Tag archives: natural history
This specimen of a marlinspike shell (Terebra maculata) has sentimental and historic significance, which makes it a favorite of Associate Curator Vanessa Delnavaz, MA. The shell comes with a label handwritten by S. Stillman Berry: “This poor battered shell is kept for reasons of sentiment. It has been in our family at least 110 years… […]
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is about to turn its oak-dappled woodland into a living, breathing canvas of taste with the return of the Mission Creek Beer Festival. On Saturday, October 18, 2025, this unique celebration of hops, food, and curiosity will transform the grounds into a flavor expedition unlike anything else on […]
Behold: an octopus with a shell! Known as an argonaut, this octopus lives in the open ocean rather than on the sea floor. Females build paper-thin shells to protect their eggs. They live in warmer waters to the south. Summertime currents sometimes bring surface-dwelling warm-water species like this up into the transition zone of the […]
The study of insects was growing in popularity during the 18th century when physician and entomologist George Panzer published this small-format reference work with his own brief scientific descriptions. Jacob Sturm engraved the more than 2,600 life-size insects, which, despite their size, were exquisitely detailed. It was issued as a serial publication over a number […]
In life, the skull of this Duck-billed Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) contained a lot of sensing tools for finding prey underwater. The Y-shaped bones at the front supported a bill full of receptors, thousands of which could sense the electrical fields created by the movements of other animals in the water. Echidnas are the closest living […]
The Madagascan Sunset Moth, Chrysiridia rhipheus, was initially described as a butterfly, due to its brilliant colors. However, it lacks the clubbed antennae characteristic of butterflies and therefore is indeed a moth! These moths, which are only found on the island of Madagascar, are toxic to predators when consumed, and advertise their toxicity with their […]
This iconic image of the extinct Passenger Pigeon was drawn by Alexander Wilson who published eight volumes of American Ornithology in the early years of the of 19th century. During Wilson’s lifetime, there were millions of these birds darkening the sky. Loss of habitat and over-hunting caused their extinction. The last known of the species, a female, died […]
Venesa Faciane and Susan Parker have been appointed to the board of trustees of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Originally from Fairbanks, Alaska, Faciane has called our Eden by the Beach home since 2000 and donated her time and talent to a variety of nonprofit organizations, including the Boys & Girls Club and […]
The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum new exhibition The Swiftest Recovery: Island Fox Chronicles, features a photographic showcase by Chuck Graham (who also contributes to the MJ) that highlights one of the most remarkable conservation success stories in recent history – the tiny fox at Channel Islands National Park. This exhibition, which offers a glimpse into […]
Sarah Aguilar, Animal Services Director for the Santa Barbara County Animal Services, has introduced a new community resource that helps reunite lost pets with their families quickly and easily; an Interactive Lost & Found Pet Map that is now live on their website. Aguilar, “Hosted by Petco Love Lost and integrated with the Nextdoor app, […]
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History’s Butterfly Garden has received a BEST in the Nation nomination for USA TODAY’s 10BESTReaders’ Choice Awards. Join the effort to make this happen by voting online at the link in the 411. Voting can be done daily from April 14 to May 12. The nomination by USA TODAY 10BEST […]
On April 27, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (SBMNH) will open its Maximus Gallery for a unique nature-art-science-history exhibition to celebrate the gallery’s 30th anniversary and its patrons, Peggy and John Maximus. The exhibit is titled, Drawn from Nature: The Maximus Legacy, curated by Linda Miller, Maximus Gallery Curator. The gallery collection holds […]
On Saturday, April 12, at 7 pm, Chabad of Montecito will host an authentic, inspiring, and joyful Passover Seder to celebrate freedom, tradition, and community. Enjoy a delicious holiday feast, handmade Shmurah Matzah, and fine kosher wine, all while reliving the story of our Exodus in a way that feels fresh and relevant. “Passover is […]
Your Society Invites gal-Friday is pleased to share the 2025 Legacy Award Winners of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (SBMNH), who were announced at a trés private soirée called the Leadership Circles of Giving Dinner held at the Fleischmann Auditorium. This year’s honorees are UCSB Professor Emeritus Michael Glassow, PhD; geologist John Powell, […]
Lucy Firestone, Gregory Fuss, and Greg Giloth have been appointed to the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Board of Trustees for a three-year term. Firestone is a producer, transformation coach and co-founder of Firestone Sisters’ natural perfume line, with more than 20 years’ experience creating content that inspires healing and growth. A Princeton graduate, […]
Brian Storr MBA is the newly appointed Chief Financial Officer for the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, as of May 2024. Storr was previously with the ABC-CLIO Goleta company in three positions, the Vice President of Finance & Manufacturing, Director of Manufacturing, Logistics & Strategic Analysis, and Director of Business & Financial Services. His […]
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History announced the newest members to its Board of Trustees: our town’s Hiroko Benko and Amanda Lee. Both women have long histories as professional businesswomen and philanthropists. Benko is renowned for her historic ocean exploring vessel, The Condor Express, founded by her late husband Fred, for which she is the […]
Santa Barbara Foundation names their 79th Persons of the Year as Ginger Salazar and Katina Zaninovich. Salazar, who is from Lompoc and has lived in Montecito for the past 17 years, has served on the board of Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara. Currently, she is on the […]
One of the biggest wine and food events of the year happened after a two-year hiatus, at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (SBMNH). Over 1,000 folks gathered on the 17-acre campus to stroll along the shaded banks of Mission Creek sampling the Central Coast’s best food, wine, and spirits from 80-plus purveyors. This […]
Oenophiles and gourmands were out in force at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History when, after a two-year pandemic hiatus, it hosted the region’s premier wine and food event, attracting 1,000 supporters to the beautiful 17-acre Mission Creek campus and raising more than $200,000 for the museum’s programs and exhibits. Around 200 VIP tickets, […]
