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Museums and Attractions
Please use the menu below to see what sightseeing, shopping, entertainment and dining options are available in Santa Barbara.
Santa Barbara is packed with museums, art galleries and other cultural attractions. Very popular with students is the Botanic Garden – it's always a beautiful place to spend a sunny afternoon. Also worth visiting is the Carriage Museum. Go there to learn about the early history of California.
Santa Barbara Museum of Art
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art is one of the leading art museums in California and receives approximately 150,000 visitors per year.
First opened to the public in 1941, the museum has many superb collections, and is especially rich in works by some of the major French Impressionists.
Karpeles Manuscript Library
An amazing place, the (free) Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum is a real Santa Barbara gem. Go there if you love literature, reading, or visiting beautiful old buildings.
One of eight Karpeles manuscript museums in the country, this is definitely a “must see” attraction! Lots of helpful explanatory brochures are available, too.
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden features over 1,000 species of rare and indigenous California plants along 5½ miles of scenic trails through meadows and canyons.
A beautiful place to enjoy while soaking up the California sunshine, the Botanic Garden is always a popular attraction.
Museum of Natural History
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History offers a close look at the story of the region's birth, geology and minerals, native wildlife and rich marine life.
Go there to learn about California's ancient history, and be sure to see the impressive dinosaur fossils.
Carriage and Western Arts Museum
The Santa Barbara Carriage and Western Arts Museum is an unusual museum whose aim is to preserve and restore vehicles from California's past. In total, the museum houses a collection of about seventy five vehicles used by the early pioneers.
The museum also has a collection of saddles once owned by famous people and Hollywood movie stars.
Santa Barbara Zoo
Ranked as one of America's best small zoos, the Santa Barbara zoo is a nice place to spend a few hours. Just blocks from the beach, the zoo offers many exhibits and attractions – you may be able to watch sea lions eat if you are there at about 16:00.
The zoo is clean and beautifully landscaped, and the animals are well cared for. The view from the top of the hill is spectacular!
Maritime Museum
Located on the water's edge of the Santa Barbara harbor, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum contains exciting & educational exhibits set inside nearly 8,000 square feet of museum space.
The Maritime Museum also offers a wide range of educational programs. The admission fee includes a series of films shown daily on a large screen projector.
