Recently Asked
Learn what the community is asking about this season, with answers by Museum experts.
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- Recently Asked
“I was searching for images of traditional oak gall dolls and was referred to your site. However, I couldn't navigate to your collection of dolls.
We will be making the dolls on June...”
Mary, Morgan Hill California - June 2, 2026
“I found these two rocks while I was digging in my backyard. I live in the Rancho Goleta mobile home park.
one looks very distinctly like an arrowhead and the other one... maybe, it's...”
Barb, Goleta - May 25, 2026
“Hello-
My granddaughter and I observed some creatures at minus tide on New year’s day 2026 that I’ve never seen before.The photo I’m providing does not adequately...”
Mujiba, Santa Barbara - January 29, 2026
“Hello! I am a student at UCSB, and on a recent walk on the lagoon island I found this mushroom. I uploaded it to iNaturalist, and got several Blewit (more specifically Lepista tarda) id...”
Sam, Isla Vista/University of California- Santa Barbara - January 28, 2026
“Hello,I think this might be a Coast Live Oak, so is this an oak wasp gall?Thanks!”
Kevin, Santa Barbara - January 23, 2026
“Hi! I read the article about finding a Joro spider locally. Wondering if this is also a Joro spider? I took this photo in Toba, Japan in early December 2025. Thanks!”
Nick, Santa Barbara - January 16, 2026
“Hi, my wife found this years back while hiking near Figueroa Mountain. I just realized we've never tried to have it identified. To me it looks like a large shark tooth similar to a great white....”
Tom, Buellton - January 4, 2026
“Around 2008 your museum was going to display the mammoth skeleton found in Moorpark. Is it there now, if not where did it end up?
Tnx,”
Nicholas, Moorpark, CA - November 15, 2025
“I found what I believe to be a vertebrae on the beach after a storm, and I'm curious which type of creature it may belong to. It is 1-1/4" long and 1" in diameter. A small hole runs through the...”
Lori, Ocean City, NJ - November 9, 2025
