Santa Monica Conservancy: Shotgun House Tour

The Santa Monica Conservancy invites you to visit the 1897 Shotgun House, a rare surviving piece of Ocean Park history and the last intact shotgun house in Santa Monica. Beautifully rehabilitated and adaptively reused as the Conservancy’s Preservation Resource Center, this little house tells a much bigger story about early life by the beach, neighborhood change, sustainability, and the power of community preservation.

During this free, docent-led tour, guests will explore the house’s three original rooms, look behind the walls and floor to discover vintage materials, and learn how this modest structure was saved, restored, and transformed into an award-winning educational resource center for the community. Along the way, docents will share stories about what life was like in Santa Monica in the early 1900s, how shotgun houses fit into the city’s early development, and why preserving places like this helps keep local history alive.

The Shotgun House is also a model of thoughtful adaptive reuse, earning LEED Gold certification for its sustainable rehabilitation. From its original architectural details to its surrounding native plant garden, every part of the site offers a closer look at how preservation can honor the past while supporting a more sustainable future.

Whether you are a longtime Santa Monica resident, a history lover, a preservation advocate, or simply curious about this charming little house on Second Street, this tour offers a unique opportunity to experience one of the city’s most beloved historic resources up close.

Come discover how one small house became a powerful symbol of Santa Monica’s history, resilience, and preservation spirit.

Tours are free and open to the public.

Walk-ups are welcome, and advance registration is encouraged.