Experiential and Outdoor Programs

Through the docent-led Field Trip program, students are led on a guided 90-minute tour of the museum and Santa Barbara’s working harbor. Exhibits showcase 13,000 years of maritime history as well as human interaction with the Santa Barbara Channel and include Dwight Brooks ship models, commercial diving and surfing history, the first order Fresnel lens from the Point Conception Lighthouse, and more.

SBMM’s Marine Science program takes students out to sea for a two-hour floating lab aboard a local vessel. Students explore the Santa Barbara Channel and experience coastal California as citizen scientists. Working in small groups, students participate in labs that include sampling water quality, observing marine invertebrates, studying plankton, and learning about oceanic food webs.

A national award-winning program, Maritime on the Move provides immersive activities with locally trained naturalists. Countywide students are introduced to the unique oceanographic conditions that make the Santa Barbara Channel productive and bio-divers. Local and global conservation success stories are shared, highlighting the comeback of wildlife that was on the brink of extinction. Students learn important ecological facts on why ocean health is critical to the sustainability of our planet and discuss tangible solutions that will empower them to be stewards of the sea.

Through this program, students learn what life was like for merchant sailors of the 1800s, receiving a unique experience that cannot be matched in any classroom. Challenging hands-on activities allow students to hone their problem-solving, critical thinking, and communications skills – all while discovering the rich maritime heritage of the United States.

Led by SBMM staff and volunteers, local Science Nights engage students with interactive maritime-themed activities as part of larger events hosted by schools and usually including other museums and science-related organizations. SBMM provides a science presentation, which includes a craft for students to complete and take home. Each presentation is based on an exhibit on view at SBMM, and students are provided with a family pass inviting them to the museum.

Whales Are Superheroes! starts with an interactive lesson on whales, their ecological role in mitigating climate change, and the high diversity of species we have here in the Santa Barbara Channel. This is followed by a mixed-media whale art lesson and instruction with a local art educator. Whales serve as a gateway to caring about the environment and motivating people to think about our carbon footprint and climate change.

This interdisciplinary program gives students the opportunity to create artwork and poetry. Through poetry and mixed media creations, students can express their thoughts and feelings visually, reinforcing the link between language and art. As a result, a strong sense of connection is fostered to both the maritime world and the arts.