Although the Santa Barbara Courthouse remains closed to the public, visitors can enjoy the historic building through a collection of self-guided online tours provided by the Courthouse Docent Council.
A QR code on the lawn sign in front of the building’s main Anacapa Street entrance allows mobile devices and tablets to access an internet-based menu of four tours. They are also available on the website https://sbcourthouse.org/.
The initial Self-Guided Exterior Tour, launched last year highlighting architectural features, has been enhanced by the addition of the most interesting exotic plantings surrounding the site. Because the tour is outdoor-based, visitors have full access to enjoy an in-person view of its points of interest.
Two interactive interior tours will provide an in-person experience when the courthouse reopens, but can also be enjoyed remotely.
The Mural Room Tour explains the iconic enclosure from a wall-to-wall perspective. The self-guided tour of the Clock Tower interior takes the user up the tile-lined staircase, views the Mudejar ceiling and the religious symbols of the second-floor lobby, then continues through the Bisno-Schall Clock gallery to the top viewing deck.
In combination, the Mural Room and Clock Tower tours provide a comprehensive guide to the building’s interior features.
The three physical feature tours are supplemented by an interactive timeline tour called Our Story, which gives insight into the historic California events that led to the creation of the courthouse.
The development team is now working on a people section to provide biographical background of the creators and influencers responsible for what has been called the “most beautiful public building in America.”