About the Archives
Since 1926, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden has been a steward of California’s native plants, landscapes, and conservation efforts. Over nearly a century, we have cultivated not just gardens, but a rich history—one filled with research, rare botanical collections, and stories of the people who helped shape our mission. Now, we invite you to explore that history through our digital archives.
This growing collection offers a glimpse into the past, preserving photographs, documents, and artifacts that highlight the evolution of the Garden and our role in protecting native flora. From historic plant records to early landscape designs, and from groundbreaking conservation initiatives to cherished moments captured in time, these archives connect us to our roots while inspiring the future.
A selection of the best archival images of the Garden over the last 100 years.
A century of dedication cannot fit on a few walls, but these photographs carry traces of it. Each one hints at its own… Learn more
Botanical Photography Through the Low-key Lens
In the hands of a curious scientist, a camera can highlight the… Learn more
Inaugurated in 1983, the Oral History Program seeks to show life through the eyes of the influential figures of the… Learn more
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s Blaksley Library was established in 1927 and includes over 15,000 botanical and horticultural works on California flora and landscape history. The collection is housed in the Library building, which was designed by local architect Lutah Maria Riggs and completed in 1942. The Archives consist of materials relevant to the founding and growth of the Garden — now a century old — and is housed in the Reading Room of the Katherine K. Muller Education Building. The Library and Archives collections are available to access to researchers by appointment, and the digital collections are growing as our team continues to digitize and catalog our material.
The Digital Archive project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (Award MA-256282-OMS-24).
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden acts only as owner and custodian of photographs, artwork, manuscripts, printed publications, and objects in its collections and does not hold copyright for all materials in said collections. For use of Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s archival images, please submit the Application for Photograph Reproduction to the archivist. Santa Barbara Botanic Garden reserves the right to refuse use of materials or impose additional conditions based on the requested material.
To learn more about our image use policy and fees, access our Image Use Conditions and Application.
Welcome to the SBBGPhotos Image Gallery. From this page you can access more than 50,000 images from the SBBG Blaksley Library archive. In addition to SBBG historical, cultural and architectural images, this collection also features images of California native plants, planted and natural landscapes, and animals.
