Santa Barbara Museum of Art

A local museum that enjoys a national reputation, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art offers a rare display of the artistic achievements of a variety of cultures and periods. Home to 27,000+ works of art (not including traveling exhibitions), this museum houses a collection that rivals museums in much larger cities in both quantity and quality. For example, the SBMA owns more Monets than any other museum on the West Coast. Particular emphasis is given to American, Asian and Classical art; European painting and sculpture; and 20th century art and photography. Also onsite is a museum store, cafe and special childrens' gallery. The museum is committed to art education, spending roughly 20% of every dollar on academic, outreach, after-school and lecture programs for all ages.