Pacific Biological Laboratories

I hesitate in writing even this.
I wrote a lengthy review and deleted it. I don’t want to give it away. I don’t want it to cheapen it with more [censored] trotting around and trying to steal off of it or from it.
But this, this is a holy place of sorts.
You can go to the missions for religion. Or you can come here. But please don’t.

Right next door to the Monterey Bay Aquarium is Pacific Biological Laboratories, the place where Doc Ricketts carried out many of his studies of intertidal invertebrates. If you’re an invert nerd, this is a must see! I hear they do little tours some days, but every time I’ve passed by, it’s been closed.
There are some signs that talk about the building and Rickett’s work. You can also see his backyard and the holding tanks used for his studies.
There’s a public promenade along the back that takes you back around on the balconies and such of some of the businesses. Nice quick little stop that gives you insight into some Monterey history.

I didn’t know about tour of the lab, I just wanted to be near the place, sit on the steps and have a mozy around back. It is amazing that the site even survives in any form at all considering what has happened all around and up the street. Go to 3 other places nearby on the same trip: The aquarium, the small garden with the bust of Ricketts at the corner of Drake St., then having done that go to any rock pool when both the tide and the stars are out.

Disappointing. While Ricketts may have worked there and Steinbeck stayed there as well as other interesting and influential people, the only thing left from the original days are the concrete specimen collection tanks in the back yard. It is decorated as it was from the 70’s after being taken over as a ‘clubhouse’. The original structure burned and the current wood structure built. It was remodeled to its current state after Ricketts’ death. That said:
1)The first 20 minutes of the tour was set up with simple anecdotes and history that could be gleaned from an encyclopedia and then a 20 minute recording of Steinbeck reading his short story ‘The Snake’. Of course there were promises of «if you come for future tours there’s always something different to hear».
2) This was followed by the introduction of Frank Wright who is the only living person left who knew and hung out with Doc Ricketts — the only worthwhile part of this whole endeavor. Disappointingly, the tour leader cut him short. Had they led with Mr. Wright and devoted an appropriate amount of time to his reflections this tour would have been a success.
3) The rest of the house consisted of a one room playroom with bar and piano and a bathroom which was touted as a photo opportunity because of its poster of Sophia Loren on the wall (Come on… really!?).
4) The ‘Lab’ is under the main house and has nothing in it to even distinguish it as a lab. It looks like anyone’s basement, cellar, or work room. Before proceeding to this area the group was regaled by a semi-​retired biologist who thought it pertinent to discuss how he became interested in the field. His story of receiving goldfish as a present was more appropriate for elementary school children. He also duplicated the talk on Ricketts and his methods — wasting even more time. And he too, was interrupted in order to push us through as the «next tour’ had to start.
5) The end of the tour was rushed, but quite frankly as there was nothing even remotely interesting to see, I didn’t care. What I did care about was wasting 15.00 on this ‘museum’.
As stated, the opportunity to meet Frank Wright was the highlight and it was wasted. Save your money and let this boy’s club figure out another way to raise funds for themselves. Just walk down there and sit on the steps if you want the ambiance — there is nothing inside that speaks of Ricketts or Steinbeck. The atmosphere has been tainted by time and mixed priorities of those serving to preserve its history. I gave it two stars only… only…because of Mr. Wright — and would have given it even more if he had been allowed to speak in lieu of the recorded story.

I’m writing a review of the actual inside of the lab, and a thanks to the Cannery Row foundation for running tours. The lab/​house of Dr. Ed Ricketts is interesting – at the top of the stairs from the front is a living room and hallway that are covered with art posters from members of the foundation, and decorated with some of Ed Rickett’s things and memorial objects to John Steinbeck. In the next room is a bar built by a gentleman’s club after they bought it from the family of Ed Rickett’s, and more memorabilia related to the cannery row, Ed, and John.
Out back is a stair way down to a blank backyard that used to be filled with tanks of Ed’s and other laboratory objects. There still are concrete containers back there for holding water and animals and a few rusty old tools. There is a view between the aquarium and the new hotels of the ocean and towards Seaside. The ocean pounds right below and in front of you.
Under the house is a basement where the doctor parked his car and held his lab. I was disappointed to see the lack of laboratory equipment and creepy jars like out of «American Horror Story” – the curator explained that after Ed died, many people either took things to remember him by or things were donated to biology collections, which I feel they should have been. Overall, the lab is a small and unique little piece of history sitting on Cannery Row. I feel thankful to have visited it!