San Diego Museum of Us, San Diego

The San Diego Museum of Us 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 Discovery 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.

Why You Should Visit:
Great for kids and adults alike. You can interact with "Monsters!", BEERology, Adventure Kids in Egypt, Ancient Egypt: Real Mummies and Artifacts of the Dead, Footstep through Time, Kumeyaay, Maya and a special exhibit on Race.

Tip:
Along with the interesting history of man tour, you can also take a very nice tower tour (great view of the park and part of the city skyline!) and see the exhibit on cannibals – both at extra cost.