Love the art gallery and poetry section they have books for sale…read more$7 for adult $5 senior

Art Attack Founded…read morein 1997 by local artist, Patti Jacquemain, to promote local art that features nature, and more specifically, art that celebrates California's diverse wildlife and ecosystems. Formerly known as The Wildling Museum of Art, it was rebranded in '24 to make its mission clearer to the public. The Good: * Located in the heart of Downtown Solvang, which is one of our favorite places. * It's a non-profit institution. * Private parking lot in the back, which is important because parking in Downtown Solvang can be a nightmare at times. * Friendly staff * Relatively inexpensive at $7/GA; $5 seniors and teens (13-17); and free for kids 12 and under. * Gift shop * To be honest, our main reason for visiting was to continue our quest to visit as many of Thomas Dambo's Troll sculptures, and this quaint little museum houses one of the giants right inside--Lulu! She's definitely worth the price of admission alone. :) * The rest of the art was great to look at, as well. They do sell some of the pieces that are being displayed, so keep an eye out for price tags if you happen to see one you really, really like. The Meh: * Not the biggest museum, as you can pretty much see the whole thing in less than thirty minutes. The Ugly: * If you can't score parking in the small lot, you'll have to fight for it on the street which can be a hit-or-miss scenario. There is a free lot about a quarter-mile away, if you don't mind walking. Conclusion: Come for the troll, but stay for the art.

My family and I always enjoy a sincere local museum, however lower-budget curated it may be (or…read moreseem). This local museum easily exceeded all of our expectations. Each exhibit was well-organized, as well as genuinely interesting, but the real attraction was the gallery of carriages, stagecoaches, and wagons! When they claim it to be the "finest collection of historic horse drawn carriages and wagons," believe it! My family easily spent an hour just in this one gallery, fascinated with genuine 6-horse stagecoaches, covered wagons, hand-carved carts, phaetons, carriages, and even a few early "horseless" carriages. The highlight for us was being allowed to actually climb inside one of the stagecoaches and intimately experience the old-fashioned fine craftsmanship, as well as the elevation! Boy, these things were high off the ground. Many museums do not let you get very close to their exhibits, but this museum understands how important it is for visitors to have a closer, 'hands-on' experience.

Wonderful museum for Iocal history. The highlight is the collection of beautifully preserved…read morestagecoaches. It's a special treat to be able to actually sit inside a stagecoach and imagine what transportation was like in the olden days. There's also a great collection of authentic Western wear and other items related to ranching. Highly recommended.

Fantastic framing. Not only did Bob help pick a frame that complimented the piece extremely well;…read morethe frame was made exquisitely. Flawless joinery. It's worth the drive from SLO or other outlying areas. You won't regret it.

I ran into CGW in 2000 when I was looking to frame our marriage license/certificate while on our…read moreCalifornia Missions Honeymoon. Up and down the coast most places said yeah we can do it come back in a week - not happening. Ken was up to the challenge and as the wife & I went on a walk about in Lompoc Ken an Bob spent their lunch framing it. Ken & Bob take their time with each photo, print, original and help you determine the best frame and mat to properly display your showcase. Don't be in a rush take your time and you will not be disappointing. They also frame with glass that will protect your artwork from sunlight and fading. We live in Los Angeles and over the years Ken & Bob are our exclusive framers. Sure I could go to a place more local but when you have excellence you should take your work to Collectors Gallery West.

Cristi and Art Spot are so great! I am an SYV local but had never been to Grimm's Bluff so jumped…read moreat the chance to do a painting in the vineyard event for a little introduction. Grimm's Bluff is stunning with so many fantastic sites to paint. Art Spot chose their private lake with the mountains and a bit of Cachuma Lake (Cristi joked about it being a unique painting in the vineyard experience to not actually paint vines!). Stunning scene. But before we proceeded to our painting location, we enjoyed sampling a bit of rose and estate sage honey and olive oil, with a little primer about Grimm's Bluff. I had persuaded a friend to join and had told her that I had done a watercolor class at Kaena, where the scene was penciled in and we were instructed on how to mix paints and water and layer in the paint, but it was easy and fun - almost like a paint by numbers with a good glass of wine. So when we got to our painting spot, I was surprised and somewhat intimidated to see completely blank canvases on easels with a few globs of acrylic paint! But Cristi is a great instructor and leader, and made the experience so fun and comfortable (the liquid courage from Grimm's Bluff didn't hurt, either). She gave us detailed tips on color mixing, which brushes to use, and how to just jump in and start. She had an easel up front and led the way, showing us on her canvas what to do. It was a blast and each one of us produced surprisingly passable if not beautiful little canvases - each unique in its own way. I highly recommend Art Spot. I have zero training or natural ability but with Cristi's guidance, now have two cute little paintings (including my Kaena watercolor). There is no reason to be fearful or intimidated- Cristi makes it so anyone can pick up a brush and release their secret inner artist. It is a lovely activity to do with friends on a gorgeous SYV day.

The experience was so fun and the guidance was helpful - I walked away with a painting I was proud…read moreof! The venue was great and the group made it all the more enjoyable.

Back for another round. When I told them we were coming back to Solvang they said they had to come…read moreback. We were waiting at the door when they opened. My son just started painting and immediately asked when we were coming back again.

I took two girls, aged 16 and 9 yesterday to make a craft and avoid the rain. They had the best…read moretime. The shop has tons of things to make your craft unique from paint to stickers, Pom Pom, ribbons etc. There were lots of different types of items to adorn and one chose a lightening bolt and the other a wiggly snake. The shop is priced fairly - you pay for the item you are buying to create and $15 studio fee. The woman working there grew up in Solvang and gave us good recommendations while helping the girls find what they needed.

Stopped in to check out corks and wound up buying some jewelry. Carlos is a true story teller and…read morecharmer bringing back the days of how friendly and kind people have been. We need more like him. I got dizzy looking at all the centuries of corkscrews on display and for sale. Some as old as 18th century. He discusses the evolution and invention of the cork screw while sharing his wife's collection of handmade jewelry. It was a treat to stumble upon his shop. Have a new friend every time we visit Los Olivos.

We were recently passing through Los Olivos and happened to park in the little lot where Pumacasu…read moreis tucked away. The shop immediately caught my eyeso we wandered in and were greeted by Carlos and Christine. We were given a mini history lesson on vintage corkscrews and wine antiques, and it was honestly far more engaging and fascinating than I expected. There were so many pieces I wanted to take home, but there are only so many bottle openers one person can own, let alone a vintage one. We browsed, we listened, we soaked it all in, and it turned into a really fun and unexpected pop‑in that was absolutely worth the stop.

The museum is located in a former Carnegie library building, built…read more The Lompoc Museum, featuring exhibits of Chumash Indians, a re-creation of old Lompoc storefronts, and the pioneer history of Lompoc Valley. It additionally offers an array of art, photography, and traveling exhibits. Open Thursday - Friday: 12 - 4 and Saturday and Sunday: 1 - 4. Suggested Donation $2 per adult

The Lompoc Museum is a non-profit organization that is supported by donations, membership fees,…read moregrants from local agencies, and an annual stipend from the City of Lompoc. Family membership is an extremely good deal at $25 a year or two years for $45. The Museum was formed in 1969 when Clarence "Pop" Ruth, a local educator, donated his extensive personal collection of archaeological materials to the City, on the condition that they be kept on display in the newly formed museum. At the same time, Lompoc had just constructed their new library on North Avenue, and the old Carnegie building stood vacant. Upstairs in the museum are Native American materials, mostly Chumash; downstairs are historic displays, photographs, and fossils from the local diatomaceous earth mine. If you are a member of the Lompoc Museum Association, make sure you check out the small gift shop area on the main floor. You get a discount, and there are a lot of unique, interesting, and educational books and gifts and jewelry. The Museum is easy to find (its on south H Street across the street from the small city park and the big white church, right where the beautiful Italian Stone Pines begin) and it only costs a dollar to walk in.

We cannot say enough about this place. Wow wow wow!! The history and collection this property has…read moreis unbelievable. As you work your way through the property you see some of the coolest stuff ever. Definitely a must if you're in the area. The owners of this property are the best! Incredibly knowledgeable and friendly

Such a cool place. Deft check it out if you're visiting or driving through. Got to see so much more…read morethan expected.