Free Museum Day - Santa Ynez, CA - 3/6/10

Maybe you’re daunted by the idea of taking kids to a museum. You shouldn’t be. Really. It’s a fabulous opportunity to show them something new, allow them to see history, art, even science in ways not available in most people’s everyday travels. Best of all, if you follow them rather than lead them, it gives you great insight. What do they see? What interests them? Take their hands, then let them lead.

This Saturday, seven museums in Santa Ynez Valley offer free entry for the whole family (friends, too). While kids already have one free entry to many Santa Barbara County museums through April 15, 2010, those entries include only one accompanying adult. This weekend’s event is open to all.

Participating venues include:

Wildling Art Museum, 2928 San Marcos Avenue , Los Olivos. wildlingmuseum.org, Phone: 805-688-1082 – a nice place to see California’s special places depicted by artists of varying styles.

Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum & Carriage House, 3596 Sagunto, Santa Ynez. santaynezmuseum.org Phone: 805-688-7889 – reportedly the largest collection of American-made carriages in the Western U.S., plus information about the area’s old railroad and more.

Old Mission Santa Ines Museum, 1760 Mission Drive, Solvang. missionsantaines.org Phone: 805-688-4815 – The nineteenth in California’s chain of 21 historic missions.

Los Alamos Historical Display T &T building. Bell (Hwy 135) & Helena Streets, Los Alamos. losalamosinfo.com Phone: 805-260-8233 – a growing collection dedicated to this small ag town.

Hans Christian Andersen Museum, upstairs in The Book Loft.1680 Mission Drive, Solvang. bookloftsolvang.com/museum.htm Phone: 805-688-2052 – Books, miniatures, sillhouettes and more featuring Andersen, his tales and his characters.

Elverhøj Museum of History & Art, 1624 Elverhøj Way, Solvang. elverhoj.org Phone: 805-686-1211 – celebrates Danish-American heritage of this town, designed specifically for preserving Danish culture in the New World. This is, by far, our kids’ favorite museum in Santa Ynez Valley. The docents are wonderful, helpful, and entirely child-friendly.

Buellton Historical Society History Room In Andersen’s Pea Soup Restaurant, 376 Avenue of Flags, Buellton. buelltonhistory.org
Phone: 805-688-7829 – A room dedicated to the history of the area, from Buell Ranch to present.

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