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Plan Your Visit

A watercolor circa 1890 of the Old Mission Santa Barbara by artist Edwin Deakin, viewed from the front with the fountain in the foreground.
Make An Appointment

The Santa Bárbara Mission Archive-Library (SBMAL) is open by appointment only. Researcher hours are Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 10:00am to 4:00pm. Please request an appointment by completing this form. Appointments are not confirmed until you hear back from a staff member.

Location

SBMAL is located at the Old Mission Santa Barbara at 2201 Laguna Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93105.

The Mission is located in the middle of a residential neighborhood so there is not a lot nearby. Note that the Mission is on top of a hill so it would be an uphill walk from most other locations.

There is free parking in the lot in front of the Mission on Laguna Street. The closest bus stop is at State Street and Pueblo or State Street and Los Olivos, about a half mile downhill from the Mission.

There are not any places to get food nearby, other than the limited snack options in the gift shop. You can search for restaurants on an app or just head to the downtown area a couple miles away.

If you are coming from out of town, the closest hotels are about a mile away.

 

Visiting The Archive

Standard archive rules apply:

 

  • No food or drinks (other than water in closed containers).

  • No pens.

  • You may bring a laptop/tablet and/or pencil and paper for taking notes.

  • Wifi is available.

  • Masks are welcome but not required.

  • View our full Policies and Procedures.

 


It can be quite chilly in our reading room so you may want to bring some extra layers.

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