajaronian, August 2019)

Dahlias up close (Register Pajaronian, August 2019)

'In the Land of My Ancestors' brings message of hope for native Californians (Santa Cruz Sentinel, August 2019)

Coast Lines | Woodies on the Wharf special kick-off (Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 2019)

Celebrating the Art of Recovery for Santa Cruz's Robbie Schoen (Good Times, June 2019)

Memorial Day observance honors military who sacrificed their lives (Santa Cruz Sentinel, May 2019)

Borderbus: A community conversation about migration, art, and social justice (UC Santa Cruz, February 2019)

County, MAH offer speedy Valentine's Day Nuptials (Santa Cruz Sentinel, February 2019)

Saying Yes To The (Divorce) Dress (Good Times, February 2019)

Friends of Christmas present “Christmas at the MAH” (Santa Cruz Sentinel, December 2018)

Preview: MAH's 'Power Hour of Fun' (Good Times, November 2018)

Best Bets: Celebrate the dead at MAH (Santa Cruz Sentinel, October 2018)

Art illuminates science at a Santa Cruz festival Saturday (Santa Cruz Sentinel, October 2018)

Race Through Time offers adventure, history in Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz Sentinel, July 2016)

Inspired and enraptured with The Cosmos (Santa Cruz Sentinel, May 2016)

An activist group of teens turn the Museum of Art & History into a forum for social change in ‘Artivism’ (Santa Cruz Sentinel, March 2016)

Teen Shadja Correia is youngest NEXTie winner (Santa Cruz Sentinel, March 2016)

Hot in Here (Good Times, October 2015)

Memorial Day Keeps Memories Alive in Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz Sentinel, May 2015)

Bike Week Kickoff at the MAH (Hilltromper, May 2015)

Cinco Celebration Benefits Davenport Resource Center (Santa Cruz Sentinel May 2015)

Day of the Dead at the Santa Cruz MAH 2014’ – (Santa Cruz Waves, November 2014)

‘Project: Flashlight’ Puts Some of the Most Powerful Man-made Lights Into the Hands of Artists” (Santa Cruz Sentinel, October 2015)

GLOW 2014: Camera, Action, Lights! (Santa Cruz Sentinel, October 2015)

Artists Set Santa Cruz Aglow with ‘Light and Fire’ (KQED, October 2015)

Beat Happening (Good Times Santa Cruz, August 2015)

Radical Movement (Good Times Santa Cruz, June 2015)

Santa Cruz Celebrates Día de los Muertos (City On A Hill Press, 28 November 2013)

Drawn to the flame: ‘GLOW’ turns downtown Santa Cruz into celebration of light, both primal and technological(Santa Cruz Sentinel, 16 October 2013)

Then and Now [Race Through Time 2013] (Good Times, 24 September 2013)

Art market bridges community, Santa Cruz artists (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 6 July 2013)

Santa Cruz’s Bicycle Culture Celebrates its Artistic Side for First Friday (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 3 May 2012)

The Museum of Art & History Becomes a Showcase for Santa Cruz’s Burgeoning Subculture of Fire Artists(Santa Cruz Sentinel, 15 March 2012)

Playing with Fire (Good Times, 14 March 2012)

Multimedia Celebration of Music at the Museum of Art & History (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 16 February 2012)

Radical Craft Night (Etsy, 10 November 2011)

Downtown Santa Cruz Art Installation Photos (Santa Cruz Sentinel, February 2021)

Santa Cruz County's 29 Top Outdoor Dining Spots: List (Patch, October 2020)

Safety Pledge #LetsCruzSafely (Visit Santa Cruz County, October 2020)

Can a Shop-Local Strategy Save Santa Cruz Businesses? (GoodTimes, September 2020)

Watsonville Film Festival Hosts Outdoor Screening at Abbott Square (GoodTimes, September 2020)

Santa Cruz Plans Community Involvement in Black Lives Matter Mural (Santa Cruz Sentinel, September 2020)

Volunteers Sought for City-Approved Black Lives Matter Mural in Santa Cruz (KSBW, September 2020)

Santa Cruz Food and Drink Scene Embraces Outdoor Seating (GoodTimes, August 2020)

Restaurants Get Creative During Recent Shelter-in-Place Order (Santa Cruz Sentinel, July 2020)

Restaurants in Santa Cruz (7x7 Bay Area, July 2020)

Outside Dining Continues at Santa Cruz Restaurants (GoodTimes, July 2020)

Restaurants and Wineries Embrace Sidewalk Cafe Culture (GoodTimes, July 2020)

Santa Cruz Rock 'n' Roll Ban of 1956 (Mental Floss, July 2020)

Restaurants Reopening in Santa Cruz and Monterey Peninsula (Edible Monterey, June 2020)

Abbott Square Market Reopens for Outdoor Dining (Patch, June 2020)

The Secret Sauce is Compassion at Veg on the Edge (GoodTimes, June 2020)

Santa Cruz in Photos: The Creative Side of Social Distance (GoodTimes, June 2020)

Dining with Daniel | A burger experience at Belly Goat (Santa Cruz Sentinel, March 2020)

First Look at Abbott Square's newest dining spots in Santa Cruz (The Mercury News, December 2019)

Central Coast Creamery's Cheesy New Abbott Square Outpost (Good Times, November 2019)

Quick Bites | Daisuki Sushi coming to the Octagon (Santa Cruz Sentinel, October 2019)

Roux Dat moving, and expansion plans | Quick Bites (Santa Cruz Sentinel, July 2019)

Quick Bites | New taqueria at Abbott Square Market (Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 2019)

15 Exciting Places to Eat and Drink in Santa Cruz (Eater SF, February 2019)

Santa Cruz: Abbott Square Market transforms dark spot in downtown (San Francisco Chronicle, November 2017)

Abbott Square opening marks new era in downtown Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz Sentinel, August 2017)

Beacon (CodaWorx, January 2016)

Santa Cruz’s Abbott Square Plans Seeking Public Approval (Santa Cruz Sentinel, November 2015)

Cultural groups use public spaces with free performances to connect their communities (OC Register, August 2015)

‘’Beacon’ to be unveiled (Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 2015)

The unveiling of the new look at Abbott Square is the first part of a year-long transformation (Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 2015)

Santa Cruz Squared (Good Times Santa Cruz, June 2015)

Chamber gets bird’s eye perspective of Abbott Square (Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 2015)

Santa Cruz Museum Offers Glimpse of Abbott Square (Santa Cruz Sentinel, May 2015)

Santa Cruz museum hopes to finish Abbott Square redux by 2016 (Santa Cruz Sentinel, January 2015)

New Ambitions: Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History plans to enhance community programs, turn Abbott Square into cultural landmark (Santa Cruz Sentinel and San Jose Mercury News, 5 August 2012)

MAH Press Contact

Searching for more information? Looking to interview an artist? Need high res images?

Please email: pr@santacruzmah.org

Brand Assets

Our Name

The Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History at the McPherson Center is our full name. In most conversations or media we use, the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, or simply, the MAH.

Our Logo

The red circle is a direct references to the prominent red sphere on the corner of Front and Cooper Streets, which is commonly used as a public landmark. View or download logos in Dropbox.