A strong feeling for history permeates Santa Barbara, imbuing special occasions with a flavor of yesterday. The setting at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum will enhance a special event, eloquently expressing a simple, but elegant sense of style. There are two locations to choose from, each with its own distinctive character:
Museum Courtyard
Discover the romance of early California. The splash of a fountain accents the serene beauty of this tree-shaded courtyard. Surrounded on three sides by the warm earth tones of an adobe cloister, this site is reminiscent of a time when mi casa es su casa was a way of life in Santa Barbara.
 Casa Covarrubias
Shaded by a sturdy oak, the courtyard of this 1817 adobe invokes a time when life was lived at a slower pace. Vines decorate a picturesque pergola and a gentle fountain adds to the early California ambiance of this site.
Current Events
The Gledhill Library is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 am to 4 pm. It is open the first Saturday of the month 10 am to 1 pm.
EXHIBITIONS: The Museum is open Tuesdays through Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sundays noon through 5 p.m. Admission is free; donations are appreciated. The Santa Barbara Historical Museum is located at 136 East De la Guerra Street, Santa Barbara.
The Gift of History: Recent Acquistions to the Permanent Collection March 17, 2008 through Summer 2008 
Madonna with Christ, c 1820
Belonged to Presidio Comandante Don Jose de la Guerra family Gift of Delfina Russell Mott 2004 Today, the preservation and understanding of our history is vitally important not only to our personal future, but to that of our nation as well. We live as we do today because of the achievements and sacrifices of those who came before us. To understand our place in time, to know who we truly are, to comprehend what we stand for and to face the future with courage, we need our history. The founders of the Santa Barbara Historical Museum realized this. Their goal was to collect and preserve Santa Barbara’s continuing history and to share it with others. Today, the museum is the primary repository of our collective cultural heritage and ethnic diversity. It captures the sweep of human imagination, exploration and inquiry, revealing what we know about ourselves and the world around us. The museum is continually improving and expanding its comprehensive collections with new acquisitions through numerous gifts and purchases. This exhibition showcases recent additions to our museum by celebrating and honoring the many donors and supporters who have made possible the growth of our distinguished collections by offering the invaluable gift of history.
The Story of Santa Barbara Permanent Installation 
The Story of Santa Barbara is the Museum's signature exhibition that tells our region's story from the age of the Chumash to the Space Age. Showcasing treasures from the collections, it fills three of the Museum's four galleries and offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the people who have called our region home for more than 14,000 years. Native American, Mexican, African-American, Italian, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese people have contributed to Santa Barbara's rich cultural heritage and ethnic diversity. They brought with them unique skills, foods and religious beliefs as well as their distinctive architecture, tools, clothing and objects of everyday life. From America's eastern shores, ships brought young men seeking their Gold Rush fortunes and trains brought those already well established to build baronial mansions here and bless Santa Barbara with their largesse.
Up-Coming Events
LOCAL HISTORY LECTURE (for information please call (805) 966-1601) Charles Fernald: Santa Barbara's Guiding Light Thursday, May 15, 2008, 5:30 p.m. 
Join award-winning novelist and syndicated columnist, Daniel Alef, as he chronicles the life and achievements of one of Santa Barbara’s most extraordinary citizens of the late 19 th century. Lured to California by the Gold Rush, Charles Fernald was hailed as a man of principle, a visionary who cared deeply about his community and contributed to it in so many unselfish ways. The Hon. Charles Fernald – one of the "Titans of Fortune." Fine wine and hors d'hoeuvres reception will follow. $25 Museum members; $35 Museum members' guests. Please RSVP by May 12 with MasterCard, VISA or check. Reservations are accepted by mail, telephone (805) 966-1601 x 110, Fax (805) 966-1603 or email marketing@sbhistorical.org.
SPECIAL EVENTS (for information and reservations, call (805) 966-1601 x 110) La Fiesta del Museo Saturday, July 19, 2008 Please RSVP with MasterCard, VISA or check. Reservations are accepted by mail, telephone (805) 966-1601 x 110, Fax (805) 966-1603 or email membership@sbhistorical.org.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Officers Edgar L. Sands, President Eleanor Van Cott, 1st Vice President John W. Hunt, Treasurer Trustees Daniel Alef Jon S. Bull Marilyn DeYoung Donald Fuhrer Lawrence T. Hammett Leslie L. Hovey Keith J. Mautino Tom Mielko Marlene Miller John J. Mitchell III Robin Schutte Diane Waterhouse Staff David S. Bisol, Executive Director Jeanne Buchanan, Membership Coordinator Douglas A. Diller, Assistant Director/Curator Dru A. Hartley, Capital Campaign Director Michael E. Redmon, Director of Research Robin R. Roe, Director of Education Frances A. Wasielewski, Marketing Coordinator
Upon the foundation of the past, we build a future worth remembering
136 East De La Guerra Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Telephone (805) 966-1601 | 
