Museum Backyard & Nature Club House

Located just beyond the Sprague Butterfly Pavilion, the renovated and ADA-accessible Museum Backyard is a nature play area nestled in the oak woodland along Mission Creek. It is open daily during announced Museum hours and free with paid Museum admission.

• Backyard Creek: Our human-made creek in the woods sets a relaxing and playful scene for guests of all ages. Race our wooden boats or make a splash! The creek water is chemically treated to a public pool standard.
• Eyes in the Sky Aviary: Home to rehabilitated raptors in Eyes in the Sky, Santa Barbara Audubon Society's key wildlife education program featuring birds of prey that can no longer survive in the wild. You can view the birds in their aviary during the Museum's open hours. Within those hours, Santa Barbara Audubon Society volunteers are present to teach guests about the birds Thursday–Sunday, 2:00–4:00 PM. For more information, click here to visit Santa Barbara Audubon's Eyes in the Sky webpage.

• Nature Club House: Come inside to meet our live insects, talk with a friendly naturalist about what makes our region unique, and explore our touch table of natural objects. Get in-person tips on taking part in community science via iNaturalist. ADA-accessible, all-gender restroom available.
  
  
  • Nature Exchange We are sunsetting the Nature Exchange™ (developed by Science North) previously found in the Nature Club House. If you already earned points, you can cash them out for items until June 28, 2026.

• Boardwalk: A beautiful elevated walkway that winds through forest and creek, making nature accessible to all.
• BioBuilders Zone: Build and create both shelter and art, letting the shapes and textures of natural materials guide you.
• Dig Pile: Get your hands dirty exploring our giant dig pile while hunting for critters under stumps and stones.
• Dry Kitchen: Test your culinary imagination with our natural outdoor play kitchen, suitable for even the littlest chefs.

iNaturalist

Watch the video above to see how easy it is to get started contributing to community science with iNaturalist right in our Backyard! You can help us document the wonderful flora, fauna, and fungi of the Museum. Observations made on iNaturalist on the Museum's grounds will automatically become part of this project tracking the biodiversity of our campus. It already includes over 1,000 observations.

Want to explore the outdoors more? 

• Download our nature exploration guides:
  • Birds of Santa Barbara - A Guide for Youth & Adults
  • Birding Expedition 1: Andree Clark Bird Refuge
  • Birding Expedition 2: Arroyo Burro Beach
  • Birding Expedition 3: Lake Los Carneros
  • Birding Expedition 5: Oak Woodland at Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
  • A Kids' Guide to Backyard Critters
  • How to Raise Wooly Bear Caterpillars
  • Santa Barbara Bugs
  • Understanding Bird Language
• Start a Family Nature Club
• Learn about the Children and Nature Network

Entry to the Backyard is included with Museum admission. Members are always free. Many features of the Backyard are ADA accessible; visit our accessibility page for more information.