Join the Enlichenment 

Have you noticed patchworks of orange on boulders? Tangled strands of silver-blue clinging to twigs? Shag carpets of pale green draped across tree branches? These are lichens — living art hiding in plain sight.

This exhibition blends science, storytelling, and creative expression to pull back the curtain on Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s lichen research. Members of our Conservation and Research Department turn their research and experiences as naturalists into risograph-printed zines (or “mini-magazines) that explore why lichen are exciting to them.  Interpretive displays take visitors behind the scenes of the Garden’s Lichenarium, offering a glimpse into the world of those who study these resilient organisms.

Visitors are invited to get hands-on in the gallery’s interactive printmaking and zine-making station or settle into a cozy reading nook filled with lichen-inspired zines. This show encourages you to slow down, look closer, and explore the power of collaboration just like the lichens themselves.

Pricing:

This exhibit is included in the price of admission.