A summary of summery things to do at UCSC

The long, lazy days of summer are a great time to explore UC Santa Cruz and its off-campus facilities. Whether you want to soak up some culture with a play, learn about exotic plants, or get up close and personal with marine mammals, UCSC offers the opportunity.

Admission is free, unless otherwise noted.

Performances and lectures
Shakespeare Santa Cruz's 30th anniversary offerings are The Comedy of Errors and Henry IV, Part One. Also on offer is The Three Musketeers, based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas.

Shakespeare Santa Cruz is a professional repertory company in residence at UCSC. The campus's Shakespeare festival was founded in 1981 and continues to be held annually each summer on campus. Plays are held indoors on the UCSC Theatre Arts Mainstage and outdoors among the redwoods in the Festival Glen. Bringing in professional actors, directors, and designers from throughout the country, the company's season runs from mid-July through late August and features three to four plays presented in repertory.

For information, call (831) 459-2121.

Buy Shakespeare Santa Cruz tickets online or call (831) 459-2159.

The campus is also home to the Dickens Universe. Held every year near the beginning of August, the Dickens Universe brings together scholars, graduate students, high school teachers, and members of the general public for a week of study and Dickensian conviviality. The program includes formal lectures by internationally distinguished scholars, seminars, small discussion groups, films, performances, exhibits, and a variety of informal social activities. Regularly attended by more than 200 participants of different ages and backgrounds, the Universe provides a relaxed and supportive environment in which to pursue serious intellectual inquiry.

This summer, the Universe will launch the worldwide celebration of Dickens's 200th birthday (Feb. 7, 1812) by starting the party a little early. The Dickens Universe will feature Great Expectations the first week in August.

Dates for the 2011 Dickens Universe are Sunday, July 31, to Friday, August 5.

Visit the web site for information and pricing.

Recreation, sports, and fitness
By purchasing a recreation/wellness card or paying a day-use fee, members of the community have access to UCSC's recreation facilities, which include tennis, racquetball, and basketball courts; wellness center; running track; and playing fields. For information, call (831) 459-2531.

Alumni Association members receive substantial discounts on cards and day-use fees; for information, call (831) 459-2530.

University Library
The McHenry and Science & Engineering Libraries house nearly 1.5 million books, nearly 17,000 periodical titles, 825,000 microforms, and 500,000 nonprint items, including maps, slides, and audio and video recordings. Most of these resources are available to the public; borrowing privileges are available with a contribution to the Friends of the UCSC Library or by joining the Alumni Association. Special Collections at McHenry Library contains rare, valuable, and often fragile materials that do not circulate but can be viewed by appointment.

Summer quarter hours (June 20-August 26) are:

McHenry:
• 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, and 12 noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
• Closed for the move into the renovated space June 10-19
• Special Collections will be closed all summer as the collections are moved back into the building

Science & Engineering:
• June 13-17: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• After June 17: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday

For information, visit the Library web site or call (831) 459-4000.

The Arboretum
Visitors to the UCSC Arboretum can stroll through its 40 acres of gardens, go on a First Saturday Tour, or take part in scheduled events. General admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children; for more detailed admission information, visit the web site or call (831) 427-2998.

A research and teaching facility, the Arboretum is open year-round from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Norrie's--a gift shop selling plants, gifts, pottery, jewelry, and more--is open every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. The Jean and Bill Lane Horticultural Library, a nonlending library of horticultural and botanical books, is usually open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. The Arboretum is located on Empire Grade between the campus's main and west entrances.

Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems
The Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems manages two facilities: the 25-acre Farm near the main entrance of campus and the 2-acre Alan Chadwick Garden across McLaughlin Drive from Stevenson College.

Both the Farm and the Alan Chadwick Garden are open to the public daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a self-guided tour brochure available at the Farm entrance. Groups can sign up for docent-led tours. During their tours, visitors can see first-hand how to build fertile soil and control pests, recycle yard and kitchen waste, conserve water, and encourage biodiversity. You'll also learn about the latest research projects taking place at the sites. The Life Lab science program's garden classroom, a garden designed with kids in mind, is also located at the Farm.

Beginning in early June and continuing into the fall, the Center for Agroecology sells organically grown produce and fresh flowers each Tuesday and Friday from noon to 6 p.m. in front of the Barn Theater at the intersection of Bay and High Streets. The center also sponsors a number of classes and events, including pruning and gardening workshops and a poetry reading.

For information, call (831) 459-3240.

Seymour Marine Discovery Center
Visitors can view one of the largest whale skeletons displayed worldwide, touch living sea stars and hermit crabs, and enjoy spectacular views of Monterey Bay at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center, part of a UCSC's marine research laboratory.

Aquaria and exhibits feature the everyday tools of ocean exploration and focus on research conducted by scientists on site and around the world. Skillful docents answer questions and lead tours at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m.

The Seymour Center is open every day during July and August, except July 4. Year-round, it's open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for students and senior citizens (64+), and $4 for children 4-16.

The Seymour Center is located at the west end of Delaware Avenue in Santa Cruz. For more information call (831) 459-3800 or go to the visitor information page.

Lick Observatory
A working observatory, Lick is located atop Mount Hamilton, east of San Jose and about 60 miles from campus.

The public is invited to view exhibits in the main observatory building, built in 1888. Enjoy an informal talk about Lick history while taking a look at the Great Lick Refractor in the 36-inch telescope dome. These talks begin at the gift shop, on each half hour starting at 1 p.m. on weekdays and 12:30 p.m. on weekends, continuing until 4:30 p.m. Each talk is about 15 minutes long and are free of charge.

The visitors' center will be open from 12 to 5 p.m., seven days a week, Memorial Day through Labor Day. It is otherwise open from 12 to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, closed Monday through Wednesday.

Visitors are also invited to take a short walk to the Shane Dome to view the 120-inch Reflector from the Visitors' Gallery. Displays explain the Shane reflector, one of the major telescopes used to discover planets outside of our solar system.

Visitors should carry warm clothing and allow one hour to drive from San Jose. For more information, call (408) 274-5061.

Tours of the UC Santa Cruz campus
The Office of Admissions offers campus tours year-round on weekdays. Reservations are required, and tours fill early. The approximately two-hour tour program starts at the Office of Admissions--Cook House, near the campus's main entrance at Bay and High streets.

The easiest and most convenient way to make a reservation is online; if you are unable to schedule a tour online, call (831) 459-4118.