No matter what your personal interests may be, you will find no shortage of things to do during your Santa Barbara getaway. Whether you're shopping, surfing, wine tasting, or simply exploring the California beach town, you will want to make sure you take time out of your busy vacation schedule to check out some of the area's rich history. What better place to do that then the Santa Barbara Historical Museum? The cultural landmark is well worth a visit regardless if you consider yourself a history buff or not.
The Santa Barbara Historical Museum can be found in the city's El Pueblo Viejo district. Opened in 1932, its exhibits are designed to cover more than 500 years of history and a variety of historical art periods, such as Chumash, American, Mexican, and Spanish. In the beginning, the main purpose of the museum was to preserve the history of Santa Barbara County through artifacts and documents.
Exhibitions can be viewed Tuesday-Saturday from 10AM-5PM and Sunday from 12PM-5PM. Guided tours are available on the weekends, and donations are accepted as admission. There are now over 80,000 artifacts and objects housed as part of the Santa Barbara Historical Museum's permanent collection.
Aside from all of the impressive displays of art, the museum also hosts a variety of events that include live performances, history lectures, wine education and tastings, and fundraisers. With its colorful courtyards that boast an alluring landscape and magical water fountains, the museum is also renowned as a beautiful and romantic wedding venue.
Anything you've wanted to know about Santa Barbara and its surrounding areas can be found at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. Make sure you complete your vacation with the perfect place to stay like Cityscape home from Paradise Retreats' extensive portfolio of luxury vacation properties.
