About the Museum.

Our Mission: To Ignite Learning
Through Interactive Experiences
in Science + Creativity.

As Santa Barbara’s hands-on destination for families and curious minds of all ages, MOXI is a place where you can explore and discover new things about the world around you, ask questions, seek answers and have a blast doing so. Learn more about our history, exhibits + programs, and plans for the future here.

Core Values.

To strengthen our institutional culture and ensure we are united around a common philosophy:

We are playful.
We are collaborative.
We are experimenters – we take risks and embrace failure.
We believe diversity is critical to creativity.

History.

The museum you can visit today started as a dream more than 20 years ago. A group of dedicated and dynamic community volunteers came together with the desire to create a world-class museum in their own backyard that would provide opportunities for science learning outside the traditional classroom. In 2013, the City of Santa Barbara made it possible for us to build a new museum on a plot of unused land on lower State Street. We are now in a 50-year lease agreement with the City, ensuring MOXI will have a perfectly positioned home for many years to come. Our Barry Berkus-designed building also has the distinction of being the first LEED Gold certified museum in Santa Barbara County.

Our Opening Day on February 25, 2017 was the culmination of years of work by a determined and tireless group of community volunteers, supported by countless individuals, businesses and foundations from the Santa Barbara region and beyond. It was, however, just the beginning of something far greater – delivering on our promise of igniting learning for all through our exhibits, programs, community outreach and more.

Exhibits + Programs.

We deliver on our mission through play-based STEAM learning experiences. Our 25,000 square foot building houses three floors filled with interactive exhibits, the Innovation Workshop makerspace, and a multipurpose Exploration Lab. Learn more about our Exhibits here. The museum also offers programs for all ages from toddlers to adults, including teachers and students.

FAQ.

MOXI is an interactive science museum for all ages. Our full name is MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation. “The Wolf” part is in honor of our naming benefactors and the “Exploration + Innovation” part is what we hope inspires you while you’re here. When you visit MOXI we encourage you to play like a kid no matter what your age, ask questions, seek answers, embrace trial + error, and find joy in exploration + discovery.

MOXI is currently open 7 days a week, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Check our “Hours + Admission” page for the most current information.

Click the orange Buy Tickets button in the top right corner to reserve advance tickets and pay online.

You can also visit the museum without a reservation and pay when you arrive at the guest services desk.

Members do not need to reserve tickets; simply show your Membership card at check-in.

“Guest Passes” will be able to be redeemed at the front desk and/or Members’ guests will be able to pay our general admission ticket price. However, please note the only way to guarantee access for a particular day/time is to make an advance reservation online. Our most up-to-date hours and admission policies can be found here.

Yes, you may. Please retain your receipt from your ticket purchase, or simply present your Membership card for re-entry. Please keep in mind re-entry admission is subject to capacity restrictions the same as initial admission.

The typical visit to MOXI is about 1.5-2 hours, though is subject to change depending on how many races you want to run on the race track, designs you want to create on Light Patterns, or how motivated you are to break the record of 40+ loops on the Roll It wall marble roller coaster challenge. In other words, you can play as long as you want (until 5 PM)!

As a nonprofit, we rely on revenue from a variety of sources, including general admission ticket sales. As such, we do not typically offer discounts. Information on all discounts currently available can be found here.

We offer discounted admission to school groups + other groups of 10 or more. All group visits must be booked in advance. Information about school group visits is available here. Information about all other group visits is available here. We also offer free admission to teachers in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. See all current ticket + admission policies here.

We do not currently offer a military or senior citizen discount. Information about all current discount admission offers is available here.

A guardian must accompany all children under the age of 13 throughout the museum. All children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by a legal adult (age 18+). Visitors age 13+ may visit unaccompanied.

You may nurse your child anywhere at MOXI. If you’re looking for a private space to nurse or pump, we’ve got you covered. Our Mamava lactation pod is located on the first floor and can be accessed via code request at the front desk, or using the Mamava app.

The only animals allowed in MOXI are trained service animals. Other pets or animals are not allowed. MOXI abides by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and allows service animals trained to perform specific tasks for an individual with a disability, into all the public areas of the museum. Dogs and miniature horses are the only animals recognized as service animals by federal and state law. MOXI guest services staff may ask you two questions about your service animal: 1) Is the animal a service animal required because of a disability and 2) What work or task has the animal been trained to perform? More information about MOXI’s service animal policy is available here.

Of course! How else will you remember all the fun you had? Photos and videos for personal use only may be taken at MOXI. Please be respectful of other guests when taking photos or videos. Photography or recording for any other use requires advance notice and you must be granted permission by MOXI’s Marketing and Communications team. To inquire about taking photos or video for non-personal use, contact marketing@moxi.org or call 805-770-5008.

MOXI has two accessible parking spots located at the rear of our building. These spots can be accessed off of Kimberly Avenue. Pedestrian pathways along both sides of our building allow for easy access to our main entrance. It is recommended that MOXI guests that have driven to the museum park in one of the City of Santa Barbara’s numerous lots within walking distance of MOXI, including City Lot #13, conveniently located adjacent to the train station across the railroad tracks from the museum. Additional information about parking downtown and at the waterfront is available here.

Yes, there is a lost and found. If you believe you have left an item at MOXI, please check with the front desk or notify another staff member. You can reach the front desk during business hours by calling 805-770-5000. Our policy is to hold any found items for 30 days. After that, items are donated to area shelters or thrift stores.

No. To our knowledge, the closest ATM is located next door to us at Riviera Beach House.

No, but we do offer a selection of snacks and beverages available for purchase in our museum store.

Yes, the Museum Store is open during business hours for MOXI (current hours available here). Members enjoy a 10% discount on all purchases at the Museum Store. All purchases support MOXI’s STEAM education programs.

We do, more information is available here.

We love to assist our fellow nonprofits! Learn more about what we offer and how to submit a request via this form a minimum of 30 days prior to your event.

Since MOXI is a nonprofit, our policy is that all ticket purchases are final (for both general admission and special events) and will not be refunded. However, if you need to reschedule your timed-entry general admission tickets, we will be happy to accommodate you.  To reschedule a timed-entry ticket, contact the front desk by calling 805-770-5000, or emailing info@moxi.org during business hours.

Yes! You can apply the cost of your general admission tickets to a Membership on the day of your visit only. If you decide you want a full year of unlimited fun, discovery + exploration, we encourage you to check out our Membership options and associated benefits. Please note: you may only apply the tickets that would have been covered by the membership level that you apply them to.

MOXI is a part of the ASTC Travel Passport Program, which means that, yes, you may be able to visit other museums who also participate in that program free of charge or at a discounted rate. Learn more about the details of this program here. The most important thing to remember about this program is that the museum you are trying to visit must be more than 90 miles away (as the crow flies) from both MOXI and your place of residence. Additionally, you must present your digital MOXI Membership card – there is no way for another museum to verify your MOXI Membership.

Yes. While not required, advance reservations are recommended for individuals visiting during holidays or school breaks. Please request advance reservations at least 3 days prior to your visit and email a photo of your membership card to members@moxi.org, indicating the number of children and adults in your party and the desired time and date of your visit. 

Please bring your museum membership card and a valid photo ID for your visit. Please note that MOXI offers free reciprocal admission for up to 2 adults and 4 children.  

You can visit as soon as the same day you purchase your Membership, simply bring photo ID to MOXI’s front desk for admission. Your digital Membership card(s) will be emailed to the primary member approximately 2 weeks after purchase. Please call 805-770-5000 during business hours if you wish to visit the same day you purchase a Membership.

If you are planning a visit for a school group, learn more and fill out a reservation request here.

If you are planning a general group visit for 10 or more guests, learn more and fill out a reservation request here.

If you have any questions about group sales and reservations, email sales@moxi.org or call 805-770-5012.

More information about volunteering at MOXI is available here.

MOXI is only as great as the part-time and full-time staff we employ. Are you curious about the world around you and passionate about learning while having fun? MOXI might be the perfect place for you. Current vacancies are listed on the Careers section of this website.

Hours + General Admission

Open Daily
Monday:
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Except for holidays and special events noted below.

2026 Special Hours
MOXI will be closed on the following holidays; Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

General Admission.
Members: FREE
Adults (13+): $25
Children (2 – 12): $20
Infants (Under 2): Free

EBT Cardholders: $3 per member of household for up to 4 guests.

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unlimited fun + exploration?

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