Reflecting on the past twelve months 

The end of August and the beginning of September is a reflective time at the Seymour Center. The summer visitation rush wanes. Ocean Explorers summer camp wraps. Students from local schools who attend our Discovery Lab field trips have not arrived yet. 

This is also the time we close up our books on the fiscal year (which runs July-June). And let me tell you, I am so proud of what we accomplished together during fiscal year 2024.

YOU buoyed Seymour Center. You brought your families and friends to learn about UCSC science, life in Monterey Bay, and the solutions to the impacts of climate change on our own community. You hosted life’s pillar moments here, like weddings, celebrations of life, birthday parties, proms, and more. You brought your work teams here for board meetings, conferences, all-hands retreats, and awards ceremonies. 

More of you came to Seymour Center from July 2023 to June 2024 than any other fiscal year in Seymour Center’s history. 70,003 is our all-time record for attendance and participation across all programs.

We’re in the business of creating scientists and we have 25 years of data to prove it. Young people who come through these doors go on to become every flavor of a scientist. The upwelling of curiosity and conservation that emerge at Seymour Center fuses to become careers in the lab, field, classroom, writers’ room, council chambers, and art studios.  

We see you contributing your time, money, knowledge, and creativity because you care to create these moments of science alongside us. All of us care to create the next generation of scientists. We love the ocean and we want everyone to love it like we do. We adore this beautiful place we call home and we care to protect it. 

THANK YOU. Thank you.

Please enjoy a short list of major milestones and accomplishments that we accomplished together in fiscal year 2024. 

With tremendous gratitude,

Jonathan

Highlights

Results and Metrics

• Third consecutive fiscal year ending with a financial surplus on a ~$2 million operational cash-flow budget. 
• Largest single year for total visitation in Seymour Center’s existence (70,003).
  • 15% increase in walk-in visitation from the previous year
  • 6,500 youth participated in formal youth programs, a 14% increase over the previous year
  • First-ever 2,000-person public event (October 6th Block Party on the Bluff) 
• 245 unique individuals volunteered here for a total of 15,815 hours (That’s the equivalent of seven full-time staff members)
• Collaborated with 194 individuals from UCSC and the community to create exhibits, events, educational experiences, and more.
• Completely overhauled the design, content, and layout of the exhibit hall to showcase local coastal climate resilience science and solutions
• Redesigned and rewrote all signage in the aquarium
• Nearly achieved 100% bilingual signage and labels
• Made significant progress on Ms Blue’s legacy work:
  • We 3D scanned the skeleton and now own a high-fidelity digital model
  • Broke ground on renovations using only climate-progressive materials
  • Completed two augmented reality experiences (launching later this fall)

Photo credit – Oh Happy Dawn Photography