#357 Museum of Man

The San Diego Museum of Man is Balboa Park's premier anthropological museum. Housed in the historic California Building, the museum originated from the 1915 Panama-California Exposition when Dr. Edgar Lee Hewett of the School of American Archaeology created the exhibits with his travels from the American Southwest to Guatemala.

After the Fair, a group of residents helped create a permanent museum to house the collections. Famous exhibits include Mayan History with original casts from Quiriguá, Footsteps Through Time which includes 65 million years of human evolution with more than 100 touchable replicas, Kumeyaay Native American history and the Ancient Egyptian Collection, one of only a few in the world.

 

#249 San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo is Celebrating its Centennial and for 100 years has been a world leader in animal conservancy. Dr. Harry Wegeforth founded the zoo after he discovered abandoned animals left over from the 1915 Panama-California Exposition World Fair. More than 3,700 animals from 650 species make up its expansive family. It was the first zoo in the world to recreate animal habitats instead of just house animals in cages which has led to the happiest animals. Orangutans, Pandas, Koalas & Elephants are among its most famous residents.

 

#180 San Diego Model Railroad Museum

At 27,000 square feet, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum is one of the largest of its kind in the world. The museum recreates many California Railroad scenes from cities to mountains and deserts. Model Railroads first became popular at the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition in Balboa Park as a way to promote railroad travel during the Great Depression. Model enthusiasts have flocked here every since to create a world class museum.

 

#100 Balboa Park

Celebrating 100 Years, Balboa Park in San Diego is the greatest city park in the west. The park contains 1200 acres in the center of the city with 17 world class museums, 16 landscaped gardens, the house of pacific relations international cottages, old globe theatre, spreckels organ pavilion and of course the San Diego Zoo. Balboa Park has been home to two World Fair's, one in 1915-16 and again in 1935-6. Kate Sessions, 'Mother of Balboa Park', designed the natural landscape of the park. After 100 years, the park is still going strong and has a fitting motto: A Landscape of Art & Culture. Here's to 100 more years!

 

#94 Botanical Building

The Botanical Building in Balboa Park is one of the largest lath structures in the world. Featured seasonal collections surround over 2,000 palms, ferns and orchids. One of my favorite spots in San Diego, the gardens are a wonderland and a free-must-see for any visit to Balboa Park.

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#8 San Diego Natural History Museum

The San Diego Natural History Museum (theNAT) is one of Balboa Park's great treasures. Founded in 1874, it is one of the oldest scientific institutions in the west and the oldest in Southern California. TheNAT has a great selection of exhibits including dinosaurs, fossils and skulls but the new Coast to Cactus exhibit is a reason to visit in itself.

Coast to Cactus showcases the astonishing diversity of Southern California from its beaches, canyons, mountains and deserts. This variety of terrain is known as a biodiversity hotspot because of its high concentration of species. It is one of only 35 in the world. This interactive exhibit reveals the great beauty of what makes SoCal so special!