Maritime Distinguished Speaker Series

Presents "The History of Coal Oil Point"

January 15, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.

Local historian Tom Modugno traces the layered story of Coal Oil Point—from its Chumash roots as P’ok’oy and the ancient natural oil seeps that shaped life along the coast, to the Mexican land grant era, Nicholas Den’s Rancho Dos Pueblos, and the beloved surf spot and shoreline we know today.

Coal Oil Point

Join Us at San Ignacio Lagoon

February 24 - March 2, 2026

Guests in attendance and listening to a speaker from the museum's Maritime Distinguished Speaker Series.

Maritime Distinguished Speaker Series

Presents "The History of Coal Oil Point"

January 15, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.

Local historian Tom Modugno traces the layered story of Coal Oil Point—from its Chumash roots as P’ok’oy and the ancient natural oil seeps that shaped life along the coast, to the Mexican land grant era, Nicholas Den’s Rancho Dos Pueblos, and the beloved surf spot and shoreline we know today.

Coal Oil Point
San Ignacio Lagoon Gray Whales

Join Us In San Ignacio Lagoon

February 24 - March 2, 2026

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum ~ Anchored in the Community

Coming Soon

"Where the Mountains Meet the Sea"

Jan. 22, 2026 to Mar. 29, 2026

From sunlit ridgelines to shimmering shores, experience California’s shifting coastal moods through local painters.

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Whales Are Superheroes

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