Petaluma School District

In 1989, Hugh Codding donated the entire Codding Museum inventory to Petaluma High School instructor Ron Head to create an innovative educational program. Ron's dream was to give high school students career and leadership skills through active participation in an environmental education program. The Petaluma Wildlife Museum facility was built in 1940 as a school bus garage.

The Museum is open to the general public on the first and third Saturday of the month from 11am to 3pm. Come get a tour from one of our docents or explore the Museum on your own. We always have a number of our live animals out and about for an up close and personal experience! General admission to the Museum is a suggested donation of $5, children 5 years and younger are free.

If you have extra vegetables such as zucchini, carrots, summer squash, or romaine lettuce we would love to feed them to our critters. Go Fund Me Update: Thank you so much to our over 450 amazing benefactors. Your generous donations have helped us raise more than $45,000 for the Museum. We continue to need an appreciate your support as we move through this uncertain time school closures and pandemics.

The Petaluma Wildlife Museum's Summer Camp program is designed to engage and enthrall children ages 5 -12. Campers can look forward to a fun week of animals, insects, educational games/activities, and special guests!

The curriculum includes the history of the museum, animal care and handling, wildlife preservation, conservation and ecology, and incorporates relevant animal themes and activities which correlate with the availability of our amazing guest presenters.Throughout the day, campers look forward to handling and caring for the museum animals under the supervision of our trained counselors.