The Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) has announced an update of its operating hours, aimed at fostering greater community engagement and accessibility to the arts.
As part of the change, the museum will be offering residents of the Tri-Counties (Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo) with free admission every second Sunday of the month.
New hours went into effect July 1, with the first Free 2nd Sunday on July 14.
New museum gallery hours are:
Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
1st Thursday of each month, 5-8 p.m. (free to all)
2nd Sunday of each month, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. (free for Tri-County residents)
Free 2nd Sunday also coincides with Studio Sunday, SBMA’s ongoing free family art-making activation. The museum will also remain free and open with extended hours, 5-8 p.m., on the first Thursday of every month as part of the community-wide 1st Thursday initiative.
“We are excited to launch this initiative as part of our ongoing commitment to making art accessible to everyone in our community,” said Amada Cruz, SBMA Eichholz Foundation director. “By offering free admission on the second Sunday of each month, we hope to provide a better opportunity for our neighbors to experience the transformative power of art and culture.”
The museum continues to offer free admission to the following audiences, all year round:
SBMA members
Active U.S. Military and Families (with military ID)
Santa Barbara County Teachers (K-12) (with card and ID)
Santa Barbara County Students (K-college) (with card and ID)
Museums for All
CalFresh/SNAP participants (with card and ID)
Bank of America Museums on Us (with card and ID)
Children under age six
Updated Museum Store hours:
Tuesday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
1st Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m.
Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Museum office hours are the same, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday.
For more about upcoming exhibits and events, visit www.sbma.net.