Santa Barbara Museum of Art facts for kids
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| Established | 1941 |
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| Location | 1130 State Street Santa Barbara, CA |
| Type | Art museum |
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) is an art museum in downtown Santa Barbara, California. It opened in 1941.
The museum has many art pieces that are always on display. It also has special shows that change often. The art covers 4,000 years, from ancient times to today. It includes art from Asia, America, and Europe.
History of the Museum
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art first opened its doors on June 5, 1941. The building used to be the Santa Barbara Post Office from 1914 to 1932.
The idea for an art museum came from a local artist named Colin Campbell Cooper. He heard that the old post office building was going to be sold. In 1937, Cooper wrote a letter to the newspaper. He suggested that the beautiful building should become a museum.
Many people in town liked his idea. Local businesses, leaders, and art collectors supported it. Just four years after Cooper's letter, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art was officially created.
A famous architect named David Adler helped design the museum. He made the outside of the building simpler. He also created the first art rooms, called galleries.
One of the museum's main founders was Wright S. Ludington. He helped a lot with setting up the museum. He stayed involved for over 50 years and was even its president in the 1950s. Ludington gave almost 400 art pieces to the museum. These included ancient Greek and Roman items, old Chinese sculptures, and modern art. Some of the modern artists he gave works from include Henri Matisse, Edgar Degas, and Pablo Picasso.
Over the years, the museum has grown bigger. New galleries were added, like the Stanley B. McCormick Gallery in 1942. The Sterling and Preston Morton Galleries opened in 1963. More big additions came in 1985 and 1998 with new wings.
In 1991, the Ridley-Tree Education Center opened. This place is for art education activities. The museum also updated its entrance and activity center in 2006.
Starting in 2016, the museum began its biggest update ever. This project fixed important parts of the building. It made the building safer in earthquakes. It also added new storage and art care spaces. The roof and heating/cooling systems were replaced. More gallery space was also added for art displays. This big project was designed by Kupiec Architects.
Today, the museum is about 60,000 square feet. It has art galleries, a gift shop, and a café. There is also an auditorium with 154 seats. The museum has a library with many books and slides. A Family Resource Center offers fun, hands-on activities. The Ridley-Tree Education Center is a separate building for learning.
In 2023, Amada Cruz became the new Director and CEO of the museum. She replaced Larry J. Feinberg.
Art Collection
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art has over 27,000 pieces of art. This collection includes paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, photographs, and ceramics. It also has glass, jade, bronze, lacquer, and textiles.
These artworks show the history of art from Asia, Europe, and the Americas. They cover more than 5,000 years of human history. Some of the strongest parts of the collection are:
- Art from France in the 1800s (like Impressionism)
- American art from the 1800s and 1900s
- Modern art from California artists (from the 1900s to today)
- Photography from China, Japan, and Korea
- Buddhist art from China, Japan, Tibet, and India
Special Exhibitions
The museum often shows special exhibits. These displays feature art from famous artists of the past. Some artists include Degas, Leonardo, Picasso, and Van Gogh. The museum also shows works by artists who are alive today. These include Kehinde Wiley and Peter Halley.
Images for kids
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The outside of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.
See also
In Spanish: Museo de Arte de Santa Bárbara para niños
