#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!