This huge Balboa Park treasure, which is the oldest museum in Southern California, is where you’ll find life-sized dinosaur models and hands-on natural history exhibits. The museum’s permanent exhibition is Fossil Mysteries, which takes you on a journey through 75 million years of Southern California’s rich history. One of Balboa Park’s best-kept secrets is the museum’s giant 3-D theater. Admission to all films is included in the ticket price and they play several times a day. The museum is open daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m. except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission is ($17) for adults, ($15) for seniors, ($12) for military and students with ID, ($11) for children 3-12 and children 2 and under are free. The museum also offers over 300 nature related experiences, from free hikes around the county to exotic excursions to the Galapagos Islands.
FROM MARCH 25TH, 2012 TO MARCH 16TH, 2021: Nestle into a dinosaur nest. Tell a T. rex tale by the campfire. Hide out in a tent with a book or a puzzle. Have a dino campout!
FROM OCTOBER 26TH, 2011 TO OCTOBER 26TH, 2015: SKULLS contains close to 200 skulls from theNAT’s research collections of animals from all over the world, from the tiny to the spectacular. Mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians are all on display, showcasing an eye-popping array of horns, beaks, bills, teeth, and more.
FROM JULY 19TH, 2008 TO JULY 19TH, 2015: Through photos, maps, video, and hands-on activities, learn about current, local issues on land and in the ocean. Examine the infrastructure of the regional water system, and discover how we import the majority of our water and the costs associated with this practice. Water: A California Story also looks at effects of a changing climate on our region’s water supply and reveals how southern Californians can help protect water for future generations.
Natural history specimens and live animals will serve as reminders that the natural environment and its inhabitants are also legitimate users of water resources.
. 
FROM JULY 1ST, 2006 TO APRIL 13TH, 2015: From dinosaurs to mastodons, discover the rich fossil history of our region. In this major exhibition, created by the Museum, ponder a mystery, examine the strong fossil evidence from the Museum’s collection, and use scientific tools to discover answers.
Traveling through a 75-million-year timeline, from the age of dinosaurs to the Ice Ages, experience an unfolding of the prehistory of southern California and Baja California, Mexico.
Banquets & Weddings at San Diego Natural History Museum
1788 El Prado
Price: $700/hour
The San Diego Natural History Museum Museum is incomparably lush and creative venue for your event. The facility, a historic building built in the 1930s, is part of Balboa Park's rich cultural history. The Sefton Grand Atrium is a stunning and versatile space, with a four-story translucent ceiling and granite floors that provides the backdrop to a memorable event.
