What are the opening hours?

Monday 10am - 5pm Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 10am - 5pm

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

Name: Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
Address: 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara, CA, 93105, US
Telephone: +18056824711
Price range: $
Rating: 4.7

Home
United States
Santa Barbara, CA
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

We connect people to nature for the betterment of both.
(1084)

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History has two locations, offering guests the unique opportunity to discover and explore from land to sea. MUSEUM
2559 Puesta del Sol
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
(805) 682-4711

SEA CENTER
211 Stearns Wharf
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 962-2526

09/04/2026

We can see a great event up ahead—Birds of California's Channel Islands! Join us for a lively and memorable Santa Barbara Audubon Society lecture and book signing event with two of the authors of Birds of California’s Channel Islands, the first comprehensive guide to the avifauna of our region’s unique archipelago! On September 29, 7:00–8:30 PM here at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Curator Emeritus of Vertebrate Zoology Paul W. Collins, M.A., and Wildlife Biologist Justyn T. Stahl, M.S., will provide a sweeping overview of the changing status and distribution of Channel Islands birds, ranging from prehistoric times through the present. Drawing on a stunning breadth of data sources and over 65 years of combined personal fieldwork on the islands, they will share key takeaways about how biogeography and the effects of humans on the landscape have shaped bird populations and diversity. Along the way, you’ll hear about the challenges of this epic research project 50 years in the making, and enjoy the rich and unique perspectives of two ornithologists with deep knowledge of these islands. Find details and tickets: https://www.sbnature.org/visit/calendar/9286/birds-of-californias-channel-islands

Photo of Paul Collins at Sandy Point on Santa Rosa Island by John Storrer

09/03/2026

Life's more relaxing after you've made your estate plan! 🧘‍♀️ Many people don't have a will—or have plans that haven't been completed, updated, or properly funded. Creating an estate plan is one of the most important gifts you can leave for the people and causes you care about. 🐳 We're encouraging everyone to take this important step, whether or not you choose to include the Museum in your plans. Visit https://sbnature.org/legacygiving to start your will today. Try our free online will-making tool, and find help creating a plan that protects your loved ones and reflects your wishes.

09/01/2026

Tiger beetles are top insect predators, but many species have small ranges that are fragmented by natural and human factors. Protecting rare species depends on knowing the size of populations, but the world's fastest insects can be hard to find and count! Schlinger Chair of Entomology Alex Harman, Ph.D., recently published research on species-specific blacklight attraction in North American tiger beetles. Find out how it will help researchers measure those populations and why iNaturalist.org data was key, learn about the dark side of light attraction, and tell us if you agree that they should really be called cheetah beetles at https://www.sbnature.org/publications/blog/2/posts/112/illuminating-the-worlds-fastest-insects Photo by Alex Harman

08/29/2026

Museum exhibit interpreters provide a welcoming and educational environment for guests of all ages. Open to ages 18 and up, this volunteer role is an excellent opportunity for college students seeking environmental education experience! It requires a five-month commitment. Come learn more about this and other key volunteer roles at the Museum and Sea Center during our upcoming Volunteer Open House on Tuesday, September 15, 10:00–11:30 AM here at the Museum. Details and RSVP in Volunteer Open House.

08/26/2026

Have you noticed swarms of dragonflies on the central coast? 🐉Local resident Alicia asked about them after seeing a large swarm in Girsh Park. Schlinger Chair of Entomology Alex Harman, Ph.D., shares that most of the swarms we’re seeing consist of Wandering Gliders, also known as Globe Skimmers, _Pantala flavescens_. These dragonflies are found on every continent except Antarctica, and have the longest migration of any insect. Take a minute to let that sink in. Some populations migrate from southern Africa to India, crossing the Indian Ocean! While their migratory movements in North America seem to be a bit more irregular, it is common to see large swarms of them throughout the U.S. as they migrate. The available research suggests that their movements are at least somewhat correlated to weather, so the El Niño pattern now bringing extreme heat to our shores could be playing a role in how many we’re seeing now. Where have you seen dragonflies lately? 📸_Pantala flavescens_ photo by iNaturalist user ben142

08/25/2026

Museum Members are invited to Cocktails with a Curator: Mammals Magnified, a special opportunity to meet Curator of Mammalogy Ally Coconis, Ph.D., on Thursday, September 17, 7:00–8:30 PM. Dr. Coconis has tracked and studied mammals across the West. Join us to learn how her past work led her here, where she curates over 11,000 mammal specimens! Find out how she facilitates and conducts research making use of the full breadth of collections to illuminate the ecological niches of mammals. Take a close look at a table of small mammal specimens at the center of ongoing study. Details, tickets, and RSVP at
https://www.sbnature.org/visit/calendar/9290/cocktails-with-a-curator-mammals-magnified

08/22/2026

Join us at the Museum on Saturday, September 12, 3:30–4:30 PM for Poetry in the Bowl: An Afternoon with Crystal AC Salas & Catherine Abbey Hodges! At historic Coggeshall Bowl, Santa Barbara Poet Laureate George Yatchisin will introduce two celebrated poets published by Gunpowder Press: Crystal AC Salas, and Catherine Abbey Hodges (accompanied by Rob Hodges on cello). Included with Museum admission, this event is supported by the Santa Barbara Poetry Series and Gunpowder Poetry. 📖 Crystal AC Salas is the author of the bilingual poetry chapbook, Grief Logic, which is the co-winner of the inaugural Alta California Prize from Gunpowder Press (2022). She has work in The Kenyon Review, Alta Journal, Northwest Review, and others. Catherine Abbey Hodges is the author of four books of poetry, most recently Empty Me Full (Gunpowder Press, 2024), and two chapbooks. Her first full-length collection, Instead of Sadness, won the 2015 Barry Spacks Poetry Prize.🌿Coggeshall Bowl’s amphitheater-style seating is stone. For optimal comfort, bring a cushion.📚For more details, visit https://www.sbnature.org/visit/calendar/9291/poetry-in-the-bowl-an-afternoon-with-crystal-ac-salas-catherine-abbey-hodges

08/21/2026

We just got an amazing tool for making the one-of-a-kind items in our collections more accessible to people around the world. Join Associate Curator Justin Lemberg, Ph.D., in unboxing the Museum's new 3D scanner! This equipment unlocks a whole new way for us to share scientific information with researchers and offer memorable, hands-on experiences to our guests and visiting students.

08/19/2026

Most adults hope to remain in their own homes as they grow older, but doing so successfully requires thoughtful planning. Whether you’re preparing for your own future or helping a loved one, join Certified Trust & Fiduciary Advisor and Museum Trustee Kendra Epley for a free webinar to plan for comfort, safety, independence, and peace of mind. Presented by the Museum’s Planned Giving Advisory Council, Preparing to Age in Place: Lunch & Learn Webinar will take place over Zoom on Tuesday, September 8 from noon to 1:00 PM. Learn to recognize early warning signs that additional support may be needed, and develop a realistic “Plan B” before a crisis arises. Explore important considerations for health care, home safety, transportation, social connection, and community resources. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience at Northern Trust—along with her personal journey caring for her own parents—Kendra will share expert guidance to help you prepare for the future with confidence. You’ll leave with practical next steps to age in place more successfully! Visit https://www.sbnature.org/visit/calendar/9285/preparing-to-age-in-place-lunch-learn-webinar for all the details and link to register.

08/18/2026

Just a week left to vote in the Santa Barbara Independent Best of Santa Barbara® Readers’ Poll, ending August 26. You’ll find us in nine categories at bestof.independent.com this year. 🥰 Four categories are in the Out & About section: Best Museum, Best Family Fun Spot, Best Gallery (Maximus Gallery), and Best Annual Event (our fundraiser S.B. Wine Festival). 🦖 In the Little Creatures section, you’ll also find our Nature Adventures running for Best Kids Summer Camp and Best After School Program. In the Romance section, we’re going for Best Wedding Venue, and in the Living Well section we’re running for Best Gift Shop and Best Place to Work. You’ll need to vote in 20 categories for your picks to be counted, but with 45% of those covered just by us, you’ll be on a roll to choose your other local favorites. 🐳 Visit bestof.independent.com to get started.

Address

2559 Puesta Del Sol
Santa Barbara, CA
93105

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 5pm
Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	10am - 5pm

Telephone

+18056824711

Website

https://sbnature.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your museum to be the top-listed Museum in Santa Barbara?