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Exhibits
introduction > main floor > upstairs
> outside > future
installations > visiting exhibits
MAIN
FLOOR
Historic
Path
At the heart of the museum, visitors are
guided through Santa Barbara's maritime past. |
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Chumash
Exhibit
This 'living' exhibit proudly displays a 23-foot
hand-made wooden tomol, the canoes built to cross the Santa Barbara
Channel to the Channel Islands - and still used today. Ancient
and modern tomol building techniques and materials are compared.
Celebrate the cultural heritage of the original seafarers of the
area - the Santa Barbara County Coastal Chumash, whose presence
may date back over 10,000 years.
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Santa
Barbara Bank and Trust Explorers Exhibit
Discover adventurers who plied the waters of
the Central Coast, beginning with Juan Cabrillo in 1542 and ending
with Vancouver in 1793. The exhibit features push-button interactives
detailing the explorers' histories and their routes along the Central
Coast. |
Otter
and Seal Hunting Exhibit
From prehistoric times to the early twentieth
century, otter and seal hunting has been a commercial link between
California and the outside world. Three flip-up touch panels allow
visitors to compare materials that were used to make clothing and
goods: otter fur, cow hide, and sheep's wool. Flip-up panels identify
otter, seal, and sea lion species that were hunted and captured
during this period. |
Hides
and Tallow Exhibit
The story of the hide and tallow trade and of
1830s California was vividly told in Richard Henry Dana Jr.'s Two
Years Before the Mast. This exhibit features a first edition copy
of the book, a model of the ship Pilgrim (which carried Dana to
California), and a ship's cross section demonstrating 40,000 hides
packed in the hold. |
Supply
Ships Exhibit
Lonely and remote, Santa Barbara's Spanish (1769-1821)
and Mexican (1822-1846) settlements were highly dependent on goods
delivered by supply ships. The exhibit includes objects that were
brought by ship to early Santa Barbara, and a model of a Spanish
ship.
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Shore
Whaling Exhibit
The story of California shore whaling
from 1854 to 1971 (when the last whaling station closed at Richmond)
features whaling implements, photographs, a diorama of the shore
whaling camp at Goleta Beach, and flip-up panels about the whale
species that were hunted. |
George
Castagnola Family Santa Barbara Waterfront Exhibit
This history of the local waterfront includes
the building of Stearn's Wharf, Santa Barbara breakwater and more.
A historical timeline of Santa Barbara's waterfront and harbor area
is complete with artifacts, photographs, and other graphic images.
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Brooks Model Gallery
Fascinating collection of intricate radio-controlled
model boats made by Dwight Brooks. The models are of true-life
vessels, including a luxury yacht, Norwegian fishing trawler,
naval patrol boats, and fleet tugs as well as sailing ships and
a harbor tug. Future 'hands-on' displays will include a push-button
interactive that 'lights up' the miniaturized interior of the
yacht Gulfstreamer, as well as an endoscopic camera 'walk-through
video tour' of the Gulfstreamer's decks.
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Traditional
Ship Models
Located throughout the museum are models from the
museum's collection, which complement the Brooks Collection. Future
plans include a ship model-building touch screen that allows the
visitor to construct different types of ships throughout history,
as well as a demonstration model of how craftsmen create the mysterious
'ship-in-a-bottle' artwork. |
Fred
Kavli Diving Technology Exhibit
Hardhat diving has been part of local history since
the late 1800s when abalone became a sought-after delicacy. Commercial
diving is an integral part of the sea urchin fisheries as well as
in the construction of platforms and undersea pipelines. Santa Barbara
remains a diving technology leader today and this exhibit features
historic diving helmets, suits, compressors, and more. A key future
element of the exhibit will be an interactive 'hardhat' diving helmet
that allows the visitor a simulated deep dive experience. |
Channel Islands Exhibit
This unique exhibit describe the histories of six
of the eight Channel Islands: San Miguel, San Nicolas, Santa Cruz,
Santa Barbara, Santa Rosa, and Anacapa. A rich variety of artifacts,
photographs, and graphic images present the fascinating stories
of the people who lived and worked on these islands, as well as
ranching operations, silent film production, smuggling, Chinese
fish camps, and more. In the future: Push-buttons will soon give
a sensory impression of some of the natural elements experienced
by island inhabitants, and an interactive 3-D map depicting the
topography and maritime facts relating to these beautiful islands.
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Oil
Resources Exhibit
The Central Coast offshore oil industry is chronicled,
including an intricate model oil platform display just like those
found in the Santa Barbara Channel. Future plans include a working
model of seep capture equipment, Santa Barbara Channel relief map,
and profile of the Clean Seas program. |
Presentation
and Interactive Wall
This
visually rich presentation provides links between exhibit topics,
orients the visitor to the museum, and is the centerpiece for docent-led
tours. |
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Robert
Kieding Charting Exhibit
Nautical charts through time are displayed in a lively
and engaging exhibit. |
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Gail
Berkus Children's Area
In this exhibit, children learn about our maritime
heritage and the sea in a fun and creative way. On hand are a
wide variety of art materials, colorful soft toys and furniture
representing sea animals, boats, and other objects. Maritime storytelling
and costumes, knot-tying stations, games, and educational computer
programs are featured as well.. Future visions include a children's
art gallery featuring artwork produced at the museum by young
visitors, and changeable 'felt walls' for even more hands-on education
and entertainment.
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Compaq/Microsoft
Sport Fishing Exhibit
Visitors 'catch the big one' at the fishing simulator as part of
this interactive exhibit celebrating the abundant fisheries along
the Central Coast. Also included: antique and modern gamefishing
equipment, historic photos, mounted gamefish, and the story of Ranger,
the museum's 42-foot, 1917 sport fishing boat. This vessel was the
flagship of the Catalina Island Tuna Club, and is now docked outside
the museum. |
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NOAA
Shipwrecks Exhibit
Thrill to shipwreck stories and
discover the underwater archaeology used to locate, monitor, and
preserve local underwater cultural resource. The Cuba, Winfield
Scott and Honda disaster are displayed through historic photographs,
text, artifacts, graphics, video, and a variety of interactive displays.
More shipwreck exhibits to come! |
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