Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:1130 State St.
Santa Barbara, California
Tel:
(805) 963-4364
Since 1941, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art has been entertaining visitors with beautiful exhibits from all around the world. You'll find ancient, Asian, French, English, American, Modern, Paper, Photographical, and Contemporary art collections. You'll also find Latina and Californian collections.
A special antique collection displays Roman sculptures such as a large scale loutrophoros (a distinctive type of Greek pottery vessel) from the 4th century BCE. You'll find a superb collection of bronzes, ancient glass, and near-eastern and Greek ceramics. There's a diorite head of Gudea, Cycladic figures, and a 19th dynasty Egyptian limestone relief.
The European collection holds works by Walter Sickert, Stanley Spencer, and Wyndham Lewis, and by Modern French masters Matisse, Braque, Bonnard, Dufy, Derain, and Chagall. The contemporary collection includes painting, sculpture, works on paper, and mixed media.
A handful of temporary exhibits are on display for a few months each year.
The museum store holds a diverse collection of books as well as unique handcrafted art, glass, jewelry, and creative toys for children.
To get to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, take Highway 101 into Santa Barbara, then take the Garden Street exit. If coming from the south, turn right onto Garden Street, from the north, head left. Make a left onto Anapamu and then another left onto Anacapa. You'll make a right into the public parking garage and walk down the ramp to the entrance of the museum.