All Museums

Founded in 1959, the Art, Design & Architecture Museum at the University of California, Santa Barbara is a teaching museum committed to the development of critical thinking and visual literacy in support of the University’s goals of…

With its white adobe walls and red-tiled roof, the iconic Casa de la Guerra is the foremost place to learn about Santa Barbara’s Mexican period (1821-1848). This important historic landmark was built between 1818 and 1828 for José de…

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…

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…

A collective of Santa Barbara County’s leading museums and cultural institutions have joined forces to creatively explore the impacts of climate change through art, history, science and nature. Under the umbrella of the Santa Barbara County…

Lotusland is a stunning 37-acre botanical garden in the hills of Montecito and is home to more than 3,000 species of plants, many of them rare or endangered. The Garden is the former estate of well-known opera singer and socialite, Madam Ganna…

Ignite your mind at MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, Santa Barbara’s one-of-a-kind destination for hands-on scientific and creative experiences. Located in the flourishing Funk Zone neighborhood, MOXI invites kids, families…

Walk the halls of history at one of Santa Barbara’s most iconic sites, Old Mission Santa Barbara. With its grand bell towers, lush gardens and views of the San Ynez mountains and Pacific Ocean, the Mission is one of the city’s most…

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…

The Santa Barbara Channel is a pillar of the city’s history and the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM) is the perfect place to learn about it. Located in the picturesque Santa Barbara Harbor, the Maritime Museum provides exhibits and educational…

Celebrate 5,000 years of human history and creativity on a visit to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA). First opened in 1941, the Museum is located in the heart of downtown in a stately building that was once the Santa Barbara Post Office.…

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,…

Discover the wonders of ocean life at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center. Located on historic Stearns Wharf, this highly interactive regional aquarium offers you close encounters with marine animals from the Santa Barbara…