“Oh, happy day!” exclaimed Joan Hartmann, S.B. County 3rd District Supervisor to a large crowd of tribal members, supporters, and press at the new Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center yesterday. The project roots date back to 2005 (ideas began to emerge in the 1970s), and the center began construction in 2018. Many have eagerly awaited the opening of this stunning, state-of-the art, LEED Silver–certified complex, which sits at the corner of Highway 246 and Edison Street in Santa Ynez.
The exterior has been visible for at least a couple of years and gave the appearance of being ready to go. However, a series of events not shared with the press despite requests caused a long delay leading to this momentous occasion. Finally, on Thursday, May 15, the museum will open its gates and doors to the public, beginning a collaborative era that the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians hopes will inspire, teach, and connect us to their culture for generations to come.
“Our tribe looks forward to sharing the deep history and culture of our people with the greater community,” said Kenneth Kahn, Tribal Chair for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. “Our museum guests are encouraged to explore this one-of-a-kind facility that has been a five-decade-long dream for our people. It holds not only artifacts and exhibits, but the spirit of our ancestors, the wisdom of those who came before us, and the richness of a culture that has withstood the test of time.”
Large dome structures that pay homage to the Chumash people’s traditional dwellings, the ‘ap, anchor the three main buildings. Jones & Jones Architects (who also designed the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.), designed the unique architecture to embed various aspects of Chumash culture, including their impressive building skills. Images of Chumash rock art and intricate basket weaving adorn walls and landscapes throughout the center. The theme of storytelling — sharing the spirit of the culture, through words, music, dance, and visual displays — connects the various spaces.
The complex, at the corner of Edison Street and Highway 246 in Santa Ynez, includes a 3.5-acre park with 11,000 native California plants (92 different species). Two tule reed ‘ap structures anchor the museum and cultural center. | Photo: Patrick W. Price 
Visitors are encouraged to spend time enjoying the gardens, on benches and in shady spaces. | Photo: Patrick W. Price 
Eco-minded water features earned the museum awards for its water conservation design and efforts. | Photo: Patrick W. Price 
Eco-minded water features earned the museum awards for its water conservation design and efforts. | Photo: Patrick W. Price 
An exterior view of the complex. | Photo: Patrick W. Price 
A dusk view of the two tule reed ‘ap structures that anchor the museum and cultural center. | Photo: Patrick W. Price 
Children are invited to spend time in the education center, where they can color, read books about Chumash culture, and listen to natural sounds of birds and other wildlife beneath the boughs of an oak tree. | Photo: Patrick W. Price 
The light-filled interior holds many displays that showcase Chumash heritage | Photo: Patrick W. Price 
Two tule reed ‘ap structures anchor the museum and cultural center. | Photo: Patrick W. Price 
The complex, at the corner of Edison Street and Highway 246 in Santa Ynez, includes a 3.5-acre park with 11,000 native California plants (92 different species). | Photo: Patrick W. Price
The visitor experience begins at the entrance, where a huge sculpture, “Keeping Our Culture Alive,” greets incoming guests. It continues at the interior entrance at the Our Land Has a Voice exhibit, where videos are projected onto a spinning floor display, surrounded by circular benches. The interactive exhibits incorporate both the Samala language and English — I pressed a few buttons to learn how to pronounce the names of several Chumash villages. Visitors follow a water-themed path to other exhibits, which tell the stories of the Chumash by the people who lived them and passed on their knowledge. The path leads through their 8,000-year history, from the transition from people with superpowers to humans, and onto becoming skilled boat builders and basket weavers, to the Spanish and American influences on the culture, and today’s tribal members who are committed to keeping the culture alive and well.
The complex showcases some of the tribe’s 24,000 historically significant cultural items, from baskets to musical instruments and elaborate dance costumes (be sure to check out the condor and bear dance displays). It also includes a 3.5-acre cultural park, which holds exhibits and more than 11,000 California native plants, including nearly 100 species used by the Chumash. Don’t miss the Tomol House, which houses a traditional tribal redwood plank boat tomol named Muptamai. Guests can also explore a work-in-progress Chumash traditional ‘ap home made from tule reeds, and visit the Ancestors’ Grove, where oak trees and commemorative family stones pay tribute to tribal ancestors.
Another highlight is an education center, where youngsters can color, read books, and learn; more than 100 schools are already on the wait list to visit. Adult programming is also on the horizon.
“On behalf of our Museum Board, it is with profound gratitude that we invite you to immerse yourself in the museum’s exhibits and experience the cultural pride and legacy we have worked so hard to preserve,” said Kathy Marshall, Museum Board Chair for the Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center. “We are so excited to share this meaningful experience with you, which is the result of the incredible work that has gone into bringing this project to life. The opening of the museum is a milestone that will forever change the way we experience, understand, and honor our shared history. This facility is a beacon of knowledge, culture, and pride.”
The museum will be open Thursday–Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 pm. Admission is $15 for adults (18-64), $12 for seniors (65+), $12 for teens (13-17), $10 for children (3-12), $12 for military members (with ID), and free for toddlers (2 and under).
Purchase tickets and memberships online, and find more details on the museum at sychumashmuseum.org.
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