Visit Santa Barbara’s Secret Fashion Museum. Tucked away in Santa Barbara’s historic Arts District, the Couture Pattern Museum is a rare find for travelers seeking quiet, charming, and meaningful cultural experiences. This is not a typical walk in museum. Due to the fragility of the garments and the archival nature of the collection, visits are available by reservation only and offered as private guided educational tours led by a qualified fashion historian.
The museum holds one of the few archives in the world dedicated to commercial and handwritten haute couture dress patterns originating from Paris, some dating back more than a century. Currently on display are authentic garments by designers including Balenciaga, Christian Dior, and James Galanos, along with museum reconstructed couture garments with original patterns by Givenchy, Norman Hartnell, Madame Grès, Jean Dessès, and Marc Bohan.
The museum was featured in the Haute Couture Issue of WWD Weekend Magazine for its role in preserving fashion history on the California coast.
Each $125 all inclusive ticket includes:
- An exclusive private tour guided by the curator
- Tea and French treats on the patio with views overlooking the Arts District and the Santa Barbara coastline
- A small parting gift
Visitors experience a different kind of museum visit: a slower, more personal, and interactive exploration of haute couture fashion history and French draping and pattern design. The experience is ideal for fashion lovers, design students, collectors, and travelers who enjoy cultural depth, slow travel, and discovering something unexpected.
Private group tours are available for up to eight guests and are especially popular for birthdays, organizations and sororities, and afternoons shared with family or friends.
Children under 18 attending Santa Barbara County schools may visit free with an adult.
Appointments are limited. To reserve a tour or inquire about private group visits, call (805) 303-4775. Experience the glamour and creativity of the Golden Age of Couture in Santa Barbara.