The Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, Camarillo

The Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology has to be one of the seven wonders of the world. The museum houses over one million specimens. Everything from nests to eggs and of course the birds themselves. It is a great venue for kids and adults. The displays are simply incredible. There is easy parking and the entrance fee is affordable for the whole family. The staff are very knowledgable and eager to share their knowledge.

There just isn't any place like The Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology! I fancy myself a pretty decent explorer when it comes to finding interesting things to see and do in socal... and I had never heard about this until very recently! I saw a picture of the room and it didn't look real. It looked like a room I HAD to visit! Check their website as you need to schedule a tour, which they offer a few times a month. The tour is really more for adults, but I went with my toddler. We got there a half hour early, and the woman who ran it was SUPER cool and let us into the exhibit early and showed us around a little bit! She gave us free rain and showed my son things he could touch. It was awesome... so we had our turn to really explore on our own before the tour in case my son wouldn't stay still for it. Well... he wasn't exactly still, but he was good enough that we made it through the tour, so I got to learn a lot as well. They are super cool, friendly, informative and knowledgable. Any kind of taxidermy bird, egg, or bird's nest... they have... probably a few hundred of! They have some other fossils and interesting things too. It's just a room you need to see to appreciate. It's just so unique and kind of feels like it has been forgotten about (though if you're into birds you know of this place for sure). Definitely check it out!!! Make a day of it and look into other things in the area like The Pleasant Valley Historical Society and Botanical Gardens, The Commemorative Air Force Museum (where your kids can go inside a few planes and a helicopter), or the Antiques Mall of Camarillo. You can venture to Oxnard or Venture as well!

Omg, Disneyland for birders and those interested in animals, nests, eggs, taxidermy, evolution, and life at large! Our guide, Paul Grindrod (Science Education Coordinator), is clearly an ornithologist as he answered every question we had with ease, and taught us so much along the way with a number of engaging facts and stories. We felt so lucky to have connected with him. Mimi Damwyk, the Collections Assistant, also was wonderfully well informed, easily pointing out the drawers, amongst thousands, that help shells from a elephant bird egg. Organizations are only as strong as their people, and theirs are strong! We Loved our time there exploring such a wide array of species and entering this space is mind blowing in its size and depth

Didn't actually go in because my friend and I didn't know that you had to make an appointment. Would have been nice if they listed hours of operation or made a notice saying that they need appointments

Okay so, this is an incredible place for those who are interested in Bird Species. The staff is top-notch, knowledgeable and ready to serve. Able to answer all your questions. What a wonderful place for research, known world-wide, and right here in Camarillo. I HIGHLY recommend that you get on the list for a special tour, you will be blown away by the amount of work that has gone into this project. So impressive, I hardly know what to say. Sincerely, Lance Winslow, Online Think Tank