10 BEST Attractions at Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

I highly recommend that families set aside some time to visit the excellent Santa Barbara Natural History Museum. It has a stunning natural setting in a wooded section of the Mission Canyon Area, up the back of Santa Barbara.

The first thing I noticed was the impressive 74-foot blue whale skeleton in the front courtyard.

My eye was then drawn to the historic, Spanish Colonial buildings draped in pink bougainvillea. These buildings house ten exhibit halls, including the Earth Sciences Hall, and Gem and Minerals Hall. The highlights are the 13,000 year old Pygmy Mammoth skeleton, and dazzling red and green tourmaline gemstones. My kids were also fascinated by the 100 year old dioramas from the 1920s, featuring scary saber tooth tigers, bears and wolves.

The overall highlight for me was in the backyard of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, where a creek winds through the property in a tranquil, wooded garden. My kids dug and splashed in the creek here at the Nature Club House and had a fabulous time. They made mud pies, climbed on boulders and stumps in the creek, excavated fossils hidden in the rocks, and built forts using sticks and stones.

There's also an Eyes in the Sky aviary full of raptors like hawks, owls and falcons, and bird handlers so you can get an up-close look at these magnificent species. Another cool feature is the Butterfly Pavilion, full of 1,000 different butterflies, including Californian butterflies like the red admiral and painted lady.

10 best attractions at Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

1. See a huge 74-foot Blue Whale Skeleton named Chad.

2. View amazing finds, like a nearly 13,000 year old Pygmy Mammoth skeleton.

The 12,840 year old Pygmy Mammoth Skeleton is on display in the Earth Sciences Hall, and was found in the nearby Channel Islands.

3. Look at a 19,000 year old fossilized bird with teeth!

4. View a skull from an extinct Giant Toothed Whale, from the Miocene epoch 5 to 24 million years ago.

5. See a realistic diorama of sea birds, like gulls, hawks and pelicans.

6. Check out fabulous gemstones.

Stop by the Gem and Minerals Hall with green and red tourmaline gemstones, and fluorescent specimens This is a wonderful, hands-on exhibition.

7. Observe a diorama of sea lions, wolves and more.

The Mammal Hall has sea lions, bears, saber tooth tigers and wolves, depicted in their natural habitats.

8. Learn how the local Chumash Tribe used to live.

The Chumash Life Hall has artifacts from a local Chumash Tribe, including hand-woven baskets, an arrow-making kit and canoe.

9. Take your kids to the Museum Backyard and Nature Club House.

If you’re visiting with kids, head straight to the Museum Backyard and Nature Club House. There’s a backyard creek for exploration, rocks and tree stumps to climb on, a mud play area, and kid’s stage. Kids can see owls, hawks and falcons in the Eyes in the Sky Aviary, and a 1,000 different butterflies in the Butterfly Pavilion. Handlers will take them out during shows for a close-up look.

10. Book a docent led tour to explore the garden, included with the price of admission.

Know before you go