The mission of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum is to preserve and celebrate the maritime heritage of the California Coast and present it to the public in an interesting and exciting way. The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, located at the Santa Barbara Harbor opened to the public in July 2000. Today, the museum is a vital part of the community, offering popular programs and attracting thousands of visitors each year. New exhibits include "Purisima: The World's First Commercial Diving Lockout Bell," "Shipwreck of the California Gold Rush Steamship: Winfield Scott," "Surf Creatures presented by Shawn Tomson," and the "Spill's Broad Reach," focused on the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill and subsequent environmental activism.