Art Galleries

The arts are alive in Santa Barbara, as visitors discover in countless ways. Both emerging and established artists showcase their work in galleries extending from Santa Barbara’s downtown through The Funk Zone, and to the boulevards of Montecito and Summerland. The institutions of higher education — colleges, community colleges, and the university — also do their part, with dedicated spaces for regular exhibitions. Provocative and traditional artworks, collectible and museum-quality items…there’s something for every taste and, if you’re planning to bring something home, for every pocketbook.

All the arts are represented. Photography, painting, sculpture, architecture and video, along with folk, decorative, and outsider art draw aficionados to opening receptions, as well as to pop-ups and long-running shows.

Once a month, downtown galleries, museums and other venues stay open late and encourage visitors to stroll State Street on 1st Thursday art walks. Along with unveiling new exhibits and displays, receptions offer the opportunity to linger over wine and hors d’oeuvres and talk to artists about their work, while live music performances abound on street corners and in storefronts.

Similarly, The Funk Zone — which has a large contingent of artists working in its industrial buildings — holds monthly art walks and open studios. Joining the gallery-goers makes for a particularly lively way to explore the hip neighborhood.

Artists in other parts of the city also get into the act several other times of year, with open studio tours, accessible by car, for art-lovers.

As for handcrafted goods, the Santa Barbara Arts & Crafts Show is a weekly open-air tradition that stretches for blocks and blocks along ocean-facing Cabrillo Boulevard, starting at Stearns Wharf, every Sunday.

Art Galleries in Santa Barbara


Architectural Foundation of SB

Founded in 1983, the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara is a public non-profit charitable corporation whose mission is to support and provide programs that promote education about the importance of art, architecture, and design excellence.…


Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

Founded in 1916 as the Museum of Comparative Oology, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History has evolved to include more than 3.5 million specimens covering every aspect of natural history—from mammals, birds and marine life to geology,…


Santa Barbara Arts & Crafts Show

Held every Sunday year-round and on Saturdays of major holiday weekends, the Santa Barbara Arts & Crafts Show highlights more than 200 of the amazing local artists and artisans who call Santa Barbara home. From original drawings and paintings…


Elizabeth Gordon Gallery

Established in 1984, Elizabeth Gordon Gallery has become a premier destination for contemporary art collectors and enthusiasts. Its stunning collection of paintings adorning the gallery walls offers a captivating experience and stands as one of the…


El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park

Explore an 18th-century historic symbol of Santa Barbara—and the many cultures that intersected here—at the site of the last Spanish fortress in California. Operated by the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP) for…


Sullivan Goss – An American Gallery

Established in 1984, Sullivan Goss – An American Gallery is one of the largest and most important galleries between Los Angeles and San Francisco. We organize nationally important exhibitions in our expansive downtown gallery. With…


Santa Barbara Historical Museum

Take a fascinating journey from the past to the present at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. Located on lovely grounds in the heart of downtown’s El Pueblo Viejo District, the Museum is one of the oldest cultural institutions in the city…


Additional Experiences


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