Centro del Mar del Museo de Historia Natural de Santa Bárbara

Experiencia fantástica: Kids had a lot of fun at this place the butterfly cage was awesome

Experiencia fantástica: We took our 4 year old who had an absolute blast but there was enough in this small Sea Center to interest the adults as well (enough that I didn't snap many photos as I was following my little one and listening to the docents!) The interactive areas were highlighted with great docents. Educated but even more impressively warm and engaging, especially to the little ones. 100% would recommend spending some time at this location on the wharf. Quick shot of the Moon Jelly tank...

Experiencia fantástica: small aquarium, but very interactive and good for kids. lots of cool looking fish in the 2nd floor. free parking for the first hour and a half.

Experiencia fantástica: It felt small, but the kids got so into the experience, we spent an hour and a half there! They have touch pools and specimen collection on the bottom floor, the kids literally pulled up buckets of "sea pork" and other sea life to study under microscopes! The top floor had tanks, and a room where they could simulate swimming under water. And of course, the kinetic sand was a huge hit! I enjoyed the views from the top floor and the staff that clearly love what they do there. We will be back!

Experiencia positiva: Small Museum, but very cool. Loved the "pet a shark" tank. The museum docent for the shark tank was full of fun facts about the sharks and very friendly. I got to pet a tiger shark and a sting ray. They also had a really interesting shallow waters exhibit with star fish, sea anemones, sea snails, sea cucumbers, and sea urchins. The museum docent for that exhibit was fantastic. She gave a lot of information about the animals and thier habitats. For a small Museum, there's a lot for people to see.

Experiencia positiva: I only wish it was bigger. Also the staff wasn’t supper knowledgeable. Like basic questions where fine but any more in depth questions and they like shut down so that was disappointing.

Experiencia fantástica: Went with 2 children 7 and 9 and they absolutely loved it. It's only small but the touch tanks are great and the staff were wonderful.

Experiencia fantástica: My boys and I had so much fun. The staff was amazing, they took time answering every single questions my boys asked. Small place, upstairs was interesting but the touch tank is where the kids had a blast.

Experiencia fantástica: Very friendly staff. Kid friendly environment. Small but enjoyable.

Experiencia fantástica: So fun to take the family! Very friendly and informative staff!

Experiencia positiva: It's pricey for the amount of exhibits inside. Very small and lots of little kids.

Experiencia fantástica: A nice place to learn about ocean life.

Experiencia fantástica: I had a great experience with my mom and sister yesterday. The aquarium was much smaller than any aquarium I've been to before but its location on the pier added to a really unique experience unlike any aquariums I've seen on the east coast. My favorite exhibit showed off live specimens pulled from the ocean in that moment/that day. There was an open floor to the ocean where they would pull up a bucket for samples. Steen was the guide and helped explain and relate the specimens in a very understandable way. He was funny and answers all our questions. His coworkers as well were super friendly and knowledgeable! We were so impressed by their abilities to identify every unique creature on the spot. Their enthusiasm for their profession was so contagious. Would definitely come back specifically for this exhibit! It inspired my sister and I so much... made us question dropping everything to study marine biology lol

Experiencia fantástica: Fun experience, no kid discounts, not much to do for 2yo, but beautiful setting..

Experiencia fantástica: Great place to see and touch central coast sea life.

Experiencia fantástica: It's a cute little Aquarium. Very little Its comparable to my old high schools Aquarium program. No, it's nothing big or anything major. I just like to support local businesses and this type is close to the heart. It's got touch tanks and some people giving educational speeches about the wild life that live on our coast.. We took our baby for his birthday and he loved it! (He's 1), my husband asked "this is it? " Guys, it's nothing fancy. If you want to just waste some time or take the Littles then sure why not! Only 15$ to get in and that goes towards the Aquarium so I'm all for it. It's got an upstairs too with some more tanks. The projector room it also up there so it made the whole room look like you're under the sea. With our baby, it took us 45 min to see everything. I think 20 min would be pretty standard for the average visit. It's not the Aquarium of the Pacific or Monterey Bay Aquarium.... it's a tiny but cute Aquarium.

Experiencia fantástica: Fun experience for the grandkids. 3-5 yo will have a blast.

Experiencia fantástica: Place was educational. My kids love them interacting with the sea creatures.

Experiencia fantástica: Small place but worth checking out!! Got to pet some baby sharks and used EBT card for a discount on tickets

Experiencia fantástica: We came so randomly as we walked on the pier and we are glad we did . It was a nice thing to do if you have kids or simply if you are on a date or with family or friends . Definitely was worth it ! We walked and took pictures and enjoyed all the fun things Inside ! Come and take some nice photos!

Experiencia fantástica: My son got married there and it was so much fun. Great place for a private event.

Experiencia fantástica: Perfect spot to bring little kids for an hour. The staff and demonstrations were great. Not that parking on the pier is free for the first 90 minutes. We paid in a lot on the shore for no reason.

Experiencia fantástica: We arrived around 11am on a week day - just at the same time as two school groups! The lovely lady on the Starfish tank gave us a tip to go and wait for a few minutes then we'd have the place to ourselves, which we did.

Experiencia fantástica: Amazing knowledgeable workers at the touch tanks. Great small aquarium

Experiencia fantástica: Brilliant aquarium type place to explore for young kids with hands on experience to touch sharks, sea stars and sea urchins. Some great displays to see the local sea life up close. Cool gift. In a great location on the pier. Friendly and helpful staff.

Experiencia fantástica: Great customer service. Wonderful education on local organisms and environments.

Experiencia fantástica: This was an amazing experience for the whole family! We had the unique opportunity to pet sharks and starfish, which was a highlight. The staff was incredibly knowledgeable and provided great explanations about the various animals you can find here. The second floor is another treat, where you can see jellyfish up close. Overall, it was a great experience, with reasonable pricing and a convenient location — perfect for a family day out!

Experiencia fantástica: It's so amazing! Got to touch star fish, baby sharks, and stingrays. A must visit while in santa barbara.

Experiencia fantástica: The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center was a fantastic experience for our family! The interactive exhibits were incredibly engaging, and the kids loved getting hands-on with nature. We had a great time learning about the diverse sea life in Santa Barbara, and the center really made the educational experience fun and exciting. It’s a perfect spot for families to explore and discover the wonders of marine life. Highly recommend for anyone visiting the area!

Experiencia fantástica: Always a great place! Kids love it. The staff is fun and loves to be there.

Experiencia negativa: Sorry to say this place had nothing great to offer . You see a hole in between and kids can come and do a science experiment. Though there’s nothing much to find . I’ll rather jump in and find things myself in that time and avoid a $50 fee. Don’t have the ice cream beside this place it’s the worst ice cream you will ever have just purchased sugar and cream and melts in 2 minutes, basically you got to have the ice cream from the tub for to taste like ice cream & plus the price is $15 for cream and sugar , this place exist before you enter this museum. The main museum is way better where they have the butterflies.

Experiencia fantástica: Love the sea center. Really informative, great location, and the staff are really nice. The wet deck is particularly fun, since you're interacting with the sea right beneath you. Great for kids, but really fun for adults, too.

Experiencia negativa: I have loved the Sea Center since I was a kid but there is a terrible lack of accessibility. In the entire center there was only one bench I could find (other spots to lean/sit but too low to the ground for those with mobility issues). The air temperature is kept way too warm. I wanted to enjoy my experience, but my chronic pain and illness were worsened the entire time. Please improve your seating availability and air temperature as to not exclude disabled and elderly people.

Experiencia fantástica: Such a cute and small little aquarium, especially if visiting and need something to do with the kids when in town. It did not take long to see the whole aquarium, love the interaction stuff.

Experiencia fantástica: This place may seem small on the outside but it’s well worth a visit! Many educational exhibits and aquariums devoted to the local sea-life as well as important lessons on the impact of climate change and direct manmade impacts like the overhunting of white abalone. The staff are very friendly and eager to engage with visitors

Experiencia fantástica: Being a Kansas girl, I found this to be very interesting. The staff were extremely knowledgeable and willing to answer questions.

Experiencia fantástica: It’s smaller than the Monterey Bay Aquarium, but it has so many interactive elements that it’s worth visiting! So many touch pools and you can see actual researchers doing real-time data collection. It’s neat!

Experiencia fantástica: It's Amazing a lot of interesting things to see. The staff are very knowledgeable and very friendly it's a must see we can't wait to go back again. Love the toys books and T-shirts and sweatshirts all sorts of goodies.

Experiencia fantástica: Small but fun. Completely focused on the local environment. An interesting place to spend a couple hours.

Experiencia fantástica: Great chillaxing time at the pier amd hospitality. Santa Barbara, we love youuu!

Experiencia fantástica: For a small aquarium, they do a fantastic job! We love the changes they've made lately too to make it even more interactive.

Experiencia fantástica: The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center is a gem on the California coast. The interactive exhibits and touch tanks provide an immersive experience that's both educational and fun. The knowledgeable staff and volunteers make every visit memorable. The center's commitment to marine conservation is inspiring. A must-visit for families and marine enthusiasts alike!

Experiencia positiva: The museum is an amazing place with sea fairing knowledge that can give not just how to know about what lives in the Sea but how to help the world's oceans and that's a fact.

Experiencia fantástica: Lots of live sea creatures

Experiencia fantástica: Cool teaching museum, especially for kids. Several touch tanks with sharks, mollusks, and other arthropods. Active submersible used for undersea drone base. Aquaria walk throughs for kids.

Experiencia fantástica: A bit pricy for the size but still very neat. Staff we interacted with were kind, knowledgeable and excited to share information with us. We enjoyed our time.

Experiencia fantástica: The Sea Center is a great experience for kids and adults! There are touch tanks and the opportunity to pull up crabs and other creatures from the ocean. There are also lots of fun creatures to see upstairs as well as learn about topography and our local waters. Its smaller size allows for it to be a part day adventure with plenty of other things to experience or eat in Santa Barbara nearby!

Experiencia fantástica: Great place for visitors of all ages and the people working there are very knowlegable and passionate about their work. Yet another great place to visit on the Santa Barbara Pier.

Experiencia positiva: Very educational and full of hands-on experiences. The only downside is that this is a very small facility and the gift shop could use some more options.

Experiencia fantástica: This is a very small but charming and fun aquarium especially for kids they have a lot of interactive stations and areas to touch fish.

Experiencia fantástica: Really good the friendly staff

Experiencia fantástica: Hands on, literally, you get to touch different species. I learned a lot with the educated staff. CJ is there to answer all your questions. Awesome for kids as well! And picked up a gift at the fun gift store with Roy to kindly answer anymore questions!

Experiencia fantástica: A fun way to spend an hour on Stearn’s Wharf. The Sea Center is very nicely maintained. Staff are super friendly and informative. Lots of kids there the day I went, but it is a kid-centric place. I leaned a lot!

Experiencia fantástica: Great wee place, a lot of effort put into interactive exhibits with knowledgeable and helpful docents. Well worth a visit.

Experiencia positiva: Nice little aquarium for kids to touch and interact with sea anemone, sea cucumber, starfish, sea urchins etc. the staff were friendly and informative but the museum was a bit on the small side. Overall a nice place to visit if you have young children it’s more for them than adults.

Experiencia fantástica: Lots of fun to roam through the exhibits. Staff and volunteers are very enthusiastic and helpful.

Experiencia fantástica: this place was very fun for a short activity to learn more about the sea life in the area. The experts there were very helpful and provided a lot of fun facts, and all the staff was so nice!

Experiencia fantástica: A must see! Interactive for the kiddos and interesting.

Experiencia positiva: Good for kids, small exhibit but you can touch sharks and other sea creatures.

Experiencia fantástica: Small but lovely aquarium. Had a great time speaking with Julio, who was very knowledgeable and taught us about local sea life. We will definitely come back!

Experiencia fantástica: We've been coming here since my youngest was 4. (Now at 18 they are a volunteer!) I highly recommend to families of all ages. They have updated exhibits and a delightful giftship. The wet deck is a great experience for kids and adults and is our favorite part. Pic of Moon Jellies is something we do once a year and is a great tradition to start if you have little ones!

Experiencia positiva: Very small, but very nice museum. Nice place for children. You can touch some of the sea creatures.

Experiencia fantástica: Only picture I took because it was very beautiful and I was too distracted reading, listening and appreciating everything around it. It is a bit small very simple but worth the visit. I enjoyed it but I think one time visit is more than enough.

Experiencia fantástica: Hands-On tidepool exhibit. Lots of information about local sea life. It's interesting for kids and adults. Beautiful setting on Sterns Wharf

Experiencia positiva: Small aquarium experience. Perfect for families with small children. Ticket price a bit high for what you get - could be better or have more to offer

Experiencia positiva: This is a small sea center (not aquarium) connected to the NHM. We enjoy the jelly fish and touch tanks. Pricy unless you have the joint membership.

Experiencia fantástica: Nice staff: informed and willing to educate the public about the ocean. Small but good displays. I loved seeing the Swell sharks and the sea stars.

Experiencia fantástica: Fun, exciting exhibits. Staff was very helpful. Even helped my younger child touch one of the sharks. Since she couldn't reach. Island Sand exhibit was very fun.

Experiencia negativa: Worst place to be if you love animals. This place does not respect animals by forcing them to be pet. One of the swell sharks did not want to be picked up and the worker keeper holding it until the docile shark became aggressive

Experiencia fantástica: We have been members for almost a year and went there almost a dozen times. It is such a cute place with a bunch of cool stuff that our toddler enjoys every time and it is a good place to take visiting friends as well. I personally love the laser sand table that allows you to play with the ocean currents and the sea horses in the aquarium.

Experiencia fantástica: This place was amazing. The staff was friendly and it was very interactive and you could pet Sea Anemone's, Swell Sharks, Stingrays, Sea Stars, Sea slugs, and Sea Snails. You can also do this thing where you drop a grabber into the ocean and pull it up and look for animals in with a microscope or if they are big enough without. Overall highly recommend.

Experiencia fantástica: I had an amazing experience here we saw fish and lots of other animals like sharks that we could pet!!! Hopefully to come back soon!!

Experiencia fantástica: Great experience a lot of local history And knowledge being displayed.

Experiencia fantástica: A great place for a quick visit and some learning. You can learn about sea creatures in the area and up the coast. We got to pet sharks, rays, anemones, starfish and more. It quickly changes your perspective on the lives of these animals. A lot of information to take in on quite a few different critters in tanks. Definitely a great place to go with kids, but enjoyable for adults too. Last but not least, they bring up some material from under the wharf to look at and examine. It changes daily. Definitely a primary reason to visit Stern's Wharf.

Experiencia fantástica: Had family from out of town, they loved it! Kids got to touch sea urchin, fish, they saw sharks, it was cool!

Experiencia positiva: frieny personal and options to touch animals like Annemons and sea urchins which is the highlight of the visit. Only 4 stars because it is rather small for a 14$ entry fee

Experiencia positiva: $14 admission was very overpriced. The exhibits were very cool. However it’s a small museum, and the staff were not friendly or eager to assist with the touch exhibits or tell about the sea creatures. Overall I felt a bit uncomfortable/unwanted there and regretful that we spent so much money.

Experiencia fantástica: Nice sea science center. Kids can touch baby sharks, anemones and sea stars.

Experiencia positiva: Excellent museum on the pier. Not a full day activity. It can easily be seen in an hour or two. We took my son for his birthday and he loved the touch tanks. The staff were really patient with the kids. The reason for only 4 stars is that the museum is small and we wish it was bigger!

Experiencia fantástica: This small aquarium on the Santa Barbara pier is chock full of touchable exhibits. The volunteers were knowledgeable and very engaging.

Experiencia fantástica: Nice little place to learn some new things about sea creatures. Nice staff, Chelsea was great.

Experiencia fantástica: Awesome little aquarium/museum on the pier. Great for all ages. Expect to spend about an hour checking out a nice collection of live marine life and interesting oceanic information. Oh, did I mention, petting sharks? Yep, you can pet the (small) sharks! Good gift shop to boot.

Experiencia fantástica: LOVE The Sea Center!! So many cool things to see and learn about. I love the "Touch Tanks" Christian M., is a wonderful docent! He knows amazing things about all of the creatures in the tank and in the Sea.

Experiencia fantástica: Being a Santa Barbara native, I've been visiting the Sea Center since before I can remember. All I have are great memories! The exhibits are always beautiful and well taken care of. The staff go above and beyond to make you feel welcomed and are all very knowledgeable. I now bring my son every time we have a chance to visit in the off season when we can beat the tourist crowds.

Experiencia positiva: The place has some good information and stuff. There is staff explaining cool facts about the sea creatures you can touch in the tide pool and the shark/sting ray tank, which are their main attractions. My only complaints are: 1. This place is extremely small and in my opinion, their should re adjust the admission fees they currently have based on the size of the place. We saw the entire place twice in about 40 minutes, after my kids spent most of the time touching the sea stars, sea cucumbers, swell sharks, and rays. 2. They advertise themselves as National History Museum, so you would expect more information about sea creatures that used to live in the area and even fossils of them or so, but there isn't. Also in their website, they refer to the place as an aquarium, if it is an aquarium, is probably the smallest in the world.

Experiencia fantástica: Perfect experience for your budding Marine Biologist child.

Experiencia fantástica: A fantastic sea center! We loved the interactive portion. The staff were knowledgeable and kind. There was quite a bit to see! We stopped for some ice cream in the building behind the sea center afterward and strolled along the beach.

Experiencia positiva: There’s a few really cool attractions at this center like the touch tanks, the projected sand and a few other fun things but not much to hold any kids under like 7-8 attention for longer then an hour but it’s a nice stop if you’re visiting the beach already :)

Experiencia fantástica: Such a fun and educational center! Lots of hands on stuff for all ages!

Experiencia fantástica: Kids had such a fun experience here, the dinosaurs were great!

Experiencia fantástica: I am going to just skip to the ratings first. Location 5/5 Cost 5/5 Staff/Scientists 5/5 Overall 5/5 Location/Cost Now to the review, this location seems small from the outside and the (as of February of 2023) 14 dollar entry fee seemed kind of high, but the quality of the interaction and the extremely knowledgeable staff/scientists and interactive animal area create an opportunity for learning you rarely see. Staff Every staff member was friendly and provide details about the animals and the scientific process they use to gather information or interact with the exhibit. The front desk was knowledgeable and the hands on opportunities were boosted by the enthusiasm and friendliness of staff! Overall I am going to break it down into two separate reviews, first if you are local and can use the double pass they have for the zoo and museum of natural history, completely worth it, I was only able to visit the museum but the amount of interaction kid friendly exhibits was excellent! After 3 visits for a family of 4 the adventure pass practically pays for itself. For those coming from out of town, like I was, it is a worthwhile for those with kids and actually just a fun visit for anyone enjoying the peer. Additionally, don't forget to go to the upper level of the museum to see the island creating exhibit and enjoy the beautiful view from the upper level from the wall of windows on the back side of the building. This will definitely be on my list the next time I am in Santa Barbara!

Experiencia fantástica: It is the best place for kids to have fun and learn in Santa Barbara. It is an exciting place, and you need to visit with your kids. They can see fish and touch them too. They enjoy playing with sand. The staff is very friendly and helpful, and the place is exciting. It is kids’ number one place

Experiencia negativa: We have been to the Center multiple times over the years and always had a great time, but yesterday when my family visited things had changed for the worse. The tanks were dirty and the fish looked very unhealthy. The water smelled like dead fish and the displays were unkept. Not sure if they have had a change in management but we won’t be going back.

Experiencia fantástica: No wait, not crowded on a Friday afternoon. Lots of staff there to inform on interactive exhibits. Not very big but fun treat when exploring the pier

Experiencia fantástica: We finally got to visit after multiple trips to SB. The museum is smaller than I expected but the exhibits are top notch. The staff was friendly and explained things in detail. Don't rush there is a lot to take in.

Experiencia fantástica: Brought my friends 7yo here and had a blast! The best part was lowering the basket through the floir into the ocean and bringing up fun creatures!

Experiencia fantástica: Really cool little museum and aquarium. Hands on exhibits where you can touch some fish, sea urchins, anemones, starfish, etc. The entry fee didn’t break the bank, either.

Experiencia positiva: A bit over priced for what it is. It is very small - two or three touch tanks and two small rooms with aquarium displays is all you really get - it is mainly worth going to for the touch tanks.

Experiencia positiva: It was so fun to visit here and see some of the creatures that are native to the Santa Barabara area! The aquarium was a little small, but we still had lots of fun.

Experiencia fantástica: A great little aquarium with multiple touch tanks and very informative docents! Located in the Stern's Wharf Pier - it's a great stop with amazing views. Check it out for a quick break with lots of awesome sea life.