Week day hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Weekend hours: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Open all U.S. holidays except Christmas Day.
(Hours may change, so feel free to verify them ahead of time.) Spray sunscreen and spray hand sanitizer may not be allowed through the security checkpoint.
The Tour:
Approach the Courthouse’s main arch from Anacapa Street
1. Is the building currently open? Yes/No? If answer is Yes, please note where a Roman number is and proceed. If No, please try again when the building is open.
Enter the building on the same side of the Roman numeral, head through the security screening, and walk through the wrought iron doors into the hallway in front of you. Walk down this hallway and look for a spiral staircase. Go to the bottom center of this staircase.
2. What animal is centered in the symbol on the floor below the staircase?
Now walk up the spiral stairs to the second floor, take a right, and walk a little more than halfway down this hall. There is a Spanish tile plaque on the wall to your left.
3. This tile plaque remembers men of what profession?
Continue down the hallway through the next wrought iron doors and take a left. Immediately to your left is the Mural Room. This room is an ornamented ceremonial court room with a pictorial history of Santa Barbara on the walls. Take a few minutes to appreciate this magnificent room and answer questions five through seven.
4. The rear wall mentions the death of what famous person from Carmel?
5. One of the murals portrays a Spaniard who is about to draw his sword and a missionary who is motioning for him to hold back. What radient thing are they staring at? What do you think this thing this thing may represent? (no wrong answer to this part)
6. What is the name of the artist who painted the murals? (hint: his signature includes first, middle, and last names on the back wall)
Exit the Mural Room and immediately to your left is an elevator. Enter the elevator and push the button for the fourth floor to enter the clock tower. Once there, notice the compass painted on the floor with the cardinal directions (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW)
7. What is in the northwest?
Now find the stairs and walk down a few steps and look for the glass wall of the clock exhibit.
8. Although built in 1929, what hid the clock mechanism until 2012? (Hint: there is a sign in the stairwell accessible even if the gallery is closed)
Get in the elevator and push the button for the first floor. You are now back in the room with the large map and the information booth. Exit to the outside where the huge arch is, and walk to the north side of the arch. Take a left past the arch, go down the wheelchair ramp, and at the lawn look for a plaque.
9. The plaque says that great architecture is only realized in what?
I hope you enjoyed your visit to this amazing building. If you would like to learn more, there are free guided tours offered Monday through Saturday at 2 PM; and Monday, Tuesday, and Friday at 10:30 AM (call 805-962-6464 to verify tour times or to make reservations).
When you get home, don’t forget to log your visit and Email me your answers. Please do not post your answers with your log; I will have to delete it. Thank you for visiting my first virtual!