California Nature Art Museum

California Nature Art Museum The Wildling’s mission is to inspire our community and visitors to enjoy, value and conserve wildlife
(1)

It's the final weekend of When the Earth Whispers Back: Nature's Hope, a straight-from-the-heart juried exhibition showc...
09/01/2026

It's the final weekend of When the Earth Whispers Back: Nature's Hope, a straight-from-the-heart juried exhibition showcasing California’s wildlife on the edge of survival, and the special lands that sustain them. Be sure to visit CalNAM on or before September 6, 2026, which is the last day to view this unique collection of 47 artworks by Women Painters West.

This exhibition centers on plant and animal species that are endangered, threatened, and extinct, and areas of land set aside for the conservation and preservation of these species. Its artists are presenting this show with the purpose of bringing attention to the beauty and fragility of their subjects, and promoting better protection and stewardship of our ecosystems.

CalNAM is open weekends 10AM-5PM, and weekdays 11AM-4PM (except Tuesdays & Wednesdays). Admission is always free for members, children, active military and first responders with ID, and Museums for All recipients!

Do you run a small business? Are you an artist? Do you sell unique and/or handcrafted items? CalNAM is looking for YOU! ...
08/25/2026

Do you run a small business? Are you an artist? Do you sell unique and/or handcrafted items? CalNAM is looking for YOU! Join us for our annual Holiday Marketplace to provide locals and tourists alike with the best gifts this winter season!

Learn about the surprising vibrancy that thrives in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and the surrounding areas. Paulette D...
08/20/2026

Learn about the surprising vibrancy that thrives in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and the surrounding areas. Paulette Donnellon is an award-winning nature and wildlife photographer. She is known for capturing the hidden beauty of desert ecosystems, from Anza-Borrego Desert State Park to the Salton Sea.

Sip, Science, Art! Enjoy a 60-minute lecture with the opportunity to purchase delicious Firestone Walker apps, entrées, and beverages. Q&A to follow!

Join CalNAM for a free-admission, end-of-summer Family Day on Sunday, August 9, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. This a...
08/06/2026

Join CalNAM for a free-admission, end-of-summer Family Day on Sunday, August 9, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. This annual event invites visitors to participate in a variety of free art and nature inspired activities.

Show your wild side with a face paint design (10AM-12PM), create your own upcycled art piece, shake paws with dogs and kittens from Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society & DAWG, wonder at a live bee hive with Santa Barbara Hives, and enjoy a nature-inspired assortment of local organization booths.

Additional partners include Santa Ynez Valley Children’s Museum, Natural History Museum of Santa Maria, Kayla’s Kidz, Sweet Treats by Irene, and CommUnify.

End-of-Summer Family Day admission is free, and reservations are not required.

Happy World Ocean Day! Every year, World Ocean Day unites millions, across the globe to protect our blue planet. One Oce...
06/08/2026

Happy World Ocean Day! Every year, World Ocean Day unites millions, across the globe to protect our blue planet. One Ocean, One Climate, One Future — Together!

Celebrate World Ocean Day this year by visiting "Ocean Forests: Our Coastal Communities" at CalNAM. This exhibition celebrates importance of kelp forests - one of California’s most ecologically productive and diverse ecosystems. Each telling their own unique stories about the vibrancy and importance of life amongst giant kelp, this show includes four celebrated artists and three different mediums - photography, block printing, and textile/weaving.

On View: January 24, 2026 - July 20, 2026

Artwork Left to Right:
"Kelp Highway Commuter" by Laura Simonato
"Here's Looking at You, Kid" by Richard Salas
"Harbor Seal and Garibaldi in Kelp Forest" by Angelina LaPointe
"Salt Coil VII: Birth Baskets" by Eliot Spaulding

JAWS - friend or foe? Learn the truth about sharks, and their beauty and importance in healthy ecosystems. Grab some Fig...
05/21/2026

JAWS - friend or foe? Learn the truth about sharks, and their beauty and importance in healthy ecosystems.

Grab some Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. apps & brews, and enjoy a FREE 60min lecture presented by a local scientist, artist, or nature expert. Q&A to follow!

About the Artist - Richard Salas (askphotography.com) is a California native and graduate from Brooks Institute of Photography, where he was mentored by Ernest Brooks II and first introduced to underwater photography. He has authored several coffee table books, including Sea of Light: Underwater Photography of California’s Channel Islands. Richard’s mission is to take the viewer through a marine biosphere where humanity’s impact is an undeniable force.

This offering is FREE, and registration is not required.

Let's Party! Join us for our biggest bash of the year, Lulu Hyggelig’s Birthday Party!We will be celebrating one of CalN...
04/23/2026

Let's Party! Join us for our biggest bash of the year, Lulu Hyggelig’s Birthday Party!

We will be celebrating one of CalNAM’s biggest and most popular exhibitions yet, Lulu Hyggelig - Troll #154 by world-renowned Danish Artist Thomas Dambo. This event-to-remember will include:
live DJ, exclusive troll photo-ops, raffle prizes, birthday cake, free crafts: birthday card & party hat decorating, appetizers, charcuterie, wine & mocktails, and our first public introduction to the NEW Executive Director!
This is a unique chance to support our mission to inspire stewardship of nature through art and education.

Purchase tickets here: https://www.calnatureartmuseum.org/news/lulus-birthday-party-26

Calling our most terrible trollhunters 🧌, fantastical faeries, and whimsical witches and warlocks! Lulu Hyggelig is invi...
04/16/2026

Calling our most terrible trollhunters 🧌, fantastical faeries, and whimsical witches and warlocks! Lulu Hyggelig is inviting you to celebrate her birthday next month, on May 3rd from 2PM-4PM at the California Nature Art Museum!

This event-to-remember will include: live DJ, exclusive troll photo-ops, raffle prizes, birthday cake, free crafts: birthday card & party hat decorating, appetizers, charcuterie, wine & mocktails, and our first public introduction to the NEW Executive Director! Tickets are on sale now, and we hope you'll join us in celebrating one of CalNAM’s biggest and most popular exhibitions yet, Lulu Hyggelig - Troll #154 by world-renowned Danish Artist Thomas Dambo.

This is a unique chance to support our mission to inspire stewardship of nature through art and education.

Purchase tickets here: https://www.calnatureartmuseum.org/news/lulus-birthday-party-26

THIS WEEKEND! Enjoy free admission at CalNAM for California Poppy Day 2026, held annually in celebration of our state fl...
04/09/2026

THIS WEEKEND! Enjoy free admission at CalNAM for California Poppy Day 2026, held annually in celebration of our state flower and other California native plants.

Meet adoptable bunnies & guinea pigs, purchase native plants for your home garden, create your own papercraft flower crown, marvel at CA Poppy vintage items & collectibles, and grab your free 2026 collectible sticker while supplies last! This year’s partners include BUNS (Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter), California Native Plant Society (Channel Islands Chapter), Manzanita Nursery, Santa Barbara County Parks, Santa Ynez Chumash Environmental Office (SYCEO), Ranch & Poppies, and Collector Leslie Franklin.

California poppies (Eschscholzia Californica) are native to Santa Barbara County, typically flower from February - September, and range in color from rich yellow to bright orange. The California poppy has been our state flower for over a century now, and can be enjoyed in a variety of natural spaces such as UCSB's North Campus Open Space, the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, or even your own backyard!

California Poppy Day admission is free, no reservations required.

Address

1511-B Mission Drive
Solvang, CA
93463

Opening Hours

Monday 11am - 4pm
Thursday 11am - 4pm
Friday 11am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+18056881082

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when California Nature Art Museum posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category