Casa del Herrero welcomes home and garden lovers to see this legendary estate built in 1925. The rambling 11 acre estate is today, as it was in its heyday, a magnificent example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. Along with its stylish furnishings and lush gardens, this house museum easily rivals any astonishing home on the covers of Architectural Digest.
Take a step back in time at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. Learn about the city’s heritage from the native Chumash Indians to the Spanish settlers to near present day. Explore permanent and traveling exhibitions and special events that share the city’s distinctive story. Visit the on-site Gledhill Library to view a wealth of historical and cultural artifacts.
Ahoy mates! The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum celebrates California’s maritime history. Come navigate across an 8,000-square-foot museum to see ships, including the flagship Ranger, a 42-foot classic big-game fishing yacht, watch surfing documentaries at the Munger Theater and sail into the museum store to catch some memorable souvenirs!
Canvass the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, recognized as one of the top 10 regional art museums in the nation. Situated in downtown Santa Barbara, art enthusiasts enjoy sauntering alongside nationally recognized collections of American, Asian, Impressionism and 20th-century art. The museum also houses the Constance and George Fearing Library.
Stargazers look up to the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Explore a planetarium with a Space Lab, Magic Planet with meteorites and cool interactive astrological shows. Visit the nature exhibits to learn about mammals, fowl, reptiles, plant life and the geology of the Pacific Coastal and Channel Islands.
Ten-hut! The El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park houses the Santa Barbara Royal Presidio, one of four in the chain of military fortresses built by the Spanish in 1782 to protect the Spanish missions and settlers. Visit the historic park to walk in their shoes and experience the life and times of these early governments and communities.