After two decades of vision, persistence, and deep-rooted cultural commitment, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians has officially opened the doors to the long-awaited Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center.
Located at the corner of Highway 246 and Edison Street, the striking dome-shaped building is more than just a museum, it’s a testament to the pride of one of California’s first peoples.
“This is our original land. This is where we come from,” said Kathleen Marshall, chairwoman of the museum board. “My mother grew up on this reservation when there was no running water, and as much as the missions were a hardship for us, a real hardship, they also helped us be federally recognized and helped us retain the land we’re on now.”
Marshall has been involved in the project from the very beginning. What started as an advisory council 20 years ago has grown into a permanent, state-of-the-art facility.
“I really felt like I could be a part of something really big,” she said. “I stuck with it for 20 years and here we are.”
The museum’s design itself is deeply symbolic. Architect Johnpaul Jones, whose work includes the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., crafted the dual domes to resemble traditional Chumash homes.
“Even the dome that we’re in, you can see it from the highway. It’s beautiful,” Marshall said. “When he came up with the idea of the two domes, we knew he was the one.”
Inside, more than 20,000 artifacts offer a journey through time, from the tribe’s creation stories and early life to the trauma of colonization to the revitalization of culture and community today.
One of the most cherished exhibits features Chumash basketry.
“Those baskets are hundreds of years old. Some were purchased from the tribe, and others were created by our culture bearers today. We have an eclectic collection,” Marshall said.
The museum also serves as a place of reconnection and healing for tribal members, especially the younger generation.
“For our community, this is for the future, for our children. They’re going to have their culture at their fingertips. It’s going to make us a stronger tribe,” she said. “And for the outside community, it’s going to be amazing. People will get to learn who we are, what happened to us, but also the resilience that we still have today.”
The museum has already generated interest, with more than 100 schools on a waiting list to tour the facility. One weekday will be dedicated exclusively to student visits, and a dedicated classroom is ready to bring history lessons to life.
For local visitors like Bing Aradanas, the opening marks a long-overdue moment in history.
“This is a long time coming,” said Aradanas, who grew up in Lompoc and has maintained ties to the tribe through personal relationships. “They have something which had long been suppressed, long been demonized by this society and now it’s being validated. It’s beautiful.”
Sisters Jocelyn and Janelle Cervenka drove in from the San Fernando Valley to attend opening day.
“I’ve been following this place for a long time. It’s even better than I imagined,” Jocelyn said. “The exhibits are phenomenal. Everything’s so thoughtful and beautiful.”
Janelle added, “It’s important to learn from the people who were originally given stewardship over the land to learn, like you know, how to live in harmony with that, how to treat it well and how to like truly to appreciate it. This museum presents that beautifully.”
The Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center is open to the public Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. More information and tickets are available at the museum's website.
