Collection Highlights
Discover some of the most iconic pieces in our collection. The Santa Barbara Historical Museum’s extensive holdings include over 90,000 artifacts that represent over 500 years of Chumash, Spanish, Mexican and American history. Visitors to the Museum’s campus may experience paintings, furniture, saddles, decorative arts, and costumes through the signature exhibition, The Story of Santa Barbara.
Costumes & Textiles
The Historical Museum houses 4,000 – 5,000 textiles include late 19th – early 20th century women’s fashion and accessories, children’s clothing, men’s suits, 20th century “Fiesta” costumes, Asian export shawls and mantillas, Native culture, American Period quilts, and decorative items.
The Gledhill Glass Plates
The Gledhill Glass Plate Collection consists of photographs from 1890-1916 taken primarily by Norman H. Reed and I.N. Cook, two of the most prolific commercial photographers in Santa Barbara during that period. The Santa Barbara Historical Museum acquired this collection from Carolyn and W. Edwin Gledhill after the couple was forced to move the glass plates due to a wildfire approaching their home where the collection was being stored.
Fine Art
The Fine Art Collection contains over 2,500 works. Included are works done by acclaimed local and international artists. Holdings range from portraits of legendary Santa Barbara residents to representations of Santa Barbara scenery spanning over three centuries.
Tips for Searching
Keyword Search
The Keyword Search button allows you to perform a general search across multiple fields for any catalog records online. Searches are not case sensitive.
Search by Term
The Search By Term button is a quick way to search through the collection without having to know exactly what terms to use. Each category in Search by Term displays an alphabetical listing of associated items. Search by Term may be especially helpful for visitors doing genealogical research.
Advanced Search
The Advanced Search button can help you be more specific with your search. You can search for a word or phrase within a particular search category or use multiple categories to further narrow down your search results.
Random Images
The Random Images button is a great way to just browse the collection. Each Random Images page displays a random assortment of images from the records online. If something piques your interest, click the thumbnail to view a larger version of the image.