- SoCal Museums is a consortium of Southern California institutions that come together each year to celebrate Museums Free-for-All, a day of free museum admission.
- This year’s initiative will take place on Sunday, February 22, expanding access to museums and the knowledge they steward for everyone.
- The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is proud to participate and will be hosting some of their partner organizations, making for an exciting day of science and discovery.
- See the list of other participating museums below.
SANTA BARBARA, CA— SoCal Museums recently announced that this year’s Museums Free-For-All which celebrates free arts and culture in Southern California, will take place on Sunday, February 22, 2026. From Santa Barbara to Orange County, cultural institutions welcome audiences for this region- wide tradition presenting art, design, cultural heritage, film, natural history, science, political history, and more.
“For more than twenty years, SoCal Museums members have come together annually to collectively open our doors and welcome the public,” says Christian Hamilton, President of SoCal Museums and Autry Museum of the American West. “We believe arts and culture should be accessible to everyone, and Museums Free-For-All has become a community touchstone. The day encourages visitors to try something new, return to an old favorite, and experience the extraordinary diversity of free cultural experiences unique to Southern California.”
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is proud to participate in the Free-For-All and looks forward to welcoming guests on February 22 starting at 10:00 AM. Reservations are recommended—click here to make one. All guests should expect a busy day at the Museum with limited parking and a line to enter. There will be an expanded planetarium schedule for the day with additional shows, see the schedule here. Partner organizations including the Southern Steelhead Coalition, Santa Barbara Zoo, Santa Barbara Audubon Society’s Eyes in the Sky, and Climb Out will be sharing information about conservation and outdoor activities. Please note that the Sea Center on Stearns Wharf is not part of the Free-for-All, and admissions fees there will be normal.
Participating Museums
Regular parking fees apply at each museum. Consult individual museum websites for hours, directions, and other visitor information.
- Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
- (Tickets will be first come first serve all day)
- American Museum of Ceramic Art
- (Advanced reservations are required. Visit amoca.org to make a reservation)
- Autry Museum of the American West
- (Advanced reservations are required. Visit theautry.org to make a reservation)
- Benton Museum of Art at Pomona College
- Bowers Museum
- The Broad
- (Advanced reservations are recommended. Visit broad.org to make a reservation)
- California African American Museum
- California Botanic Garden
- (Advanced reservations are recommended. Visit calbg.org to make a reservation)
- Columbia Space Center
- Craft Contemporary
- The Forest Lawn
- Fowler Museum at UCLA
- The Getty Center & The Getty Villa
- (Timed tickets are required for The Getty Center. Visit getty.edu to make a reservation)
- Hammer Museum
- (Show a L.A. Metro TAP card at the Hammer Museum Store for 10% off your purchase, including membership)
- Institute Contemporary Art, LA
- La Brea Tar Pits & Museum
- (Advance tickets required. Visit tarpits.org to make a reservation)
- LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
- Lincoln Memorial Shrine
- Long Beach Museum of Art
- (Advance tickets are recommended. Visit lbma.org to make a reservation)
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
- (Advance tickets are required. Visit lacma.org to make a reservation)
- MOCA Grand Avenue and The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA
- (Advance tickets are recommended. Visit moca.org to make a reservation)
- Museum of Latin American Art
- Museum of Tolerance
- Palm Springs Art Museum
- Santa Barbara Museum of Art
- Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
- (Advanced reservations recommended. Visit sbnature.org; Sea Center not included)
- Santa Monica History Museum
- Skirball Cultural Center
- (Advance tickets recommended for both Noah’s Ark and general admission. Visit skirball.org to make a reservation)
- Wende Museum
This offer is for general museum admission only and does not apply to specially ticketed exhibitions.
Powered by Science. Inspired by Nature. Founded in 1916, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History inspires a thirst for discovery and a passion for the natural world. The Museum seeks to connect people to nature for the betterment of both, and prides itself on being naturally different. For more information, visit sbnature.org.
