The Santa Barbara Museum of Art is a must-see attraction for art-lovers in Santa Barbara. “The Museum is located in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara,” or to be specific, 1130 State Street, according to the museum website. It is a perfect outing for your weekend and provides a nice getaway from the bustle of IV and the weight of academics.
Admission and Entry
If you happen to visit the museum and have your student ID on you, you will be surprised to see that admission is free for UCSB students! The SBMA states that, “these tickets must be acquired at the Visitor Services desk at the Museum upon presentation of proper ID.” It is guaranteed that you will be stunned by the museum’s main entrance, where an elegant marble statue welcomes you, as well as four high walls filled with impressive painting portraits from the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
Museum Hours
The museum hours are quite accessible as well. The museum is open on Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the last entry being at 4 p.m. as well. On Thursdays, the museum is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. with the last entry being at 7pm because of Family 1st Thursday!
Events
The museum hosts events that you, as a student, can participate in (some of which are free)! Some of these events include weekend activities such as Sketching in the Galleries, Bilingual Storytelling, and Studio Sunday, which are all free to attend!
Exhibits
If you are looking for more, there will always be Highlights of South and Southeast Asian Art, the Himalayas, Highlights of East Asian Art, and the Portrait of Mexico Today. The highlights of the permanent collection include “19th- and 20th-century American and European art, contemporary American painting, photography, and the arts of Asia, especially China.”
Taking any art history courses? Chances are you will see some familiar artists such as “Renoir, Dalí, Rodin, and Chagall.” Another one of the museum’s beauties is their Monet collection which features his Impressionistic style in a series of foggy harbors with the morning sun peeking through.
Encouragement Through Community
The museum also showcases local artists’ work. SBMA has showcased these artists in the past and is currently working with local students to provide arts education. As a previous recipient of the Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation’s Art Scholarship, I was featured in an exhibit at the museum where local high schoolers were appreciated for their creative talents.
This encouragement of instilling and encouraging an arts appreciation for youth is so important. Creativity and individuality are valuable attributes that one can develop by studying and experiencing art. The museum aims, “to provide art experiences that encourage an individual’s cognitive and empathetic growth.”
Even as college students, experiencing art by visiting museums can be beneficial to our minds. Colorado State University states that, “Visual art reaches beyond written and spoken language to access the emotional and psychological inner world of both the maker and the viewer. By creating this dialogue, there is a place to experience the richness and nuance of one’s inner life, foster emotional intelligence, and support mental health.”
Experiencing art can relieve stress. Shenandoah Art Therapy notes that “a 2006 study found that when people with high stress levels went in to view artwork for only 35 minutes, their cortisol, or stress hormone decreased.” Viewing art can be a nice break from the stress of midterms and finals, since it is a space where you can reflect on unknown beauty or narratives that artists want to share.
GO!
Art is a beautiful form of communication that is introspective and strengthens community. So, feel free to walk in yourself or bring friends along. Challenge yourself to form opinions or analyze what you see. This is a great interpretive skill that is also productive for your mind.
Keep a lookout for new exhibits, and stop by if you are in town! The SBMA welcomes around 150,000 visitors annually — and you can be one of them. Art is important to Santa Barbara, just as it is important to our lives in general.