With a rich history of entertainment and the arts, Santa Barbara is home to a handful of wonderful museums. From the list of museums in town, we picked our three favorites. This a guide to Santa Barbara’s Best Museums.
A Guide to Santa Barbara’s Best Museums
Santa Barbara Museum of Art
Home to more than 25,000 pieces of art from around the globe, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art is at the top of our list of museums to visit. The art on hand spans all the way from the 14th century to the 21st century. With masterpieces by famous artists like Claude Monet and David Alfaro Siqueiros, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art is one of the best places to get lost for an afternoon. The range of styles, encapsulation of important eras, and collection of artists featured make it one of the top art museums on the entire West Coast.
Walking through the quiet halls of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art will leave you mesmerized by magnificent works from famous French Impressionist artists such as Monet, Pierre Auguste Renoir, and Henri Rousseau. This particular period made a massive impact on the art world and being able to view works from this era is a special experience. Other than the classics, you can find works by modern American artists like Alex Heilbron and Sarah Rosalena, both of whom blend technology from today with older techniques to create stunning works of art.
Pro tip: visit the Santa Barbara Museum of Art on Thursdays from 5:00-8:00 p.m. since admission is free during these hours!
Located at: 1130 State St, Santa Barbara
Natural History Museum
What better way to spend a day than by immersing yourself in the wonderful world of science and natural history? The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is one of the top attractions in the city and constantly features interesting exhibits. For all butterfly lovers, the museum is featuring its seasonal butterfly pavilion. This special exhibit features butterflies from all over the world, with hundreds of different types on display. The exhibit runs every spring and will be showcased through August 25th.
Also on display is a Pygmy Mammoth skeleton that comes from Santa Barbara’s very own Channel Islands. The history behind these majestic creatures and their ties to the Santa Barbara area is fascinating. If you don’t see anything else at the museum, make sure to stop by and check out this skeleton! For those who love rocks and minerals, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History features an amazing geodes and gemstone exhibit. Admission to this exhibit is extra, but it is worth it!
Located at: 2559 Puesta Del Sol, Santa Barbara
Karpeles Manuscript Library
One of our top hidden spots in Santa Barbara, this small museum is packed with plenty of incredible artifacts and documents. With carvings and artifacts that go as far back as Ancient Egypt and even back to Biblical times. Its founder, Dr. David Karpeles, was a Santa Barbara native, and beyond being a renowned mathematician he also became a philanthropist. His contributions extend beyond the museum, as Dr. Karpeles created an early piece of artificial intelligence later used in banks.
After finding success in real estate investments, Dr. Karpeles began collecting original manuscripts in the late 1970s and eventually gathered such an impressive inventory that he opened up a museum to display his collection. The Karpeles Manuscript Library is considered the largest private collection of its kind in the entire world. With eight locations throughout the United States, the Karpeles Manuscript Library features documents and inventions that help tell the story of American history. From original documents such as America The Beautiful and Einstein’s famous E=MC2, the Karpeles Manuscript Library features an incredible array of fascinating artifacts. We highly recommend stopping in for a few hours. Admission to the museum is also free!
Located at: 21 W Anapamu St, Santa Barbara
Want a sneak peek at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History? Watch this video!
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