The Arts Movement
Beginning in the last quarter of the 19th century, Santa Barbara developed into the most important art colony between San … READ MORE
Collections & Exhibitions
A New Century
Santa Barbara became the center of the movie-making world when the Chicago-based American Film Manufacturing Company opened the largest production … READ MORE
Paradise in the 19th. Century
On April 25, 1908, Santa Barbara welcomed the Great White Fleet and it’s estimated fifteen thousand sailors with a tremendous … READ MORE
Chinatown & California Statehood
Santa Barbara, like many California cities, once had a Chinatown. Beginning in the 1850s, Chinese immigrants began arriving in Santa … READ MORE
Santa Barbara under Mexican Rule
With Mexico’s independence from Spain in 1821, Alta California came under Mexican rule. Arguably two of the most important results … READ MORE
The Haunted Mirror
The Museum is proud to introduce a new interactive exhibit for all ages, The Haunted Mirror. A wall of vintage … READ MORE
Sacred Art in the Age of Contact
Sacred Art in the Age of Contact Chumash and Latin American Traditions in Santa Barbara September 15 – January 14, … READ MORE
Missions of Edwin Deakin
May 4, 2017 – February 2018 Previously thought to be lost to the 1906 earthquake and fire in San Francisco, … READ MORE
Carl Oscar Borg – Spirit of the West
Once a Santa Barbara resident, Carl Oscar Borg’s life was the epitome of the “American Dream.” He was born in … READ MORE
De la Tierra – Art of the Adobe
The exhibit features works from the museum’s collection by renowned artists such as Alexander Harmer, Ludmilla Welch, A.M. Podchernikoff, Charles … READ MORE