Mission Santa Inés Today: Active Franciscan Parish & Historic Landmark

Today, Mission Santa Inés (founded 1804) in Solvang, California, serves as both a National Historic Landmark and an active Franciscan parish. It is the 19th of 21 Spanish missions in Alta California.

What Visitors Experience

• Historic Church & Grounds: Restored adobe church with original altar, artwork, and bell tower. Gardens, courtyards, and mission-era architecture.
• Museum & Exhibits: Artifacts from the Chumash people (original inhabitants) and the mission period—tools, textiles, religious items, documents.
• Guided Tours: Docent-led tours cover mission history, Chumash culture, secularization, and restoration.
• Cultural Events: Feast days, concerts, art shows, and the annual Fiesta celebrate living traditions.
• Active Worship: Daily Mass, sacraments, and parish ministries continue the mission's spiritual purpose.

The mission sits in the heart of Solvang's Danish-themed village—a unique blend of 19th-century Spanish colonial and 20th-century Danish-American heritage. It's a place where history isn't just preserved; it's practiced.