San Diego Natural History Museum
About
The San Diego Natural History Museum (affectionately called 'The Nat') brings Southern California's natural world to life with fossil exhibits featuring ancient mega-sharks, a Living Lab with snakes and reptiles, and giant screen 3D nature documentaries. Kids can see real paleontologists at work in the Fossil Lab and touch genuine fossils and minerals in the hands-on Discovery Station.
Highlights
- ✓The Fossil Mysteries hall featuring the massive Foucault Pendulum and impressive fossil collections
- ✓The Living Lab with live snakes, lizards, and other Southern California reptiles
- ✓The Coast to Cactus in Southern California exhibit showing the region's diverse ecosystems
Pro Tips
- 1.Check the Living Lab schedule for live animal presentations and feeding times - these are often the highlight for kids
- 2.The Fossil Mysteries exhibit lets kids practice being paleontologists with real dig experiences - don't miss it
- 3.Combo passes with the Fleet Science Center save money if you're planning to visit both Balboa Park science museums
Best Time to Visit
Weekday mornings are ideal; first Tuesday of the month offers resident discounts; avoid peak summer afternoons
What to Know
Albert's Restaurant inside the museum serves salads, sandwiches, and kid favorites; beautiful outdoor seating in the courtyard Use free Balboa Park parking lots along Park Boulevard or the Inspiration Point lot; weekends fill up by 11 AM Family restrooms with changing tables on multiple floors; clean and well-maintained Fully stroller-accessible with elevators connecting all floors; plenty of space to navigate exhibits Completely wheelchair accessible with elevators, ramps, and accessible seating in the 3D theater; service animals welcome
Seasonal Notes
Butterfly season (typically spring) brings special butterfly exhibits; summer features extended hours and special programming; December's Festival of Trees transforms the museum into a holiday wonderland
Nearby Eats
Panama 66 at the San Diego Museum of Art sculpture garden is a short walk and offers a great kids' menu with outdoor seating. The Prado Restaurant at El Prado is slightly upscale but welcomes families for lunch with excellent Latin-inspired cuisine.
More Activities Near San Diego
USS Midway Museum
The USS Midway Museum lets kids explore a real aircraft carrier that served for 47 years, with 60+ exhibits and 29 restored aircraft to climb into and around. Children can experience what life was like for sailors at sea, sit in actual cockpits, and try flight simulators that put them in the pilot's seat.
San Diego Air & Space Museum
The San Diego Air & Space Museum showcases over 60 historic aircraft and spacecraft, from WWI biplanes to actual space capsules, in an impressive dome building in Balboa Park. Kids can test their skills in multiple flight simulators (including a 360-degree barrel roll simulator), explore the replica Moon Base San Diego, and even climb into some cockpits.
Fleet Science Center
The Fleet Science Center is a hands-on wonderland where kids can touch, experiment, and explore over 100 interactive exhibits covering everything from physics to biology. The crown jewel is the massive IMAX dome theater that wraps around viewers for an immersive experience that feels like flying through space or diving into the ocean.
The New Children’s Museum
The New Children's Museum is designed specifically for kids to interact with contemporary art installations that double as elaborate playgrounds. From building forts to creating stop-motion animation, every exhibit invites touching, climbing, and creative expression in ways traditional museums never allow.