About the Santa Barbara Historical Museum

On a quiet block in Santa Barbara's historic downtown, the Santa Barbara Historical Museum is a wedding venue built around two adobe courtyards and two of the city's oldest surviving buildings. The Santa Barbara Historical Society formed in 1932 and broke ground on a permanent home in 1963. In 1964, the Society added the Covarrubias Adobe, built in 1817, along with a second adjacent adobe. The museum building was dedicated in 1965, and today it operates as a working cultural institution alongside the courtyards where weddings now take place.

Couples are drawn to the Santa Barbara Historical Museum for its downtown location, the privacy of its courtyards, and the way its architecture reflects Southern California's history. Guests can walk from nearby hotels, and once inside the gates, the busy street outside gives way to a quiet setting. Adobe walls, tile roofs, and ironwork give the property a look that's unmistakably Southern California, part of the Spanish Colonial style found throughout the historic district.

Ceremony and Reception Spaces

Adobe Courtyard 

The Adobe Courtyard is the smaller of the two spaces, framed by mature trees and centered on a wooden arbor and fountain. Couples often choose it for the ceremony, then return later for a smaller reception or cocktail hour.

Museum Courtyard 

The Museum Courtyard is the larger of the two, framed by Spanish architecture and built around a wooden pergola that serves as the ceremony backdrop. It also works well for a reception, with room for dinner, dancing, and a band or DJ.

What we Love about the Santa Barbara Historical Museum

Rich History

The property sits inside El Pueblo Viejo, downtown Santa Barbara's oldest neighborhood, where some of the city's earliest adobe buildings still stand. We like being able to shoot a wedding somewhere that's been part of the city's identity for this long.

Spanish Influences

Spanish architecture runs through the entire property, from the stone walls, tile walkways, and fountains to the adobe buildings, open courtyards, and tile roofs. We move through a different spaces all day, and it's what gives the photos so much texture and color.

Incredible Lighting

During ceremonies, sunlight filters beautifully through the trees onto the courtyard, then softens as the evening sun reflects off the surrounding hills for the reception, right through the first dance under the stars. We love watching that transition happen over the course of the day.

Insider Tips

For a relaxed start to the day, we love when couples get ready at one of Santa Barbara's own hotels. San Ysidro Ranch, El Encanto, and the Hotel Californian are three of our favorites, each one giving the morning its own distinct Santa Barbara feel.

If the ceremony is off site, we always recommend the red Santa Barbara trolley to move guests between locations. It doubles as a quick tour of downtown along the way.

Once the reception is underway, we like to sneak away with the couple for a few nighttime shots in front of the Museum Courtyard fountain. With the water lit up and the party still going in the background, it makes for one of our favorite environmental portraits.

Who is the Right Couple for a Santa Barbara Historical Museum?

This venue suits couples who want their wedding day to feel connected to Santa Barbara's history, and the 1817 Covarrubias Adobe still standing on the property makes that connection possible. It also suits couples who want a downtown setting that feels private, which works because of the enclosed courtyards. And it’s perfect for couples with guests traveling in, since the location is close enough to walk to Santa Barbara's hotels.

The Santa Barbara Historical Museum brings together nearly a century of local history, two distinct courtyard spaces, and a downtown setting guests can reach easily. Couples can choose an intimate ceremony in the Adobe Courtyard or a larger celebration in the Museum Courtyard, both framed by adobe walls and tile roofs. We love photographing weddings in places with this much history, and it shows up in the photos every time.

Inspiration

The best way to get a feel for what your day could look like at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum is to see real weddings we have photographed at this property. Take a look at the Ashleigh & Jesse’s wedding to see how they brought their vision to life. To learn more about the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, be sure to visit their Venue Report.

Considering a Santa Barbara Historical Museum?

Whether you are still exploring venues or have already chosen the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, we would love to connect. We have photographed here throughout the year and would love to share what we have seen and learned from documenting weddings at this property.