The Santa Monica History Museum (SMHM) preserves and activates the diverse histories of the Santa Monica Bay Area through exhibitions, arts-integrated programs, and inclusive public engagement. At the core of our mission is a commitment to storytelling through the arts—as a tool for historical interpretation, cultural expression, and community connection.

In alignment with our three strategic pillars of Community Engagement, Inclusivity, and Education, SMHM has created a permanent home for the Quinn Research Gallery, a space dedicated to the study of Black family history and culture in the region. The museum also houses a permanent exhibition honoring Tongva Gabrielino Indigenous history, centering visual storytelling and design to engage visitors of all ages.

SMHM’s arts programming includes rotating exhibitions that showcase photography, design, and visual art — often produced in collaboration with local artists and cultural historians. These are accompanied by free educational programs, including school and group tours, hands-on arts workshops, humanities internships, and public forums that challenge cultural erasure, develop critical thinking skills, and build civic pride.

Our community curation initiatives and intergenerational storytelling events invite residents to co-create exhibits through oral histories, archival collage, and creative mapping — ensuring that underrepresented voices and visual narratives are not only preserved, but actively celebrated.

Through these offerings, SMHM serves as both a historical archive and a cultural arts space, where the stories of Santa Monica are explored through dynamic, participatory experiences rooted in equity and creativity.