Press Releases
March 1, 2022
Guests invited to explore the underwater world of the Santa Barbara Channel
October 15, 2021
New Maximus Gallery Exhibit Showcases Curators & Behind-the-Scenes Collections
May 19, 2021
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is thrilled to announce the opening of its beloved summer exhibit Butterflies Alive! on Saturday, May 29 in the Sprague Butterfly Pavilion.
May 11, 2021
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is currently recruiting volunteers 18 years and older to help facilitate its popular Butterflies Alive! summer exhibit from May 28 through September 6.
February 9, 2021
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is ready to take you back in time millions of years...or just to summer 2019.
October 5, 2020
Following updated health orders for Santa Barbara County, SBMNH and the Sea Center plan to reopen their indoor exhibits to the public on Thursday, October 15 at 10:00 AM.
September 28, 2020
From Friday, October 2 through Sunday, October 11, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History will host an online art show and sale featuring over 70 unique contemporary pieces from 14 local artists.
July 8, 2020
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is delighted to open its outdoor areas to the public, including the popular Butterflies Alive! exhibit, starting July 8.
January 30, 2020
Antique prints and the prophetic words of 18th and 19th century naturalists tell the stories of vanished birds in a new exhibit from Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History’s Maximus Gallery.
September 12, 2019
On October 4, the John and Peggy Maximus Gallery will depart from its usual emphasis on early Western scientific illustration to present Kachō-e: Impressions of Natural History in Japanese Prints.
July 10, 2019
New display offers chance to see endangered species revitalization project up close
May 28, 2019
On Friday, June 7, the John and Peggy Maximus Art Gallery at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History will open its curious summer art exhibit, Strange Science.
May 1, 2019
On Saturday, May 25, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History will unveil two spectacular summer exhibits: Butterflies Alive! and Prehistoric Forest.
January 25, 2019
From February 8 to May 5, the John and Peggy Maximus Gallery at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History will celebrate history’s Great Naturalists, from Carl Linnaeus to Charles Darwin.
September 26, 2018
From October 5 through January 2, the John and Peggy Maximus Gallery at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History will exhibit antique maps and books from the 17th to 19th centuries.
September 24, 2018
Second Phase of $20 Million Centennial Project Now Complete
August 29, 2018
Following 12 months of renovations as part of the Museum’s $20 Million Centennial Project, the transformed Backyard and Nature Club House, and new Sprague Butterfly Pavilion will open September 22.
May 17, 2018
On Saturday, May 26, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History will open the traveling exhibition “50 Greatest Photographs of National Geographic,” which showcases some of National Geographic’s most
February 21, 2018
Local Artist Holli Harmon Creates Likeness Based on First-Hand Accounts
January 31, 2018
Unique program helps guests learn to be ethical stewards of the natural world
