Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Santa Barbara Historical Museum

EIN 95-6005796 · Santa Barbara, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO INSPIRE MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS TO SANTA BARBARA HISTORY.

Income
$1.3 million
Spending
$2.0 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
15.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 60%
Employees
23
Volunteers
45
Highest pay
$116,763, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 15.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 50% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 18% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $582,557 spent. HISTORIC STRUCTURES: THE MUSEUM PRESERVES TWO HISTORICAL STRUCTURES ON THEIR DOWNTOWN SANTA BARBARA CAMPUS: THE COVARRUBIAS ADOBE (1817) AND THE HISTORIC ADOBE (CA. 1836). THE COVARRUBIAS ADOBE IS ONE OF THE OLDEST BUILDINGS IN SANTA BARBARA. ADDITIONALLY, THE MUSEUM PRESERVES THREE HISTORIC HOMES AT 414 EAST MONTECITO STREET: THE TRUSSELL-WINCHESTER ADOBE (1854), CHARLES FERNALD MANSION (1862) AND ADJACENT CARRIAGE HOUSE. THE COVARRUBIAS ADOBE AND TRUSSELL-WINCHESTER ADOBE ARE CALIFORNIA STATE LANDMARKS. THE HISTORICAL MUSEUM FACILITY (1964), A 25,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING, WAS DESIGNATED A STRUCTURE OF MERIT IN 2020 AND IS VISITED BY OVER 35,000 PEOPLE ANNUALLY.
  2. $425,747 spent. PUBLIC PROGRAMS: GUESTS EXPLORED THE MUSEUM TO VISIT THE GALLERIES AND HISTORIC ADOBE COURTYARDS, ATTEND PUBLIC PROGRAMMING AND UTILIZE THE GLEDHILL RESEARCH LIBRARY. VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON PUBLIC PROGRAMMING INCLUDED NEARLY THIRTY EDUCATIONAL EVENTS - HISTORY LECTURES, PERFORMANCES, FILM SCREENINGS, EXHIBITIONS, AND WALKING TOURS. TOPICS INCLUDED LIFE IN EARLY CALIFORNIA, CONSERVATION, ARCHITECTURE, ART, FILM, AGRICULTURE, AND OTHER LOCAL HISTORY TOPICS. THE MUSEUM PROVIDED FREE AFTER-HOURS RECEPTIONS AND FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES FOR THE PUBLIC DURING "FIRST THURSDAYS", A COLLABORATIVE ART AND BUSINESS PROMOTION, ALONG WITH PLAYING HOST TO NUMEROUS LIKE-MINDED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. THE MUSEUM OFFERS FOUR CUSTOM ONSITE PROGRAMS THAT FIT INTO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA STANDARDS FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FOURTH GRADE. ADDITIONALLY, MANY MORE VISITED THE MUSEUM'S SATELLITE EXHIBITS AT THE HILL-CARRILLO ADOBE, SANTA BARBARA AIRPORT AND COTTAGE HOSPITAL.
  3. $608,200 spent. COLLECTIONS AND LIBRARY: HELD IN THE PUBLIC TRUST, THE MUSEUM'S EXTENSIVE COLLECTION INCLUDES OVER 100,000 OBJECTS - ARTWORK, FURNITURE, SADDLES, DECORATIVE ARTS AND COSTUMES THAT REPRESENT OVER 500 YEARS OF CHUMASH, MEXICAN, SPANISH AND AMERICAN HISTORY. THE GLEDHILL LIBRARY, LOCATED ON THE MUSEUM'S DOWNTOWN CAMPUS, PROVIDES PUBLIC ACCESS TO OVER 500,000 ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTS, MAPS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND BOOKS FOR HISTORIC RESEARCH, AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE TO HISTORIANS AND GENEALOGISTS ALIKE. IN ADDITION TO THE MUSEUM'S VIBRANT SCHEDULE OF EVENTS AND PROGRAMMING, THE MUSEUM PUBLISHED SCHOLARLY JOURNAL NOTICIAS, AND ONLINE PUBLICATION, "PEQUENAS NOTICIAS." IN ADDITION TO THE MUSEUM'S SIGNATURE EXHIBITIONS, THE ORGANIZATION HOSTED FIVE MAJOR EDUCATIONAL EXHIBITIONS: 1925! SANTA BARBARA EARTHQUAKE, THE CHAIR: STORIED SEATS FROM OUR COLLECTION, DON LOUIS PERCEVAL: HIS VISION OF THE WEST, POP-UP HISTORY: IMAGES OF SANTA BARBARA C.1900, AND PROJECT FIESTA! CENTENNIAL OF OLD SPANISH DAYS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since August 1947.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.