San Diego Museum of Us

A cultural anthropology, the Museum’s mission is to inspire human connections by exploring the human experience and support guests in becoming agents of positive change.

Ultimate Guide to The San Diego Museum of Us

History of Attraction

The Museum of Us is located in the California Building in San Diego’s Balboa Park on the unceded territory and ancestral homeland of the Kumeyaay Nation, the Indigenous Peoples of the region. Before the construction of Balboa Park, the surrounding land was not barren or deserted. The development associated with the Panama-California Exposition in 1915 dispossessed and displaced Indigenous communities living in the area to build Balboa Park.

In 1915, San Diego celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal with a grand exposition in the new 1,200-acre Balboa Park. The Park was filled with an array of Spanish Colonial Revival style buildings and Mediterranean-inspired landscapes and gardens – all meant to promote California and San Diego as centers of commerce and culture.

The Park’s featured construction was the California Quadrangle, which was comprised of the California Building, California Tower, and three wings which surround the California Plaza. Created as the entry point to the exposition and designed by Bertram Goodhue, this iconic complex of buildings blends a flamboyant combination of architectural styles for a unique interpretation of Spanish religious architecture. Bertram Goodhue’s design is a significant representation of structures that commemorate the Spanish legacy of colonization in the Americas. The Museum’s architecture is deeply rooted in the complex colonial history of San Diego, with sculptures of conquistadors and missionaries on the façade while Indigenous Peoples are conspicuously absent.

When the Panama-California Exposition opened in 1915, the Museum, then called the San Diego Museum, functioned as an anthropology museum defined by its wide-ranging ethnographic “collections” – now referred to as “cultural resources” – and their encyclopedic display.

Tips for Visiting

The Museum of Us, located in San Diego’s Balboa Park, is open daily from 10am – 5pm. There is a general admission price and one that includes a tour of the tower. All prices are available on the museum’s website. Every Tuesday, California residents (with valid ID) can visit select museums for free. There is available free parking in and around Balboa Park as well as valet parking in front of the House of Hospitality on El Prado. Balboa Park offers a free tram available to all visitors and is a great idea if visiting on a Tuesday, as parking might be limited. For those traveling by public transport, check out the schedules for buses numbered 3, 7, 120 or Rapid 215. All of these routes access Balboa Park and will require a bit of walking prior to arriving at the museum.

Must-See Parts

Immersive exhibit experiences create active and sensory-exciting encounters where people can be expressive about personal, cultural, and societal topics. Visitors are invited – and encouraged – to leave their mark on the Museum by engaging with exhibit interactives that call for reflection and sharing.

Reflect on the many different stories of the human experience with exhibitions like PostSecret and Cannibals: Myth & Reality. Learn about the Museum’s efforts to create exhibitions in collaboration with communities in Maya Peoples: Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth and Kumeyaay: Native Californians/ Iipai-Tipai.

Enjoy a uniquely San Diego experience on a tour of the California Tower, one of our city’s most iconic historic landmarks. Make the climb on a guided tour that highlights the origins of Balboa Park and the histories of some of the many diverse communities that call the region home. All tours culminate in breathtaking 360-degree views of San Diego from the Tower’s eighth-floor viewing deck—from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Cuyamaca Mountains in the east, and beyond. Tower Tours are offered daily.

Things to do Nearby

The Museum of Us is situated in Balboa Park. In the park alone, there are many family friendly things to do. Watch a game of lawn bowls, take in a free concert at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion or sign up for a drum lesson at the World Beats Cultural Center. Spend the day at the San Diego Zoo with animal friends from all over the world including koalas. Interested in branching out of the park? There’s much to choose and see in San Diego. Check out Hillcrest’s restaurant scene of quirky and unique cafes. Run over to North Park for a night out on Adams Avenue hitting the pubs, bars and breweries all with their own individuality. Or head downtown to check out all that the heart of the city has to offer. In spring and Summer, take in a baseball game with San Diego’s own major league baseball team, the San Diego Padres. In January, check out the Travel and Adventure show and in December check out the holiday lights all over town. If you’re traveling by car, head to the coast to dip your toes in the Pacific and let your spirits soar across the sand. Take a visit to Coronado Island’s Hotel del Coronado or watch the sunset at Ocean Beach’s pier. Hike the hills of Torrey Pines Natural Reserve or visit with the seals at La Jolla Cove. San Diego has heaps to enjoy – take advantage of it all.