Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, Natural history museum in Pacific Grove, California, US.

The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum located in Pacific Grove, California, dedicated to the region's wildlife. The collection includes more than 400 bird specimens from Monterey County, featuring California condors and numerous other regional species found in the area.

The museum was founded in 1883 during America's first generation of natural history institutions, beginning as a storage facility for bird specimens collected by Chautauqua members. Over time it grew into a permanent exhibition space dedicated to preserving and sharing regional wildlife knowledge.

The museum's name comes from the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle, which founded its Pacific Coast branch at Chautauqua Hall in Pacific Grove in June 1879 and held two-week summer assemblies with lectures, exhibits and concerts. Volunteers carry that teaching tradition on today: monarch docents set up viewing scopes at the Monarch Grove Sanctuary during the overwintering season.

The museum occupies a manageable space that is easy to navigate and suitable for visitors of all ages. Plan at least an hour or two to comfortably view the bird displays and other exhibits without feeling rushed.

The Annual Wildflower Show began in 1962 with the Monterey Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society and is held the third weekend of April. It displays more than 700 Monterey County wildflower species, the largest show of its kind in the Northern and Western Hemispheres.