Santa Barbara Family Guide: Museums
Welcome to our latest blog series, where we showcase the best things to do with kids in Santa Barbara! As locals with children, nieces, and nephews, we know that our coastal town is a haven for family-friendly activities, restaurants, and shops. Whether you live here or are just visiting, Santa Barbara offers a plethora of attractions for kids of all ages.
Our city is fortunate to have tons of fun museums that each offer unique educational and creative experiences. This week we are showcasing Santa Barbara museums and the fun activities for kids they have to offer.
MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation:
Moxi is a family friendly museum devoted to science, technology, the arts, and education. Moxi encourages kids of all ages to explore three floors full of interactive exhibits, art installations, workshops and exploration labs where kids can make art, engage in engineering challenges and do other hands-on projects. With fun things to discover at every corner, Moxi is sure to provide hours of entertainment for kids and families.
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History:
Kids will be able to explore all things nature at the SB Natural History Museum. Children can learn about all kinds of local animals, alive and extinct, as well as fascinating minerals and plants. The museum's Palmer Observatory lets kids discover space with their interactive exhibits and planetarium. Kids will also enjoy exploring and playing in the large outdoor area filled with plants, trees, and creeks. Also be sure to check out the museum’s exclusive temporary exhibits, like Butterfly Alive.
Santa Barbara Museum of Art:
The SB Art Museum showcases 25,000 works of art of varying styles, mediums, and age. Children can roam the many rooms and halls observing the beautiful pieces, and are also free to play in the family resource center, which provides art supplies and activities. The art museum also hosts many workshops throughout the year and special events every first Thursday where kids can partake in guided art projects and crafts.
Honorable Mentions:
Situated on Stearns Wharf, The Sea Center is a great museum with ocean related exhibits and touch tanks. If you’d like to learn more, we highlighted the sea center in our family friendly ocean activities blog post, which you can read Here!
These local museums offer incredible exhibits parents and children will find fascinating, with each providing unique activities specially created for kids. We hope you and your children have an educational and fun experience at these SB museums!
