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Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum
The free Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum is an embarrassment of riches for history nerds, science geeks and music lovers. Filled with historical written artifacts from the private collection of David Karpeles, a Santa Barbara real-estate investor, it's a true SoCal treasure.
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Museum of Natural History & Gladwin Planetarium
While the permanent exhibits lack the 'hands-on' sparkle of many children's discovery centers, the Museum of Natural History boasts a few noteworthy gems and typically stages excellent special exhibits. Bug buffs should check out the glass wall holding 4,000 mounted Santa Barbara insects, as well as the replica of a pygmy mammoth skeleton unearthed on Santa Rosa Island in 1994. Outside you'll find the complete skeleton of a 72ft blue whale.
Read more about Museum of Natural History & Gladwin Planetarium
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Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
Kids will also get a kick out of the small but worth-a-stop Santa Barbara Maritime Museum , located southwest of the wharf on the harbor. The two-level museum celebrates the town's briny history with memorabilia and hands-on exhibits, including a big-game fishing chair from which you can 'reel in' a trophy marlin - who knew a fake fish could tug so hard?
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Santa Barbara Museum of Art
The museum has paintings by European and American artists such as Monet, Matisse, Hopper and O'Keeffe as well as collections of Asian art, classical sculpture and photography. There's also an interactive children's gallery, a cafe and the usual giftshop.
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Ty Warner Sea Center
The Ty Warner Sea Center is part of the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum. This is a great place for kids: the staff here is so engaging and enthusiastic, your child will be contemplating a career in marine biology in no time. From touch-a-shark water tanks and crawl-through aquariums to whale sing-alongs, it's interactive, educational and plain old fun.
Showing 1-5 of 5 results
