Santa Barbara Historical Museum

Historic Structures: The Museum preserves two historic structures on their downtown Santa Barbara campus: the Covarrubias Adobe (1817) and the Historic Adobe (ca. 1836). The Covarrubias Adobe is one of the oldest buildings in Santa Barbara. Additionally, the Museum preserves three historic homes at 414 East Montecito Street: the Trussell-Winchester Adobe (1854), Charles Fernald Mansion (1862) and adjacent carriage house. The Covarrubias Adobe and Trussell-Winchester Adobe are California State Landmarks. The historical museum facility (1964), a 25,000 square foot building, was designated a Structure of Merit in 2020 and is visited by over 35,000 people annually.

Collections and Library: Held in the public trust, the Museum's extensive collection includes over 100,000 objects -- artwork, furniture, saddles, decorative arts, and costumes that represent over 500 years of Chumash, Mexican, Spanish, and American history. The Gledhill Library, located on the Museum's downtown campus, provides public access to over 500,000 archival documents, maps, photographs and books for historic research, an invaluable resource to historians and genealogists alike. Temporary Exhibitions: In addition to the Museum's signature exhibitions, the organization hosted three major educational exhibitions: Memories of Mountain Drive: Santa Barbara's Bohemian Community, Clarence Mattei: A Portrait of our Community, Take a Hike: Save the World, Huguette Marcelle Clark: A Portrait of the Artist, Lockwood de Forest: Lighting the Way, and Project Fiesta: The History of Old Spanish Days. Publications: In addition to the Museum's scholarly journal Noticias, the museum produced the second edition of Spanish Colonial Style: The Work of James Osborne Craig and Mary McLaughlin Craig.

Public Programs: Guests explored the Museum to visit the galleries and historic adobe courtyards, attend public programming and utilize the Gledhill Research Library. Virtual and in-person public programming included nearly thirty educational events - history lectures, performances, film screenings, exhibitions, and walking tours. Topics included life in early California, conservation, architecture, art, film, agriculture, and other local history topics. The Museum provided free after-hours receptions and family friendly activities for the public during "First Thursdays," a collaborative art and business promotion, along with playing host to numerous like-minded non-profit organizations. The Museum offers four custom onsite programs that fit into the State of California Standards for Kindergarten through Fourth Grade. Additionally, many more visited the Museum's satellite exhibits at the Hill-Carrillo Adobe, Santa Barbara Airport and Cottage Hospital.