Santa Monica History Museum

Santa Monica History Museum Discover. Explore. Experience. Since 1975. We Are Santa Monica Bay History.

Back to school and everyone is prepping. At McKinley School, this teacher is setting up her classroom in 1987. In 1946,...
09/07/2026

Back to school and everyone is prepping. At McKinley School, this teacher is setting up her classroom in 1987. In 1946, these students line up during fire prevention week.

Who remembers practicing earthquake drills too?

McKinley School is on Santa Monica Boulevard near 25th Street and is over 100 years old (c1920). It sits on over 6.5 acres of land and the school is Spanish-revival style architecture. Today there are over 370 students from TK-5.

Did you know it originally was on Arizona Avenue between 19th and 20th Street? That campus was demolished and in 1922, the school was rebuilt at its current location.

Outlook Collection (1998.1.1198), 1987
Bill Beebe Collection (3.2.3351), 1946


Due to closure this weekend for Labor Day weekend, our 1st Sunday of the month Free Admission Day is the following Sunda...
09/04/2026

Due to closure this weekend for Labor Day weekend, our 1st Sunday of the month Free Admission Day is the following Sunday, September 13th. Hope to see you then 11am to 5pm.

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend. We will be closed Saturday and Sunday and open again on September 10th.Our 1st Sunday of t...
09/04/2026

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend. We will be closed Saturday and Sunday and open again on September 10th.

Our 1st Sunday of the month Free Admission Day will be Sunday September 13th, 11am to 5pm

Paper routes were a popular job for young kids. 🗞📰 This 1937 photo shows a delivery boy with his sack full of papers, as...
09/04/2026

Paper routes were a popular job for young kids. 🗞📰 This 1937 photo shows a delivery boy with his sack full of papers, as he prepares to take off on his rounds to deliver the Outlook Newspaper.

In 1960, The Newspaper Carrier Hall of Fame was created. It acknowledges some famous newspaper carriers in our nation's history, including Martin Luther King Jr., Warren Buffett, and John Wayne.

Tell us your stories of your paper route?

Bill Beebe Collection (3.2.532), 1937


The skyline of any city certainly has it's uniqueness. Santa Monica has a few buildings that make it distinct as well.Th...
09/03/2026

The skyline of any city certainly has it's uniqueness. Santa Monica has a few buildings that make it distinct as well.

This recognizable building goes by many names, The Bay Cities (Guaranty) Building, the Clock Tower or as some know it as the Crocker Bank building. It's distinction is the clock at the very top. In this 1946 photo, men are painting the clock face. It is located at 225 Santa Monica Boulevard and was built in 1929.

Bill Beebe Collection (3.2.7895), 1946 - Men painting
Santa Monica History Museum Collection (36.2.353), undated


Are you a baseball fan? ⚾ It's Spalding Baseball Day and we have a fantastic book about Mexican American baseball. This ...
09/02/2026

Are you a baseball fan? ⚾ It's Spalding Baseball Day and we have a fantastic book about Mexican American baseball. This book pays homage to the teams, players, coaches, and umpires in Santa Monica, Culver City, Venice, and West Los Angeles.

This book and many other books and merchandise is available at our Museum Shop or our online shop. Every purchase helps the museum.

We are open Thu 2pm-5pm and Fri through Sun 11am to 5pm


Let's thank the hard work and dedication of hotel staff. They are integral in American tourism and communities nationwid...
09/01/2026

Let's thank the hard work and dedication of hotel staff. They are integral in American tourism and communities nationwide. It's National Hotel Employee day!

The Hotel Carlton, located at 3005 Main Street in Ocean Park, was formerly an Elks Club building. The remains which can still be seen in this 1941 photo at the top, B.P.O.E.. The building is still standing today.

Several businesses are below including a plumbing, barber and shop serving drinks, ice cream and other items.

Bill Beebe Collection (3.2.7687)


Enjoy the outdoors, eat outside! 🍉🍴 There are so many great locations around Santa Monica, Santa Monica Mountains is one...
08/31/2026

Enjoy the outdoors, eat outside! 🍉🍴 There are so many great locations around Santa Monica, Santa Monica Mountains is one of them. Pack a lunch and head out for an adventure.

Where's your favorite place to eat outside?

This group of unidentified people is enjoying a meal in the Santa Monica Mountains.

The Santa Monica Mountains is ~40 miles East to West and it's unusual for it to have any snowfall but an unusually cold storm brought snow on January 17, 2007. The hills above Malibu had three inches!

Santa Monica History Museum Collection (36.2.3867), undated


Looking good! 🎀👔 Robert D. Farquhar, son-in-law of Santa Monica co-founder (Senator John P. Jones) is looking dapper in ...
08/28/2026

Looking good! 🎀👔 Robert D. Farquhar, son-in-law of Santa Monica co-founder (Senator John P. Jones) is looking dapper in his bow tie. It's National Bow Tie day.

Department stores had displays of ties and bow ties to select from. In 1945, this is the necktie display in the Men's Furnishings Department at J. C. Penney's.

J. C. Penney opened on August 4, 1949. It was located at Wilshire and Third Street and part of the Third Street Promenade until the mid-1990s. The building, styled as "Late Moderne" by Santa Monica Landmark assessment, was designed by architect Milton L. Anderson.

Bill Beebe Collection (3.2.3170), 1945 - Necktie display
John P. Jones Collection (1.2.45), 1950s - Robert D. Farquhar


The start of something good. In this undated photo, it is the beginnings of Santa Monica Canyon sometime between 1916 an...
08/27/2026

The start of something good. In this undated photo, it is the beginnings of Santa Monica Canyon sometime between 1916 and 1920.

There's a pharmacy, a place to grab a bite to eat - burgers, hot dogs and ice cream - and a grocery store.

We believe the view point is looking South with Adelaide Drive at the top of the photo.

The use of the large building on the left, The Golden Butterfly, is unknown. Does anyone know?

Santa Monica History Museum Collection (36.2.282, 36.2.283), undated


Address

1350 7th Street
Santa Monica, CA
90401

Telephone

+13103952290

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