Seymour Marine Discovery Center 100 McAllister Way • Santa Cruz • CA 95060
We'd love it if you would mention that you found Seymour Marine Discovery Center on the Here Comes The Guide website.
Why You'll Love This Place
A Here Comes The Guide Wedding Venue Review
- Perched on a secluded bluff above an unspoiled stretch of the Santa Cruz coast and Monterey Bay, nature is at its finest at this 100-acre marine science center. The complex is comprised of several rustic, wood-planked buildings, carefully crafted to showcase their remarkable natural surroundings: a vast, ever-changing sky and seascape.
- Ceremonies on the Shipwreck Deck treat guests to an up-close look at the surrounding coastal prairie and wetlands, with the soft sound of the nearby surf accompanying your exchange of vows. An unforgettable cocktail hour follows inside the Center’s exhibit halls, where your friends and family take their refreshments and mingle among interactive exhibits.
- Panoramic vistas of native meadows and the bay's curving shoreline can be enjoyed from every angle in the Los Feliz Room, enjoyed through wood-framed windows that accent the soaring, open-beamed ceilings. An adjacent patio provides a wonderful flow between inside and out, ensuring you're never far from the spectacular setting and the soundtrack of the sea.
Deals
FREE WEDDING-DAY ADMISSION
One of the "perks" of celebrating your wedding at the wonderfully unique Seymour Marine Discovery Center: your guests get free admission to the exhibit center on your wedding day. What a fun, interactive way for friends and family to amuse themselves before the ceremony! You also have the option to add on time at the "touch table" during your cocktail hour. How's that for a memorable experience? Contact the events team for more info by using the form on the right!
PRICES: What's this going to cost?
Rental Fee
- $8,700–11,400/event
- Rental fee varies depending on:
- Day of week
- Time of year
- Package chosen
- Type of event
The rental fee for a ceremony + reception ranges $8,700–11,400 and includes:
- 11- or 13-hour venue rental time
- Access to the entire public area of the Discovery Center
- Two ocean-view terraces
- Staffed touch table to feel live animals
- Free Seymour Center admission for guests during its open hours on the wedding day
- Ceremony rehearsal
- Tables & chairs
- Lighting, sound system, microphones, and projectors
- Service kitchen
- Upgraded options may include a changing/storage room and overnight storage
- Dual membership to the Seymour Center
Reception-only packages start at $7,000; ceremony-only packages start at $1,700.
Additional Info
Couples may also choose to have two volunteer docents stationed at the seawater "touch table" in the Exhibit Hall for guests to interact with marine life, at no extra charge.
Capacity
| Indoors | Outdoors | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ceremony | Seated | 100 | 120 |
| Cocktails, etc. | Standing | 200 | 150 |
| Reception | Seated | 120 | 100 |
| Meetings | Total meeting capacity for this venue is 110. | ||
CEREMONY, EVENT/RECEPTION & MEETING CAPACITY: For seated receptions, the venue holds up to 120 indoors or 100 outdoors. The entire center accommodates up to 200 for a standing/cocktail reception. For ceremonies, it seats 100 indoors and 120 outdoors.
Venue Details
Site Uses
- Outdoor Ceremony
- Ceremony
- Wedding Receptions
- Outdoor Reception
- LGBTQ+ Friendly
- Small Wedding
- Rehearsal Dinner
- Special Events / Parties
- Business Functions / Meetings
Essential Info
Price
$ • $$
Catering
Preferred list
BYO
Caterers not on the venue's preferred list must provide a certificate of insurance -- please consult your events director for details.
Alcohol
BYO
Amplified Music
Indoors
Outdoors
Some restrictions
Wheelchair Access
Wheelchair accessible
Availability
Year-round, daily (except holidays), 10am–10pm. All guests must be off premises by 11pm.
Venue Type
Buildings & other settings available:
- Non-Profit
- Patio / Deck / Terrace
- Unique
- Beach / Ocean
- Zoo / Aquarium
Venue Views
Peep the views you’ll enjoy from this venue!
- Meadow / Fields
- Ocean / Bay
- Panoramic
Services & Amenities
Feel like a VIP with these services and amenities:
Catering: select from list or BYO
Kitchen Facilities: fully equipped
Tables & Chairs: provided
Linens, Silver, etc.: BYO
Restrooms: wheelchair accessible
Dance Floor: BYO, depending on space rented
Dressing Area: CBA
Meeting Equipment: BYO
Parking: medium-sized public lot, shuttling encouraged
Accommodations: no guestrooms
Telephone: guest phone
Outdoor Night Lighting: provided
Outdoor Cooking Facilities: no
Cleanup: renter
View: panorama of ocean/bay, coastline and fields
Other: picnic area, AV equipment, ocean view decks, aquarium and exhibit hall availability
Restrictions
But take note of the following limitations!
Alcohol: BYO
Smoking: not allowed
Music: amplified OK indoors until 10pm, outdoors until 7pm
Wheelchair Access: yes
Insurance: liability required
Seymour Marine Discovery Center
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