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Sea urchin coelomocytes can be collected in large numbers from adult sea urchins of the species, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, which can contain 12 to 40 ml of coelomic fluid. Coelomocytes can be used for analysis of immune reactions and immune gene expression in addition to basic functions of cells, in particular for understanding structure and modifications of the cytoskeleton in phagocytes. The methods described here include coelomocyte isolation, blocking the clotting reaction, establishing and maintaining primary cultures, separation of different types of coelomocytes into fractions, processing live coelomocytes for light microscopy, fixation and staining for light and electron microscopy, analysis of coelomocyte populations by flow cytometry, and sorting single cells for more detailed follow-up analyses including transcriptomics or genomic characteristics. These methods are provided to make working with coelomocytes accessible to researchers who are unfamiliar with these cells and perhaps aid others who have worked extensively with invertebrate cells.