Santa Barbara Maritime Museum

Category: Museums

Address

113 Harbor Way
Santa Barbara, CA 93109
(805) 962-8404

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Details

Discovery • Adventure • Family

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM) is home to the First-Order Fresnel Lens from Point Conception Lighthouse. Signature exhibits include Wives and Daughters: Keepers of the Light, Surfing, interactive children’s exhibits, The History of Oil in the Santa Barbara Channel & Chumash Use of Asphaltum, the history of commercial diving, The Honda Disaster, Whales Are Superheroes!, and The Lure of Lighthouses & Dancing Waves. The museum also presents monthly lectures on a wide range of maritime topics, as well as occasional book launches.

Founded in 2000, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum creates exhibits and hands-on, educational experiences that celebrate more than 13,000 years of maritime history in our region—from Chumash culture to today’s surfing scenes and environmental movements. Nearly 8,000 square feet of gallery space showcase special presentations and changing displays culled from the museum’s collections, all dedicated to instilling love and respect for the Santa Barbara Channel, for the people who make their living on its waters, and for the abundant marine life that calls these waters home.

Current hours: Open daily 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Upcoming Events

• SBMM Presents Aquean: Photographs, Paintings, and Prints
  Thu, Apr 9, 2026 - Thu, Jul 16, 2026  10am - 5pm