Best Museums in Santa Barbara

Pacific Coast Highway Travel's guide to the best museums in Santa Barbara, which include art, history, natural history, and science museums.

Santa Barbara's Sea Center

The best museums in Santa Barbara can rival any along the California coast, maybe with the exception of some museums in San Francisco and Los Angeles. There are some excellent art and natural history museums, historical museums, and one of the best Spanish Colonial Revival-style buildings in the whole USA.

Best Museums in Santa Barbara

Carriage and Western Art Museum of Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara's Carriage and Western Art Museum

This is the largest collection of horse-drawn vehicles in the USA, and a popular place for families. There are old stagecoaches, police vehicles, farm buggies, military vehicles – an amazing array, and there's a collection of saddles once owned by people including Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart, Will Rogers, the Cisco Kid, and many more.
129 Castillo St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 962-2353
carriagemuseum.org

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

Santa Barbara Natural History Museum

This large museum with its outdoor nature trails too is another major Santa Barbara attraction, especially good for families. It ranges from displays on the local Native American culture, through the wildlife and minerals of the region right up to the modern day with a planetarium and a space lab. Allow plenty of time here.
2559 Puesta Del Sol, Santa Barbara, CA 93105
(805) 682-4711
sbnature.org

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center Downtown

Santa Barbara's Sea Center

This offshoot of the main Museum of Natural History focuses on showcasing the natural history of the Santa Barbara Channel and the surrounding ocean. You'll find it on Stearns Wharf and it has a range of exhibits and interactive displays that highlight the area's marine life, oceanography, and environmental conservation efforts. You get to see a variety of marine creatures up close, including sharks, rays, sea stars, and sea urchins. There are also touch tanks where you can interact with some of the animals, as well as a tide pool exhibit.
211 Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 962-2526
sbnature.org/seacenter

Santa Barbara Museum of Art Downtown

The Santa Barbara Museum of Art

The Museum of Art is an excellent collection of fine arts with a lot of historical and more modern objects from China and the rest of Asia, as well as a good display of paintings from the American West, and Latin America. Check if there are any visiting exhibitions too.
1130 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 963-4364
sbma.net

Santa Barbara Historical Museum

This tells the history of Santa Barbara through historic photos and documents, paintings, furnishings, and period clothing. It's a fascinating and well-done look at the story of the city. There's a good gift shop, too. For a more detailed look, see our separate page on the Santa Barbara Historical Museum.
136 E De La Guerra St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 966-1601
sbhistorical.org

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum

If you're looking for family things to do, this story of California's maritime history has lots of modern interactive exhibits. Entertaining for the kids, but informative too, about the fishing, trading, and warfare that went on off the California Pacific Coast.
113 Harbor Way Ste.190, Santa Barbara, CA 93109
(805) 962-8404
sbmm.org

South Coast Railroad Museum at Goleta Depot

Old Ticket Validator at the South Coast Railroad Museum

This museum is about 15 minutes west of downtown, near the Santa Barbara Airport. It focuses on the history and significance of railroading on the South Coast of California. It's housed in the historic Goleta Depot, which was built in 1901 and served as a train station for the Southern Pacific Railroad until 1973.

Our Pick of the Central Coast Guides

You get to see a variety of exhibits and artifacts, including vintage rail cars, locomotives, and other equipment. There are also interactive displays that highlight the mechanics and technology behind railroading. There are also regular special events so check the website to find out what's going on.
300 N Los Carneros Rd, Goleta, CA 93117
(805) 964-3540
scrm.goletadepot.org

The Best PCH Guide
We've read lots of guides to the Pacific Coast, and easily the best one is the Moon Handbook. You can read our review here, or buy it through the Amazon link below.

Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara

The museum was founded in 1976 and has since become a leading institution for contemporary art in California. It's housed in a 6,000 square foot space in the heart of downtown and showcases a wide range of contemporary art, including painting, sculpture, photography, video, and installation art.

The museum also has a wide range of exhibitions, including both solo and group shows, featuring emerging and established artists from around the world. There are also regular talks and workshops.
653 Paseo Nuevo, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 966-5373
mcasantabarbara.org

MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation

A child inside the giant guitar exhibit at the MOXI museum in San Francisco

Inside the Giant Guitar Exhibit at MOXI

This interactive science museum is great for families with kids. The museum has exhibits on science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. The giant guitar's our favorite thing! There's also a rooftop playground with great views of Santa Barbara.
125 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 770-5000
moxi.org

Casa Del Herrero

Casa del Herrero

This is technically in Montecito but it's only a 10-minute drive east of downtown Santa Barbara so we've tagged it on at the end. It showcases the historic home and gardens of the Steedman family, who were influential in the development of Santa Barbara.

The property features a Spanish Colonial Revival-style house, that's considered one of the finest examples in the whole USA, along with a botanical garden that has fountains, pools, and sculptures. In 2009 it became Santa Barbara's 4th National Historic Landmark.
1387 E Valley Rd, Montecito, CA 93108
(805) 565-5653
casadelherrero.com

Other Santa Barbara pages

Santa Barbara Guidebook
The Santa Barbara Guidebook from Moon Handbooks also covers California’s Central Coast with Ventura, San Luis Obispo, wine country, and Hearst Castle.
Santa Barbara Wine Country
Santa Barbara Wine Country is one of the top wine destinations says Wine Enthusiast, alongside Napa Valley, rating California vineyards alongside Champagne.
Santa Barbara Historical Museum
The Santa Barbara Historical Museum is one of the best things to do in Santa Barbara, California, on the Pacific Coast Highway.
Best Time to Visit Santa Barbara
PCH Travel picks the best time to visit Santa Barbara, with a monthly summary of the weather, plus hotel prices and special events to help plan a visit.
Santa Barbara
Standing on the Pacific Coast Highway in California, Santa Barbara is an attractive resort with a historic downtown, sandy beaches, a mission, and good museums.
Best Restaurants in Santa Barbara
Pacific Coast Highway Travel visits the best restaurants in Santa Barbara and recommends where to eat for the finest food and top local wines.
Santa Barbara Italian Restaurant
The Santa Barbara Italian restaurant Olio e Limone serves some of the best Sicilian-Italian food in California, and is well-located downtown.
Franciscan Inn Santa Barbara
The historic Franciscan Inn in Santa Barbara, California, near the Pacific Coast Highway, is in a quiet location near the beach ideal for those driving PCH.
Santa Barbara Beachfront Hotel
The Oceana Santa Barbara beachfront hotel has a perfect seafront location, close to Stearns Wharf and State Street, and whale watching cruises.
Santa Barbara Whale Watching
Santa Barbara whale watching cruises in southern California can be booked through Condor Express, with whale watching trips leaving from the harbor.