The San Diego Museum of Man is one of the best anthropological style institutions in the United States. It is centrally located in Balboa Park, at 1350 El Prado. Besides being a popular attraction for tourists that come to visit the city, it is also a wonderful historic landmark.

The permanent exhibits here focus on Pre-Columbian history. There are items on display, however, that take the viewer all the way to the history of the Native Americans who populated this part of North America. You can see some of the best samples of Mayan and Andean art ever to be found. There are over 72,000 artifacts to view and over 30,000 photographs. If you have children, you will also want to check out the Children’s Discover Center located on the campus.

The museum got its start in 1915 with an exhibit that was developed in honor of the opening of the Panama Canal. The first contributor was Dr. Edgar Hewett. The museum is still being housed in its original buildings from 1915. On a different note, Orson Welles used this historic site as the fictitious home called “Xanadu” in the classic movie Citizen Kane.

This location is one of the best international museums in the United States. There are thousands of tourists that come to visit here each year. The name of the museum means “the art of the people” in Japanese, and that is the focus of the exhibits located inside. You can find displays from Indonesia, Central America, Japan and China. There is also a sizeable display from the continent of Africa. So, you really do have a collection of the “art of the people” of the world to see.

You can find exhibits here made of folk art, pottery and jewelry, and even toys and paintings. One of the most famous permanent collections here are the sculptures of Niki de Saint Phalle. She was a resident of San Diego 1993 until her death in 2002.

The location was started by Martha Longenecker. She was an artist and member of the faculty at San Diego State University. The museum was opened to the public in 1978, and has been improving its offerings ever since.

The Mingei International Museum is located at 1439 El Prado, very near the Natural History Museum. It is open from Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. It is closed on Mondays. Admission for adults is $7, and kids are $4. If you happen to have a San Diego Card, admission is free.

The San Diego Museum of Art is another fine facility located in the Balboa Park portion of the city. It has a very eclectic collection of things to see, but it does place special emphasis on Spanish art. The museum opened to the public in February of 1926, and has been pleasing tourists ever since. It is the largest and oldest museum of its kind in the Southwest portion of the United States. Five hundred thousand people a year visit this location.

The actual building was designed by William Johnson and Bob Snyder in a plateresque style. Careful attention was also paid to make the building look like the rest of the structures from the 1915 Panama and California Exposition. You will want to check out the very ornate front door to the place, as it was designed after a similar doorway at the University of Salamanca. The building also has similar stylistic patterns from the Cathedral of Valladolid. A new wing was added to the facility in 1966 and again in 1974.

The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. It is also open on Sunday afternoons from noon until 5:00 p.m. It is closed on Monday.

Model train fans get ready, because the San Diego Model Railroad Museum is the largest such institution in the world. It covers a gigantic 28,000 square feet. There are four different model train layouts here, which were built by various clubs in the area. You can find an exhibit in O, HO, and N scale. It is also the only accredited museum of its kind in the United States.

If you have kids, you will also want to see the Toy Train Gallery located inside. There is an interactive train display from Lionel that children just love. The San Diego 3 Railers Train Club was responsible for the design of this piece. All the clubs involved in the museum are individually responsible to do the designs for their tracks, so it really makes the place quite fun.

Since the opening in 1982, there have been well over three million visitors to the place. The museum is open from Tuesday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. It is also open on the weekend from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The location is closed on Mondays.

The Museum of Photographic Arts is completely devoted to the art of photography in all its myriad forms. There are over nine thousand photos to see here that span a date range from the 1800s to the present. In fact, some of these displays may surprise you, as they cover quite an eclectic range of subjects.
The institution was started in 1983. They try to thematically present culture, social issues, and history in a way that helps to bring it to life through the photographic medium of various parts of history. One of the best exhibits is the permanent collection of portraits. There is also an interesting exhibit of pictures that attempt to help us see images that the human eye normally cannot see. All in all, you can have a great time here.
The institution is located at 1649 El Prado in the heart of Balboa Park. The museum is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The location is closed on Monday. Admission is $6.00 for adults and $4.00 for children. If you have a San Diego card you can get in for free.

The San Diego Natural History Museum got its start in 1874. In those days, it was called the Society of Natural History. It is located in Balboa Park at 1788 El Prado. It has been located in the same place now since January of 1933. As such, it is the third oldest such institution west of the Mississippi River, and is the oldest in the state of California. An addition to the building was added in 2001, which gave the location twice as much room for exhibits.
As the name of the museum implies, it is all about nature here. The exhibits attempt to display the biodiverse nature of the state, especially the Southern California area. You can learn about gems and minerals, get a chance to see how to crystals are made, and much more. The displays will cover everything from evolution to extinction.
The museum is open to the general public seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. They close for Christmas and Thanksgiving each year. Don’t forget to bring your San Diego Card, as it will get you a free admission.