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Behind the Scenes at the Santa Bárbara Mission Archive-Library

Go behind the scenes at the Santa Bárbara Mission Archive-Library, one of the oldest libraries in California. This guided tour of areas not open to the public, led by one of our archivists, will bring you face to face with some of the collection's greatest treasures.

Take in beautiful works of art, centuries-old rare books, and invaluable historical documents that date to the days of the Spanish Empire in North America and to the founding of Santa Barbara itself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please scroll down to view individual rates

Reservations required; no children under 12; maximum of 15 people per tour.

Special exceptions can be made for classes of more than 15 people.

Please call (805) 682-4713, ext. 152, to verify.

 

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Tours

"My Favorite Things" Executive Director Tour 

Join Dr. Monica Orozco, Director of the Archive-Library, on a tour of her favorite things at Mission Santa Barbara! You’ll visit private areas of the Mission that have never been open to the public. Enjoy a fascinating exploration of Mission history, including the art and artifacts that help to tell the many stories of early California and Franciscan/Chumash cultural contact. Highlights include the Mission Church as an illustration of the importance of Chumash and Hispanic artisans, documents from the founding of Santa Barbara, 21 paintings of the California Missions by Edwin Deakin and other art from the collections of the Santa Barbara Mission Archive-Library, and the original Mission tabernacle.

Advanced registration required.

Call (805) 682-4713, ext. 154, or email events@sboldmission.org to reserve your space for the "My Favorite Things" tour.

 

Adults, Seniors, and Youth (12 and up) $40.00

(Maximum of 20 people per tour)

No children under 12.

Dates: No tours scheduled. Contact us to schedule this exclusive tour!

Behind the Scenes at the Santa Bárbara Mission Archive-Library

Go behind the scenes at SBMAL, one of the oldest libraries in California! This guided tour of areas not normally open to the public will be led by one of our archivists and will bring you face-to-face with some of the collection's greatest treasures. Take in the beautiful works of art, centuries-old rare books, and invaluable historical documents that date to the days of the Spanish Empire in North America, and to the founding of Santa Barbara itself.

Advanced registration required.  

Call (805) 682-4713, ext. 152, or email collections@sbmal.org to reserve your space for this archivist-led tour of SBMAL.

For parties wishing to book a tour for fewer than 4 guests, pricing is a flat fee of $75.

 

Adults (18-64) $20

Youth (12-17) $15

Members (Friend level +) $10

No children under 12.

Mission Treasures Tour

Old Mission Santa Barbara and the Santa Bárbara Mission Archive-Library invite you to join us for our Mission Treasures Tour!

 

This 90 minute docent-led tour will take you on a fascinating historical journey to learn about the Mission’s unique architecture and breathtaking artwork, and to view some of its most precious treasures in areas not normally open to the public (including the Santa Bárbara Mission Archive-Library).

 

Advanced reservation required.

Call (805) 682-4713, ext. 154, or email events@sboldmission.org to reserve your space for the Mission Treasures tour. 

 

$30 per person (all proceeds support the Mission and SBMAL)

No children under 12.

 

SBMAL is open to researchers by appointment only.
NEW HOURS for 2024! Research hours are now available on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 10:00am to 4:00pm.

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