Balboa Park is an expansive 1,200 acre park in the heart of San Diego, California. It is named after Vasco Núñez de Balboa, a Spanish explorer who was the first European to see the Pacific Ocean while exploring what is now the country of Panama. The park boasts numerous museums, performing arts organizations, gardens, and opportunities for recreation. Museums include the San Diego Natural History Museum, the San Diego Zoo, and the Museum of Photographic Arts. Several buildings are national and/or state historical landmarks. The park itself was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 and is a U.S. National Historic Landmark District and San Diego Historic Landmark.
The San Diego Zoo, located in Balboa Park, features over 3,700 animals of more than 650 species and subspecies. The zoo has grown extensively since its establishment in 1916 and has garnered worldwide recognition as one of the leading zoos in the world. Highlights include a guided tram tour that covers most of the park, an elevated gondola lift that allows people to view the park from above, and a giant panda exhibit. The zoo is a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and several other organizations, and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
This art center is located within buildings designed for the California Pacific International Exposition. Constructed in 1935 to resemble a village in Spain, these buildings were later used by artists in the Great Depression and were used to house soldiers during World War II. The village is now home to local artists and craftspeople who display and sell their work to visitors. The village also hosts art classes and special events. The artisan studios are open daily.
The San Diego Natural History Museum is located in Balboa Park and is one of several attractions in the park. Founded in 1874 as the San Diego Society of Natural History--a group of scientists and science enthusiasts intent on organizing and creating an intellectual space for exploring scientific topics--the society continued to evolve and formally opened its first exhibit in 1912. This early organizing led the the San Diego Natural History Museum securing its place as the oldest scientific museum in Southern California. Its primary focus is the natural history of the San Diego region.
The public garden in the heart of San Diego was designed by Bertram Goodhue for the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition which was held in Balboa Park. The six-acre sunken garden is located within a stone grotto flanked by Ficus trees. It includes an assortment of colorful perennials, which serve to attract butterflies to the site. Plants have been specially selected to provide a food source for monarch, sulfur, and swallowtail butterflies throughout their respective life cycles, from the larvae (caterpillar) stage to adulthood. Flowering plants on display in the garden include milkweed, sunflower, passion vine, pincushion flower, California lilac, and verbena. In 2010, Zoro Garden was renamed Butterfly Garden in Balboa Park. The park is open to the public, with arts and crafts activities for children, and an annual butterfly release event each spring
Located within Balboa Park of San Diego, Zoro Gardens became the site of a controversial nudist colony during the California Pacific International Exposition, which was held between 1935 and 1936. The park dates back to the 1830s, when Spanish colonial officials set apart land for public use. The park was also the site of the 1915–16 Panama–California Exposition.
The San Diego History Center is one of several museums and attractions situated in Balboa Park. Established in 1928, the History Center is the only institution dedicated to preserving and promoting the history of San Diego and the surrounding region. It operates two facilities in the park, the History Center building and the Research Archives, and the Junípero Serra Museum (the original location of the History Center) located in Presidio Park. The size and scope of the collection of the History Center is impressive: it contains 45 million documents (manuscripts, business records, diaries, etc.), 2.5 million historic photographs; 1,700 oral histories, 1,500 films; 15,000 historic objects; 7,000 pieces of historic clothing; and a collection of San Diego artwork. Many of these items can be accessed in the Research Archives. The History Center offers exhibitions exploring various themes and past events and a variety of educational programming for people of all ages. The Junípero Serra Museum is used as an auxiliary museum and educational center.
Housed in the Casa de Balboa Building in San Diego's Balboa Park, The Museum of Photographic Arts is one of the country's largest photography museums and one of the first to focus solely on the medium (the museum has now expanded to curate film in addition to photography). Its collections span the history of photography from the 1800s to today. The museum receives over 120,000 visitors per year and offers a wide variety of educational programming, exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and film showings.
Constructed for the 1915 California-Panama Exposition, Laguna de Las Flores includes a large pond ("La Laguna") and a smaller pond ("La Lagunita") joined by a balustrade or walkway lined with lotus blossoms and lilies. The reflecting pools of the Laguna de Las Flores are located outside the entrance to the Botanical Building in Balboa Park. During World War I, the U.S. Navy used the larger pond as a training site for new recruits to practice rowing and swimming, while the U.S. Naval Hospital expanded the pond during World War II as a rehabilitation site for wounded sailors. Since the mid-20th century, Laguna de Las Flores has since been renovated several times. In 2009, a historical marker was erected by the Friends of Balboa Park.
The Botanical Building in Balboa Park was originally created for the 1915-16 Panama California Exposition and remains one of the largest structures ever built using lath. The building houses over 2,100 different plant species within the botanical garden's permanent collections which consist of cycads, ferns, orchids, palms, and other tropical plants. In addition to the permanent collections, there are also seasonal displays of flowering plants. A lagoon and lily pond located In front of the Botanical Building were also created to welcome visitors to San Diego during the world's fair, a purpose that continues to this day thanks to a major renovation effort in 1957 and continued support for operations and maintenance.
Built in 1965, the Timken Museum of Art is one of the best small art museums in the world, boasting a world-class collection of European and American paintings as well as Russian icons. Artists represented here include Peter Paul Reubens, Francisco de Zurbarán, Jacques-Louis David, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Petrus Christus, Rembrandt, John Singleton Copley, and Albert Bierstadt. The museum is located in Balboa Park, which features a number of other museums as well as gardens and other attractions. The museum building itself is significant. It was designed by architect Frank Hope and is regarded as an excellent example of mid-20th-century modernism.
Founded in 1915, The San Diego Museum of Art is a world renowned art museum located in Balboa Park. It is the largest and most visited museum in the region, receiving over 250,000 visitors each year. Highlights of its extensive art collection include paintings by Spanish and Italian masters, South Asian artwork, and 19th and 20th century American paintings and sculptures. The museum hosts traveling exhibits, offers numerous cultural and education programs, and also houses a research library.
The original Old Globe Theatre was built in 1935. It was meant to resemble Shakespeare’s Old Globe in London. It was first built to serve the California Pacific International Exposition. When that concluded in 1937, the non-profit San Diego Community Theatre took over operations, and that continues today. Despite adversities, the theatre company has continued to revamp and grow.
The California Building is the central feature in Balboa Park, and a landmark structure in the state, made famous by its remarkable architecture and use in a number of well-known movies, including Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane (1941) and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004). Built in 1915, the the building currently houses the San Diego Museum of Man. It has been included in the National Register of Historic Places.
This garden in San Diego's Balboa Park was created as part of the 1935 California Pacific International Exhibition and styled after the gardens at Alcazar Castle in Seville, Spain. The garden is open to the public and best known for its ornamental fountains, decorative pergola, and Moorish tiles in vibrant colors of green, yellow, and turquoise blue. Framed by boxwood hedges, the garden has been planted with 7,000 annuals on display year-round. Within Balboa Park, the Alcazar Garden is located near the House of Charm and the Sculpture Garden, as well as the Institute of Contemporary Art and the Mingei International Museum.
The Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park is dedicated to preserving and exhibiting folk art, crafts and design from all over the world. The Museum contains more than 26,000 objects from 141 countries and receives over 100,000 visitors per year. Since its opening in 1978, the museum has held 183 exhibits. From 2019 to a date to be determined in 2020, the museum is closed during a major renovation. During this time, the museum will offer pop-up exhibits and visitors should call or see the museum website linked below for the latest information. The word "mingei," meaning "The art of the people," was coined by Japanese philosopher Sōetsu Yanagi. The museum's mission is to acknowledge and celebrate the objects used in everyday life. The central belief governing the collection of such "everyday" artifacts is that they are inherently beautiful and a testament to human creativity, and are therefore worthy of preservation.
The Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park is a symbol of the friendship between San Diego and its sister city, Yokohama, Japan. The twelve-acre garden was designed as an immersive experience for visitors and is intended to foster appreciation for Japanese culture. There are events, exhibits, festivals, and classes held on site. The design of the garden places an emphasis on simplicity and serenity in keeping with the principles of Japanese aestheticism. In addition to koi ponds, stone arrangements, walking paths, and Sukiya-style architecture, there are Japanese plants on display, including cherry trees that bloom in the garden each spring.
Long hailed as the largest outdoor pipe organ in the world, the Spreckels Organ was crafted by the Austin Organ Company in Hartford, Connecticut. Donated to the City of San Diego by John and Adolph Spreckels, the instrument was installed in Balboa Park for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. An Italian Renaissance Revival pavilion was designed by the Los Angeles architect Harrison Albright. During World War I, organ music was performed on Sunday mornings for the general public and for sailors at the Naval Training Station in Balboa Park. Currently, free weekly concerts are presented through a partnership between the city of San Diego and the Spreckels Organ Society.
The House of Pacific Relations International Cottages in Balboa Park is an organization composed of 33 small houses representing different cultures from around the world. Some of the houses were built in 1935 for the California Pacific International Exposition in Balboa Park. The aim of the organization, which was established in 1935, is to "promote multicultural goodwill and understanding through educational and cultural programs." The site includes the Hall of Nations, which houses cultures that do not have their own cottage. Some of the cultures represented here include Iran, Mexico, France, Israel, Austria, Palestine, and Peru.
This historical marker commemorates the remarkable life of Hungarian immigrant Agoston Haraszthy (1812-1869) who became a leading winemaker in Wisconsin and California and earned the nickname the "father of California wine." Haraszthy was also the first sheriff of San Diego, served one term in the state assembly, and in 1857, he founded the second oldest winery in California, the Buena Vista Winery (the first was D'Agostini Winery established in 1856). The marker is located in front of the House of Hungary at the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages in Balboa Park.
The Kate O. Sessions Cactus Garden, previously known as the "Old Cactus Garden" in Balboa Park, was originally designed by horticulturist Kate Sessions for the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition. The garden was restored in 2019 following a donation from Joe Fisch and Joyce Axelrod to the Balboa Park Conservancy, which oversaw the project in conjunction with the San Diego Parks and Recreation Department and Urban Corps. The landscape designer Nan Sterman led the group of volunteers who contributed to the renovation. The garden contains the largest cactus and succulent specimens in the park. From the garden, there is a good view of the Cabrillo Bridge. The California Tower is also visible in the distance.
The San Diego Automotive Museum is located in Balboa Park, a well known 1,200-acre park in the heart of San Diego that features museums, performing arts organizations, gardens, and recreational opportunities. The Automotive Museum was added to the park as a historical museum in 1979, displaying the historical progression of cars, roads, and motorcycles. Displays are showcased to entertain and inform audiences of all ages. Special exhibitions are featured every two or three months, displaying historical vehicles and famous autos.
Located in San Diego's Balboa Park, the San Diego Aerospace Museum is one of the country's premier museums dedicated to aviation history. The museum receives hundreds of thousands of visitors per year and houses many rare aircraft including the Spitfire Mk. XVI, a Navy F6F Hellcat, and an A-4 Skyhawk jet. It offers various educational programming which includes lectures, workshops, and school days. The museum also houses a library that contains thousands of books, manuals, personal papers, and two million images and videos. It is the first air and space museum in the country to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and it is also affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution. In 1986, the California legislature declared the museum to be "California's Official Air and Space Museum and Education Center."
The San Diego Hall of Champions is the nation's largest multi-sport museum. It boasts three levels of memorabilia and a whopping 68,000 square feet. Located in San Diego's Balboa Park, the Hall of Champions was derived from the concept of the Breitbard Athletic Foundation. The San Diego Hall of Champions recognizes San Diego’s most outstanding athletic accomplishments. Well-known athletes such as Ted Williams, Tony Gwynn, Bill Walton, and many more are honored in the Breitbard Hall of Fame.
In 1989, Makeda Cheatom founded the WorldBeat Cultural Center and EthnoBotany Children's Peace Garden in Balboa Park. This non-profit multicultural arts organization includes an indoor multicultural museum and learning space, as well as an outdoor classroom, living plant museum, and urban nature sanctuary. Cheatom's vision for founding the WorldBeat Cultural Center remains focused on raising world consciousness in the areas of music, dance and the arts, while promoting multicultural education and understanding. Her intention for creating the outdoor EthnoBotany Children's Peace Garden on land that is adjacent to the indoor multicultural center remains to teach people about indigenous cultures, particularly plants that are significant within these cultures around the world.
Located in San Diego's Balboa Park, Centro Cultural de la Raza is a museum which highlights Mexican, Latino, Chicano, and Native American art and culture. In addition to its art gallery, the museum offers a number of community enrichment programs.
The Veterans Museum and Memorial Center, founded in 1989 and located in the former San Diego Naval Hospital Chapel in Balboa Park, is dedicated to the men and women who served in the Armed Forces, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine. The building, itself, was built in 1944. The museum houses a collection comprised of artifacts, documents, photographs, memorabilia, artwork, and a library that contains thousands of books. The items in the collection span from the Revolutionary War to Operation Desert Storm. The museum also offers a program called Eagle's Wings, which is a support group for widowed veterans and spouses.
The Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden in Balboa Park contains a stunning display of over 1,600 roses in varying colors. The vision for the garden began with the San Diego Rose Society in 1969. The Parker Foundation agreed to provide funding for the project, and by 1973, the garden was complete. A ceremony held in 1975 officially dedicated the rose garden in honor of the philanthropist Inez Grant Parker. Within the three-acre garden, there are over 130 varieties of roses in bloom from March to December. The peak blooming period is typically April through May. Each type of rose has been carefully selected for its color, texture, and fragrance. New varieties of roses are added to the garden each year in order to showcase the different kinds of roses available in the commercial market. A team of forty-five volunteers, known as the Balboa Park Rose Garden Corps, works together to keep the historic garden looking its best.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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This tour includes some of the city's leading museums and attractions, as well as sites related to San Diego's history, the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, and the 1935 California Pacific International Exhibition. Highlights include the San Diego National History Museum, the San Diego Zoo, and the San Diego History Center.
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