First opened in 1913, the Museum moved in 1977 to its 15,000 square foot building near historic Mission San Buenaventura.
The Fine Arts and Historic Artifacts collection includes more than 30,000 objects and works of art.
Of note is a collection of more than 400 one-quarter life-size figures by historian George Stuart, created to accompany his dramatic historical monologues. Representing important personalities of many historical periods, the collection includes American founders and patriots, French, English, Russian, Chinese and Italian history, and the conquest of the Americas.