Santa Barbara Maritime Museum

Providing interactive fun and experiential educational programs for the whole family.

The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum features a free treasure map activity for children and has numerous interactive exhibits including a working submarine periscope, Pilothouse, where visitors can steer a yacht into the harbor, and Sportfishing, where everyone gets to try to land the big one! The Gail Berkus Childrens Gallery features a hand-puppet theater, maritime dress up, rotating craft activities, Sponge Bob computer games, puzzles and coloring activities, andSurf Creatures, an interactive I-App by world champion surfer Shaun Tomson.

Located at the Santa Barbara Harbor, the museum encourages an appreciation and understanding of our natural and cultural coastal history. The mission of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum is to preserve and celebrate the maritime heritage of the California Coast and present it to the public in an interesting and exciting way. The Museum offers exhibits, educational programs like the Tall Ships Program and the Marine Science Program for school kids , and special events like festivals, lectures and more.

The museum is open everyday except Wednesdays (Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Years Day and the 1st Friday in August for Fiesta) from 10am-6pm (Memorial Day to Labor Day) otherwise its 10am-5pm. Facility rentals available for events.

Admission

• Free for members, $7 Adults, $4 for Youth (6-17), Students with ID, Active Military and Seniors, $2 for children (1-5 years).
• FAMILY PASS At SBMM, we realize that parent involvement is important. This is why we are providing a FREE family pass for every student who joins us for a school group tour or program.We encourage all students to bring their families back within a month of their visit and share what they have learned, perfect their sport fishing technique and enjoy a day down on the waterfront!

CLASSES

TALL SHIP EDUCATION PROGRAM Based on Richard Henry Dana Jr.s book Two Years Before the Mast. Students are immersed in the unique world Dana faced as he rounded Cape Horn on his voyage to Alta California, headed to Santa Barbara to trade hides and tallow. Students explore mans relationship with the ocean, gain an appreciation for our maritime heritage, and learn the concepts of historical perspectives and interpretation. Through challenging hands on activities students develop problem solving, critical thinking, leadership, communication, and teamwork skills. A more advanced program, based on the novel Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, recreates an adventuresome three-year Mediterranean bound trading voyage in which students have signed on as sailors to escape the economic crisis in Salem caused by the Revolutionary War. In order to survive the turbulent life at sea, students must learn to navigate, defend, and maintain their ship while trading in foreign ports. The program curriculum offers interdisciplinary lessons in math, science, language arts, social studies, and music. Additionally, the professionally developed curriculum is aligned with the California State Content Standards and highlights Californias rich maritime history.The Spirit of Dana Point Tall Ship Education Program runs during the month of October and features a special community day and public dockside tours of the tall ship.Sign up your class for an overnight adventure of a lifetime!