SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Exhibits & visitor services:b. Exhibits and visitor services:the museum has two sites: its mission canyon campus and the sea center located on stearns wharf.gate attendance at the mission canyon campus in 2024 was 109,666. In addition, 6829 children and adults attended educational programs, 1659 came for community uses and 271 came specifically for research, for a total attendance at the mission canyon campus of 118,425+. (not counting the nature adventures campers see below)gate attendance at the sea center in 2024 was over 104,000. In addition, over 1500 children and adults attended educational programs and over 3600 attended community events (festivals and beach clean up) for a total attendance at the sea center of 109,100.butterflies alive!:the museum opened its outdoor butterfly pavilion in a way that allows guests to experience an up-close interaction. Guests are able to move through a beatutiful garden while approximately 1000 live butterflies flutter freely. The exhibit features dazzling varieties of butterflies from costa rica and florida. Visitors learn about the life cycle and behavior of these spectacular invertebrates while observing them 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 4000 miles of underwater adventure. The museum backyard and nature club house:the museum backyard and 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. Activities (mystery box, nature stories, and rocks in a box) supported by friendly naturalists engage visitors in nature play. The clubhouse is staffed with naturalists that answer questions, share activities about the natural world and what makes the santa barbara region unique. They support the popular nature exchange program, creepy crawly encounters, and allow for natural curiosity through tactile interactions.maximus gallery:the john and peggy maximus gallery, located at the mission canyon campus, is dedicated to the preservation and display of antique prints and presents two to three original exhibits a year which highlight the history and development of the sciences.two original exhibits were created by in-house curator and staff exhibit designer for the maximus gallery in 2024.splendid plumage showcased the feathery adaptations displayed by birds of australia, new guinea, asia, europe, and central america as pictured in the works of 19th-century british ornithologist and publisher john gould and others. Birds of paradise, herons, toucans and hummingbirds are among the species that have evolved an amazing diversity of forms, colors and function. The most dramatic outcome of sexual selection is the male's extravagant plumage, complex vocal arrangements and the shape-shifting dances of their mating rituals. They came alive in a gallery video put together by staff exhibit designer. Music integrated with bird calls accompanied the exhibit making it an all-around sensory experience. Remarkable animal portraits of the feline and canine families were on view when big cats and wild dogs opened in the fall. Original hand-colored lithographs by 19th-century artists and naturalists john james audubon and daniel giraud elliot. Audubon's the quadrupeds of north america, published from 1845-1848 is of immense historical significance and issued at a time when america's mammals were not well known or studied. The beautiful illustrations and the hardships audubon endured to publish them are a testament to the artist and his enduring legacy. A gallery guide was created to provide more background on audubon's "grand and last journey" to collect mammals in the field.at the sea center:guests to the sea center are able to look and learn more about sea horses, coral reef inhabitants, jellies, and similarly elegant animals. Visitors get their hands wet as they explore the wonders and beauty of local marine life in the intertidal wonders touch pools. Trained naturalists guide explorers in the discovery of a variety of marine animals that call santa barabara coast their home. Along with the naturalists, there were 92 volunteers who donated over 11,000 hours of service to interpret the interactive stations for visitors.white abalone captive breeding program:as a partner in the white abalone captive breeding program and a member of the white abalone recovery consortium, the sea center contiues to care for the white abalone and participate in collaborative efforts such as spawing attempts and juvenile releases. In 2024, the sea center did not release juvenile cohorts into the wild, but will make attempts in 2025.