Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara

What a cute museum. On the smaller side but don't be fooled we spent 3 to 4 hours there. The exhibits are big enough and with plenty of information to not feel overwhelmed. The items at the store are also affordable. Next time we are thinking of having a picnic here as there is plenty of seating inside bu the beautiful trees or creek. There is a section in the museum where kids can race little boats down a small section with water. The employee at the front desk was also very friendly and welcoming. Will definitely be going back.

It doesn’t look like a big one from outside but has a wealth of knowledge and interesting exhibits inside! You have good parking on premises. Just carry a water bottle. Planetarium show was interesting. It was so good to hear about the rescue operations of some birds here. Learnt some good facts about native culture and history. Kids were excited to see the interesting prehistoric forest. We can learn a little about archeology, astronomy, geography, paleontology, marine biology, gemology and zoology and what not all in one place. Highly recommend it if you have young kids or encyclopedia fans.

The new exhibits of Dinosaurs, Butterflies, and Rocks & Minerals are quite nice. I just feel as though the Science/Space exhibit needs a bit more to it, as a few technologies are shut off in that room. I would also recommend better signage and flow through for all the exhibits. Prior doorways have been blocked off, and as guests we do a lot of double backing on exhibits and hallways. We were also not offered a map at the ticket office, and I think we missed the Backyard and Observatory completely.

Not just for kids! So cool. Observatory has amazing telescopes. During the day we saw solar flares and sun spots live on actual sun. Expert guide inside observatory explained so well even I understood. He even shared fragments from asteroids that have hit earth. Amazing colors and shapes in the rocks and minerals room blew my mind. Butterfly pavilion has stunning array including brilliant ones from Costa Rica. This is a top site in SB

So cute. Well done, all the little rooms. Crystals are pretty. People are welcoming. The Dinosaur garden was very cool. Architecture was gorgeous. Sea creatures are were creepy real. The giant eagle skeleton was amazing!