Santa Barbara Museum Of Natural History

THE MUSEUM INSPIRES A THIRST FOR DISCOVERY AND A PASSION FOR THE NATURAL WORLD.

COLLECTIONS & RESEARCH:THIS PROGRAM ENCOMPASSES THE ACTIVITIES OF SIX RESEARCH DEPARTMENTS WITH A STAFF OF CURATORS AND ASSISTANTS. EACH DEPARTMENT IS CONTINUALLY INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING AND CONSERVING EXTENSIVE COLLECTIONS OF SPECIMENS, ARTIFACTS, BOOKS AND MANUSCRIPTS, ETC., THAT NUMBER OVER 3.5 MILLION ITEMS, AS WELL AS MAKING THESE RESOURCES ACCESSIBLE TO RESEARCHERS, EITHER DURING ACTUAL VISITS OR THROUGH WEB-BASED SERVICES. EXPENSES INCLUDE STAFF SALARIES, COLLECTION ACQUISITION, CONSERVATION, BIODIVERSITY AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH, PRODUCTION OF PUBLICATIONS, ECOLOGICAL FIELD SURVEYS, PUBLIC EXHIBIT DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH.LIBRARY:THIS LIBRARY-YEAR BEGAN WITH THE MUSEUM IN A PANDEMIC SHUTDOWN OF INDOOR SPACES. LIBRARY STAFF ASSISTED REMOTE RESEARCHERS WITH TOPICAL SCHOLARSHIP WHENEVER POSSIBLE AND TOOK THE TIME IN HOME OFFICES TO PROCESS DISTINCT ARCHIVAL COLLECTIONS, IMPROVED METADATA IN EXISTING DIGITAL FILES, AND CONTINUE WITH RESEARCH PROJECTS. TOTAL LIBRARY VISITORS FOR 2021 WAS 6,619 PEOPLE. OF THAT NUMBER, LIBRARY STAFF PROVIDED 116 RESEARCHERS WITH REFERENCE ASSISTANCE RANGING FROM PULLING MATERIALS FROM LIBRARY AND ARCHIVE SHELVES, TO MORE IN-DEPTH COLLECTION DEEP-DIVES. ADDITIONALLY, STAFF ASSISTED WITH 102 INQUIRIES BY PHONE OR EMAIL AND ANSWERED 290 QUESTIONS FROM GUESTS.

EXHIBITS & VISITOR SERVICES:THE MUSEUM HAS TWO SITES, ITS MISSION CREEK CAMPUS AND THE SEA CENTER LOCATED ON STEARNS WHARF.CLOSURES NECESSITATED BY THE PANDEMIC CONTINUED TO REDUCE ATTENDANCE AT BOTH LOCATIONS. GATE ATTENDANCE AT THE MISSION CANYON CAMPUS IN 2021 WAS 103,636. IN ADDITION, 2,822 CHILDREN AND ADULTS ATTENDED EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, 3,138 CAME AS VOLUNTEERS, 166 CAME FOR COMMUNITY USES AND 191 CAME SPECIFICALLY FOR RESEARCH OR PROFESSIONAL SYMPOSIA, FOR A TOTAL ATTENDANCE AT THE MISSION CANYON CAMPUS OF 109,953.CLOSURES OF INDOOR SPACES NECESSITATED BY THE PANDEMIC CONTINUED TO REDUCE ATTENDANCE AT THE SEA CENTER. IN SEPTEMBER 2021, THE SEA CENTER CLOSED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR FOR INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS. GATE ATTENDANCE IN 2021 AT THE SEA CENTER WAS 53,479. IN ADDITION, 2,422 CAME AS VOLUNTEERS, FOR A TOTAL ATTENDANCE AT THE SEA CENTER CAMPUS OF 55,901.BUTTERFLIES ALIVE!THE MUSEUM REOPENED ITS OUTDOOR BUTTERFLY PAVILION IN A WAY THAT ALLOWED SOCIAL DISTANCING AND STILL, AN INTIMATE EXPERIENCE WITH BUTTERFLIES. GUESTS WERE ABLE TO MOVE THROUGH A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN WHILE ABOUT 1,000 LIVE BUTTERFLIES FLUTTERED FREELY ABOUT THEM. THE EXHIBIT FEATURED A DAZZLING VARIETY OF BUTTERFLIES FROM LOCAL FAVORITE TO EXOTIC TROPICAL VARIETIES. VISITORS LEARNED ABOUT THE LIFE CYCLE AND BEHAVIOR OF THESE SPECTACULAR INVERTEBRATES WHILE OBSERVING THE UP CLOSE. 0 TO 60: AN UNDERWATER ADVENTURE FROM THE EQUATOR TO ALASKA. A PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBIT BY RICHARD SALAS:AN EXHIBIT OF UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY DOCUMENTING 4,000 MILES OF UNDERWATER ADVENTURE. THE EXHIBIT WAS SHOWING SIMULTANEOUSLY AT TWO VENUES: THE MISSION CREEK CAMPUS AND THE SEA CENTER.CURIOSITY LAB:THE CURIOSITY LAB ALLOWS VISITORS TO EXPLORE THE NATURAL WORLD THROUGHHANDS-ON ACTIVITIES IN A DYNAMIC LEARNING LAB. VISITORS CAN BECOMENATURAL ARTISTS, TAKE AN UP-CLOSE LOOK AT OBJECTS, ASK QUESTIONS, ANDPARTICIPATE IN A VARIETY OF SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE NATUREEXCHANGE. THE CURIOSITY REOPENED AFTER A COVID IMPOSED HIATUS OF 14 MONTHS WITH ENGAGING PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITIES WHILE KEEPING THE INTERACTIVES SAFE FOR THE PUBLIC. FOR EXAMPLE, INSTEAD OF HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES, THEY CREATED EXHIBITS WHERE GUESTS USE FOOT PEDALS TO ROTATE OR PUT FOCUS ON SPECIMENS UNDER INCANDESCENT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT. THE CURIOSITY LAB HAD 31,780 VISITORS BETWEEN MEMORIAL DAY AND DECEMBER 31. THE MUSEUM BACKYARD AND NATURE CLUB HOUSE: THE MUSEUM BACKYARD & NATURE CLUBHOUSE IS AN ADA ACCESSIBLE PLAY AREA NESTLED IN THE OAK WOODLAND ALONG MISSION CREEK. GUESTS CAN RELAX, EXPLORE AND PLAY ALONG THE BACKYARD CREEK, THE SENSORY GARDEN. THE BIOBUILDERS ZONE ALLOWS CHILDREN TO BUILD AND CREATE SHELTER AND ART, WHILE THE NATURE CLUB HOUSE IS STAFFED WITH FRIENDLY NATURALISTS THAT ANSWER QUESTIONS AND SHARE ACTIVITIES ABOUT THE NATURAL WORLD AND WHAT MAKES THE SANTA BARBARA REGION UNIQUE. IN SUMMER OF 2021, GUESTS COULD UNEARTH PIECES OF DINOSAUR MODELS. ON ANY GIVEN DAY, FAMILIES COULD COME ACROSS DRS. LICHEN, ICE AND ROCKINHEIMER WHO WOULD EDUCATE GUESTS ABOUT LOCAL BOTANY, THE FOOD WEB IN ARTIC REGIONS, BIRDS, ROCKS, FOSSILS AND MINERALS, ARACHNIDS OR SPACE EXPLORATION. OVER 53,000 GUESTS VISITED THE BACKYARD. THE JOHN AND PEGGY MAXIMUS GALLERY LOCATED AT THE MISSION CANYON CAMPUS IS DEDICATED TO PRESERVATION AND DISPLAY OF ANTIQUE PRINTS PRESENTS TWO TO THREE ORIGINAL EXHIBITS A YEAR WHICH HIGHLIGHT THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SCIENCES.MAXIMUS GALLERYA MEDICINE TO THE MIND, AN EXHIBIT ABOUT EARLY GARDENING CATALOGS OPENED IN MAY. ON DISPLAY WERE EXTREMELY RARE DOCUMENTS WHICH PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF PLANT VARIETIES AND HELP US TO UNDERSTAND WHICH ONES WITHSTOOD THE TEST OF TIME AND HOW GARDENING EVOLVED. THE EXHIBITION INCLUDED ORIGINAL ENGRAVINGS FROM THE FIRST PUBLISHED SALES CATALOG FROM 1612, IMAGES OF TULIPS FROM THE MANIA FOR BULBS IN HOLLAND IN THE 17TH CENTURY, AND PLATES FROM THE INFLUENTIAL CHELSEA PHYSIC GARDEN CATALOG PRINTED IN LONDON DURING THE 18TH CENTURY. A SPECIAL COLLECTION OF 19TH CENTURY SAMPLE BOOKS AND SEED PACKETS ON LOAN TO THE MUSEUM WAS SHOWN. A VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE EXHIBIT WAS CREATED AND IS AVAILABLE TO VIEW BY VISITING HTTPS://YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=CAC8WXM3KHMTHE SECOND EXHIBITION FEATURED THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION AND RESEARCH DEPARTMENT. WHAT'S IN OUR DRAWERS: ART AND OBJECTS FROM THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTIONS OPENED IN OCTOBER. OUR CURATORIAL STAFF SELECTED A SAMPLING FROM THE DIVERSITY OF OUR HOLDINGS DISPLAYED IN CUSTOM MADE DRAWERS IN THE GALLERY. PHOTO PANELS WITH PERSONAL STATEMENTS ABOUT THEIR CAREER PATHS WERE POSITIONED NEXT TO THEIR DRAWERS. THE EXHIBIT BOTH HELPED BRING TO THE FOREFRONT THE BREADTH AND DEPTH OF THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTIONS AS WELL AS ENCOURAGING YOUNGER GUESTS TO EXPLORE CAREERS IN SCIENCE AND MUSEUMS. AT THE SEA CENTER:IT WAS NOT UNTIL MARCH 19 THAT THE SEA CENTER (SC) REOPENED TO THE PUBLIC FOLLOWING COUNTY AND STATE MANDATED GUIDELINES REQUIRING MASKS FOR ENTRY, A LIMITED OCCUPANCY OF 25%, SOCIAL DISTANCING OF SIX FEET FOR HOUSEHOLDS, AND UTILIZING A MANAGED ONE-WAY FLOW IN THE FACILITY. OVER THE SEVEN MONTHS THE SC WAS OPEN IT SERVED OVER 53,000 GUESTS.GUESTS TO THE SEA CENTER ARE ABLE TO LOOK AT AND LEARN MORE ABOUT SEA HORSES AND CORAL REEF HABITATS, JELLIES AND SIMILARLY ELEGANT ANIMALS, TOUCH SHARKS AND GET THEIR HANDS WET AS THEY EXPLORED THE WONDERS AND BEAUTY OF LOCAL MARINE LIFE IN THE INTERTIDAL WONDERS TOUCH POOLS. TRAINED NATURALISTS GUIDE VISITORS IN THE DISCOVERY OF A VARIETY OF MARINE ANIMALS THAT CALL THE SANTA BARBARA COAST THEIR HOME. IN SEPTEMBER, THE SEA CENTER CLOSED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS. DURING THAT TIME, KEY ELEMENTS OF THE AQUARIUM WERE MADE AVAILABLE AT THE MISSION CANYON CAMPUS INCLUDING LIVE ANIMAL IN AN EXHIBIT TITLED WONDERFUL WATERS EXPERIENCE. THE AQUATIC THEMED EXPERIENCE INCLUDED: INTERACTIVE TOUCH EXHIBITS, JUVENILE SWELL SHARKS AND INTERTIDAL INVERTEBRATES, DISPLAY A SWELL SHARK NURSERY, MORAY EEL, AND OCTOPUS, ABALONE DIVERSITY EDUCATION SET, MARINE MAMMAL ARTIFACT CART, AND MORE. SEA CENTER INTERPRETIVE STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS ENGAGED GUESTS FROM OCTOBER UNTIL JANUARY 2022.WHITE ABALONE CAPTIVE BREEDING PROGRAMAS A PARTNER IN THE WHITE ABALONE CAPTIVE BREEDING PROGRAM AND A MEMBER OF THE WHITE ABALONE RECOVERY CONSORTIUM, THE SEA CENTER CONTINUES TO CARE FOR WHITE ABALONE AND PARTICIPATE IN COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS SUCH AS SPAWNING ATTEMPTS.

EDUCATION:THE MUSEUM'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS PROMOTE SCIENTIFIC LITERACY AND INSTILL A PASSION FOR NATURE AND A COMMITMENT TO LEARNING. THESE RICH EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES ARE USUALLY PROVIDED TO OVER 14,500 SCHOOL CHILDREN AS WELL AS TO 200,000 VISITORS - MOSTLY FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN - WHO VISIT EACH YEAR. WITH THE INDOOR CLOSURES REQUIRED BY THE PANDEMIC IN 2021, THE MUSEUM SERVED APPROXIMATELY 4,700 SCHOOL CHILDREN AND 85,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS EITHER ON SITE OR VIA A VIRTUAL PROGRAM. THE MUSEUM PARTICIPATES IN THE "NO CHILD LEFT INSIDE" MOVEMENT AND IS A REGIONAL LEADER OF THE NATIONAL CHILDREN AND NATURE NETWORK. THE MUSEUM ALSO RUNS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED TEEN PROGRAM, QUASARS TO SEA STARS, WHICH OFFERS FOUR YEARS OF EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCES FOR 16 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. THROUGH MENTORSHIP, RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES, WORK SHIFTS AND VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES, THE TEENS DEVELOP TIME MANAGEMENT, PUBLIC SPEAKING, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH SKILLS. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, TEENS ASSIST IN THE BUTTERFLY PAVILION, CURIOSITY LAB, MUSEUM BACKYARD, AS SEA CENTER INTERPRETERS AND AQUARIST ASSISTANTS. DURING THE SUMMER, FIRST YEAR QUASARS TOOK WEEKLY CLASSES OF MUSEUM 101, TAUGHT BY DEPARTMENT HEADS THROUGHOUT THE MUSEUM. THEY USED THEIR GAINED KNOWLEDGE OF MUSEUM OPERATIONS AND HISTORY TO CONSTRUCT THEIR OWN HYPOTHETICAL MUSEUM, THE MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA WOODLAND ECOSYSTEMS. SOPHOMORE AND JUNIOR QUASARS PRESENTED INDEPENDENT LITERATURE REVIEW PROJECTS ON "SMALL-BUT-MIGHTY" ECOSYSTEM COMPONENTS INCLUDING PHYTOPLANKTON, MYCORRHIZAE, POLLINATORS, AND PARASITES. SENIOR QUASARS MARKED THE END OF ONE YEAR OF RESEARCH BY PRESENTING THEIR CAPSTONE SENIOR PROJECTS. THIS YEAR'S PROJECTS FOCUSED ON TARDIGRADES AS INDICATORS OF LOCAL SOIL HEALTH, THE EFFECTS OF NATURE ON MENTAL HEALTH, HOW BRAINS RECEIVE AND PERCEIVE SOUND, PHYTOPLANKTON IN THE SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL, AND THE WAYS CHUMASH LANGUAGES ARE PRESERVED THROUGH PRESENT-DAY TEACHINGS.DURING THE FALL MONTHS, QUASAR TEENS LOGGED OVER 500 HOURS AT THE MUSEUM, INCLUDING THEIR SHIFTS WITH EXHIBITS, INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY, THE CURIOSITY LAB AND BACKYARD, NATURE ADVENTURES, FACILITIES, GUEST SERVICES, AND THE SEA CENTER EXHIBIT.AFTER SCHOOL CLASSES AND CAMPSTHE MUSEUM OFFERS AFTER SCHOOL CLASSES AND CAMPS FOR CHILDREN. SPRING CAMPS WERE VIRTUAL AND FOCUSED ON CLIMATE CHANGES AND ECOLOGICAL THEMES WHERE PARTICIPANTS DEVELOPED SKILL SETS OF APPRECIATING A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT AND HOPING TO EMPOWER PARTICIPANTS. SUMMER CAMPS INCLUDED WIZARDING SCIENCE; PALEO CAMPS; AND ASTRONOMY CAMPS, WHILE THE SEA CENTER OFFERED UNDERWATER FOREST CAMPS, CHANNEL ISLAND CAMPS AND SUPERPOWERS CAMPS. 100+ ENROLLEES ENGAGED IN THESE CAMP PROGRAMS THROUGH THE ABBREVIATED SUMMER SESSION. THE FALL SESSION CLASSES FOCUSED ON NATURE IN THE OUTDOORS WITH AN APPRECIATION FOR LOCAL GEOLOGY, WATERSHEDS, AND ENDANGERED LOCAL SPECIES. IN-PERSON WINTER CAMPS, CATERING TO AGES 4-6, 6-9 AND 9-12-YEAR OLDS, HAD THEMES INCLUDING CLEAN ENERGY SCIENCE, SKY OBSERVATIONS, CARNIVAL SCIENCE, JOURNEY OF FOODS, STEAM ADVENTURES, AND CSI OCEAN DETECTIVES. THE CAMPS HAD OVER 90 ENROLLMENTS. THE MUSEUM'S SCHOOL AND TEACHER SERVICES (STS) PROGRAM PROVIDES GRADE SPECIFIC, STANDARDS ALIGNED FIELD TRIP PROGRAMS. IN 2021, THE STS DEPARTMENT HOSTED OVER 600 STUDENTS AND ANOTHER 4,700 VIRTUALLY.