The Natural History Museum of Cal Poly Humboldt is committed to providing engaging experiences on a variety of topics for learners of all ages. Contributions to this project will help expand both the Discovery Boxes housed in the museum for visitors and Teaching Totes that are checked out to local schools to bring more hands-on science and natural history education into the classroom.

Discovery Boxes are a popular part of a museum visit, especially for young learners and the young at heart! Each box has a theme, and there are items inside that box related to the theme and activities that the learner can engage in to learn more about key concepts. The Goal is to have a rotating set of boxes to help keep the experience new and engaging for visitors each time they visit the museum. The museum is looking to revamp some current topics and add new topics such as biomimicry, stars and space, and a rocks box.

Teaching Totes are checked out (free of charge) to local teachers to use in their classrooms. Each of these totes is organized around a theme and includes many grade band-aligned activities, teacher background information, easy-to-follow set-up and activity facilitation guides, and hands-on materials for students to use to deepen their learning. We are looking to continue to expand the topics of boxes to check out, including topics such as dinosaurs, geologic time, and space.

Donations allow the museum to continue to update and revitalize current Discovery Boxes and Teaching Totes and expand the topics offered by each. Please consider making a gift today to help spark curiosity, learning, and exploration for visitors and students alike.