Check Out Greg Gorga’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Greg Gorga.

Hi Greg, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story? 
My background was in restaurant management; I had no museum experience or maritime background when I started at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM) in 2007. However, my father did serve in the Coast Guard and the restaurants I worked in were seafood restaurants! 

My first nonprofit job was as a grant writer, and my initial position at SBMM was as Director of Development. I became the Executive Director in 2008. In this role, I’ve used many of the restaurant skills I learned in running day-to-day operations, and the customer relations skills I acquired now assist me in interacting with our visitors, members, and donors. Nevertheless, I had to familiarize myself with our local maritime history by touring the museum with our docents, reading our exhibit text panels, attending our Maritime Distinguished Speakers Series, and reading about our rich, diverse local history. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Certainly, becoming a bit of an expert in local Santa Barbara maritime history has been a lengthy process, and I continue to learn. Taking a fairly new museum (the doors opened in July 2000) that lacked long-term leadership and faced financial struggles has been challenging. Nationally, museums only receive 5-10% of their income from admissions, and we were on the low end of that norm, so we’ve always depended on the generosity of our donors. I have been fortunate to have a great volunteer Board of Directors, and key staff who have now been at the museum for ten years or more. They have enhanced our exhibits and significantly expanded our education programs, putting us on firmer footing (or a more even keel in nautical terms) today. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
What I believe is special about SBMM is that we take a comprehensive look at our local Santa Barbara Channel history. It’s not just about shipwrecks and maritime art. We are the home of commercial diving, the birthplace of the modern environmental movement due to the 1969 oil spill, rich in surfing culture, and our local mariners, the Chumash, plied the waters of this channel thousands of years ago. Additionally, we are home to the largest naval disaster during peacetime in U.S. history, and we have the first-order Point Conception Lighthouse Lens, rising 18 feet inside our museum, which is both an important part of our history and a beautiful one. 

What I am most proud of is that for a small 8,000-square-foot museum, we cover so much history and culture in our exhibits, often with hands-on, interactive displays. People are constantly amazed at how much history we cover in a small space and how rich Santa Barbara’s maritime culture is for such a small town. I’m also proud that we continually open three to four new exhibits each year, ensuring visitors always learn something new, no matter how many times they walk through our doors. 

The growth of our education programs also brings me and all our staff great joy. We now run 13 different education programs for learners of all ages. Our monthly Maritime Distinguished Speaker Series consistently attracts more than 100 attendees, and our Maritime on the Move program has garnered national and statewide recognition and praise. We provide interactive, project-based learning opportunities for youth of all ages and economic backgrounds, thanks to the support of our donors and members, putting students onto NOAA research vessels, tall ships, sailboats, and helping them explore their local coastal environment. Ideally, we are inspiring youth to take care of our precious ocean environment and perhaps pursue academic and professional careers in marine-based fields. 

Something else that sets us apart is that we get to interact, meet, and hear from people who have been instrumental in creating our maritime history and culture. We see individuals like diver Jean-Michel Cousteau and world champion surfers Shaun Tomson and Renny Yater in our museum all the time. Others who have passed have been great friends of SBMM as well, like photographer Ernie Brooks and commercial divers Lad Handelman, Bob Kirby, and Bev Morgan. It has been an honor and a treat for myself and our members to hear directly from these legends about their experiences, trials, and tribulations. 

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I have great enthusiasm for the work we do, for the changes we inspire in youth and adults alike, and for our ability to reach out to diverse communities. I am always looking to learn, to improve at what I do, and to enhance our museum, and I believe our staff share those same qualities. I also believe my success is not because I have great ideas, although I am proud of a few of my suggestions that have worked out, such as continuing our lecture series during the 2008 Great Recession and installing our tattoo exhibit. But truly, our museum has grown to be ranked as one of the top ten maritime museums in the country because I listen to the ideas our staff and volunteers bring to me, and I often allow them to pursue and see those projects through to successful completion. 

Pricing:

• Adults (18-64): $10; Youth (6-17): $5; Child (1-5): Free
• SBMM Members: Free
• Seniors (65+): $7
• Students w/ ID: $5
• Active Military: Free

Contact Info:

• Website: sbmm.org
• Instagram: @sbmaritimemusuem
• Facebook: @sbmaritimemuseum

Image Credits
Ralph Clevenger
Jay Farbman