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July 8, 2024— The Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) announces an update to its operating hours, aimed at fostering greater community engagement and accessibility to the arts. As part of this change, the Museum will be extending its welcome to residents of the Tri-Counties (Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo) with free admission day every second Sunday of the month. New hours went into effect July 1, 2024 with the first Free 2nd Sunday on July 14.

New operating hours of the Museum galleries are (effective July 1, 2024):
Tuesday – Sunday, 11 am – 5 pm
1st Thursday of each month, 5 – 8 pm (free to all)

2nd Sunday of each month, 11 am – 5 pm (Free 2nd Sunday/Tri-County residents)

The decision to implement a monthly free day underscores the Museum’s dedication to serving as a beacon of cultural enrichment for those neighbors in the immediate vicinity. 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 pm) on the first Thursday of every month as part of the community-wide 1stThursday 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 is also pleased to continue 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 6

Also updated are hours of the Museum Store:

Tuesday – Saturday 10:30 am – 6 pm

1st Thursday 10:30 am – 8 pm

Sunday 10 am – 5 pm

The hours of Museum offices remain unchanged:
Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm

For more information about upcoming exhibitions and events, visit www.sbma.net.

The Santa Barbara Museum of Art is one of the finest museums on the West coast and is celebrated for the superb quality of its permanent collection. Its mission is to integrate art into the lives of people through internationally recognized exhibitions and special programs, as well as the thoughtful presentation of its permanent collection.

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