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Arts & Culture APRIL 18, 2022

SDMA’s Art Alive Is Back This Month with 100 Blooming Floral Masterpieces

Check out the art-inspired arrangements April 28–May 1

SDMA’s Art Alive Is Back This Month with 100 Blooming Floral Masterpieces
SDMA - Art Alive

Last year’s Art Alive centerpiece, Botanical Graffiti, by rotunda designer Beth O’Reilly.

Bauman Photographers

The telltale signs of spring in San Diego are too lovely to keep outdoors. That’s why, for 41 years, the San Diego Museum of Art has welcomed the season with Art Alive. From April 28 to May 1, come see 100 unique floral arrangements inspired by the museum’s permanent collection. Britton Neubacher, owner of local interiorscaping company Tend, is this year’s rotunda designer; her 40-foot-tall Op Art–inspired installation, Organized Chaos, will be made entirely of recycled plants.As the museum’s biggest fundraiser, proceeds from Art Alive go toward education, outreach, and exhibitions all year long. In addition to the floral art, the event also includes four days of museum activities—from the opening celebration Bloom Bash, which features culinary creations from 30 local restaurants and after-hours installation viewing, to The Garden of Activities, which offers art projects for the whole family to try. Debuting alongside Art Alive this year is the environmentally conscious exhibition Terra: Fernando Casasempere, marking the prolific Chilean painter’s first full show in the United States. Its four installations are made with waste sourced from Chilean mining and drilling, intended to spark conversation on humanity’s responsibility for environmental deterioration.1450 El Prado, Balboa Park

Ryan Hardison is a freelance arts and entertainment writer and recent graduate of San Diego State. When he's not staring at his laptop, he's likely eating an adobada burrito or getting sunburnt at the beach.

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Arts & Culture FEBRUARY 17, 2026

San Diego Museum of Art Reflects on 100 Years in New Exhibit

The show traces the museum's century-long journey from cultured pop-up to renowned arts institution

San Diego Museum of Art Reflects on 100 Years in New Exhibit

It’s hard to overstate how radically the 1915 Panama-California Exposition catapulted San Diego into the future. The Panama Canal had just opened; the halves of the world were finally connected and the cultural possibilities (and tourism dollars) seemed endless. After passing through the canal on their way to the US, all of those new travelers from the east would land somewhere in the Golden State. The California city that won the right to host the expo would be in the global spotlight.

San Francisco fought tooth and nail to get it. In the end, some iconic San Diego players—including Ulysses S. Grant Jr. (son of the US President) and architect John D. Spreckels—nabbed federal support and brought the show to Balboa Park, making San Diego the smallest city to ever host a world expo.

Courtesy of San Diego History Center

It altered the city forever. The California Tower was built, as was the Spreckels Organ Pavilion. The San Diego Zoo got its start when Dr. Harry Wegeforth heard a lion roar at the expo’s animal exhibits. And—after 3.7 million visitors wandered the expo’s temporary halls filled with art and curated exhibitions and the exposition was extended from one year to two due to popular demand—cultural leaders knew San Diego couldn’t be a global city without a world-class art house. The project to bring a major museum to life began.

The dream gained momentum over the next decade. Funded largely by husband and wife Appleton and Amelia Bridges (she was heiress of the Timken family; her father made his fortune with the invention of the tapered roller bearing), the city commissioned architect William Templeton Johnson, who also masterminded the La Jolla Public Library (built in 1921) and San Diego Natural History Museum (1932).

Interior of San Diego Museum the Timken Museum of Art in Balboa Park

Designed in Balboa Park’s ornate Spanish Colonial style, the Fine Arts Gallery of San Diego opened its doors on February 28, 1926 at the site of the original Panama-California expo. It’d be another 52 years before it adopted the moniker we know it by today: the San Diego Museum of Art, or SDMA.

The museum celebrates its centennial this month with the exhibition SDMA: 100 Years. The show guides viewers on a chronological journey through its evolution and defining moments—including growth spurts, name changes, and royal visits.

Courtesy of the San Diego Museum of Art

“The guiding idea for the show is how the community co-authored a shared history of the museum and its place in the region’s growing cultural heritage,” explains Lucas Perez, the exhibition’s curator and SDMA’s manager of art & empathy programs, projects, and innovation.

Just one year after the museum’s founding, art created by San Diego children lined the walls—a nearly forgotten chapter that Perez discovered while combing through archives. By bringing these 1927 creations back on view today, the exhibition collapses nearly a century, reconnecting the museum’s earliest voices with the present.

“Digging through archival material felt like treasure hunting,” Perez says. He dove into the Martin Behrman negative collection at the Golden Gate Archives (Behrman was known for documenting California cities in the 1920s), expecting to find general info on Balboa Park. Instead, he uncovered a 1928 photo of the museum’s original façade. “I was elated,” he says. “It was my understanding that a lot of those records were at some time lost.”

Courtesy of The San Diego Museum of Art Archives

After Pearl Harbor in 1941, the museum was converted into a naval hospital. The art was then moved to a Mission Hills mansion in 1943 donated by trustees Frank and May Marcy. Its rooms temporarily became San Diego’s most famous gallery, hosting exhibitions and lectures.

Perez uncovered a striking photograph from this time: nearly 150 nurses in white uniforms gathered in front of the museum. The handwritten caption reads, Just a few of us, perhaps not all? “Finding this was kind of a holy grail for me because there’s quite a gap in the record during that time period,” Perez says. Four years later, war over and hospital beds removed, the Fine Arts Gallery reopened.

San Diego nonprofit Art FORM which provides art programs for kids and sustainable art materials for sale on Adams Avenue

The 1978 name change to SDMA reflected the institution’s commitment to going beyond traditional fine arts—painting and sculpture—to applied and decorative arts like ceramics and jewelry. Queen Elizabeth stopped by during her 1983 tour of Balboa Park, signaling the museum’s rising international stature. In the late ’80s, a 48-foot mobile art trailer called The Art Rig carried the collection beyond museum walls and into San Diego classrooms.

Courtesy of The San Diego Museum of Art Archives

Structural renewal followed, with the 2009 restoration of the museum’s Spanish Baroque façade. A 2023 merger with the Museum of Photographic Arts brought 15,000 photographic works into SDMA’s holdings, establishing photography as a core pillar of the institution’s evolving identity.

Roxana Velásquez, SDMA’s CEO for the past 15 years, is charged with balancing historical heft with what comes now and next. She and her team choose new acquisitions—from Spanish Old Masters to Persian, Southeast Asian, and Indian art—to cultivate conversation between the past and the present. The museum’s holdings now encompass more than 32,000 works.

Courtesy of the San Diego Museum of Art

“Our goal is to build a collection that speaks to the world our audiences come from,” Velásquez says.

And, with SDMA: 100 Years, those audiences can speak back: Visitors will have the chance to contribute to the exhibition by sharing photographs. “Our guiding question for [the exhibition] was, ‘Where is the community in this image?’” Pérez says. The museum now receives more than half a million visitors annually, bringing that community right to SDMA’s door—just as it has been for the last century.

SDMA: 100 Years is on view now through July 26, 2026.

Maya Santiago is a junior at NYU and a Carlsbad native. She finds balance through yoga and is always searching for new book recommendations.

Features AUGUST 12, 2022

The City’s Very Own DIY Online Radio Station

Particle FM features everything from mutant jungle and heartfelt pop to international music and ambient sensory experiences

The City’s Very Own DIY Online Radio Station
Christian Gonzalez partical fm

Christian Gonzalez of Particle FM

Xayn Naz

San Diego’s never really been known to have a thriving experimental or electronic music scene. But Christian Gonzalez hopes to help change that with Particle FM, a DIY online radio station he created in October. The station is now raising money to set up a physical space.

Gonzalez, who first began DJ’ing at UCSD’s student-run station KSDT, was inspired to create Particle FM by online radio stations like Dublab, London’s NTS, and Lisbon-based Radio Quantica, on which he had his own show for a time. Particle FM’s shows run the gamut, featuring everything from mutant jungle and heartfelt pop to international music and ambient sensory experiences—but the throughline is that you’re unlikely to hear these sounds on mainstream radio.

Gonzalez created Particle FM because he was frustrated by the lack of diversity in San Diego’s music and radio scene. “Our goal really is to give underrepresented people the chance to share their music,” he says, including LGBTQ+, people from minority backgrounds, and all those whose music tastes fall outside of the mainstream. Currently, half the station’s DJs identify as women or nonbinary.

Since its creation, the number of shows on the station has doubled. And though the vast majority of its DJs are San Diego-based, they’ve found listeners in countries across the world. Particle FM hopes its future physical space will give more people the opportunity to get involved, especially those who may not be able to afford the gear necessary to broadcast from home

“I picture it as a nexus for camaraderie, creativity, and learning facilitated by a shared passion for music,” said Laurie Piña, the station’s community outreach coordinator. “I honestly think it’ll mark a turning point in San Diego’s underground, and its music scene in general.”

Partner Content APRIL 14, 2022

Art Alive at The San Diego Museum of Art Showcases Stunning Floral Displays amid Masterpieces of Art for Signature Fundraiser Weekend

Art and Floral Fun for All Ages April 28–May 1

Art Alive at The San Diego Museum of Art Showcases Stunning Floral Displays amid Masterpieces of Art for Signature Fundraiser Weekend
SDMA Art Alive 2021 rotunda baumanphotographers_002.jpg

SDMA Art Alive 2021 rotunda baumanphotographers_002.jpg

Sponsored Content Provided by The San Diego Museum of Art

Step into a botanical wonderland while seeing art in a new way. Art Alive brings art-inspired florals to The San Diego Museum of Art for a weekend of springtime revelry.

See a kaleidoscope of colorful floral arrangements interpreting works of art in the Museum. These masterful creations by regional floral designers are the heart of Art Alive.

The full-tilt florals throughout the Museum are enhanced with special, limited-engagement art installations; a large-scale botanical display in the Museum rotunda; four days of festive events and activities, including the return of Bloom Bash, the high-voltage celebration that kicks off Art Alive weekend; and the first look at an extraordinary new contemporary art exhibition.

San Diego Museum of Art - Art Alive 2021 0619219200020.jpg

San Diego Museum of Art

Floral Arrangements Interpret Works of Art throughout Museum

Experience art in an all-new way. Regional floral designers showcase arrangements interpreting more than 70 works of art from The San Diego Museum of Art collection, inviting comparisons of shape, form, and color. The galleries bloom as the designs are displayed alongside the original works of art from across the globe. 

Grand Botanical Display in Museum Rotunda

Upon entering The San Diego Museum of Art during Art Alive, guests are greeted with stunning botanical views. The epicenter of the Museum, the Museum rotunda, will come to life with a two-story display by San Diego botanical designer Britton Neubacher. Her sustainably minded botanical showcase, titled “Organized Chaos,” uses preserved mosses, plants, and foliage to ground the space and draw visitors into the wonders on view throughout the Museum galleries.

SDMA Art Alive 2021 Garden of Activities 0619219200627.jpg

SDMA Art Alive 2021 Garden of Activities 0619219200627.jpg

Art Alive Events

The Art Alive Premiere Dinner on Thursday, April 28 is an elegant black-tie affair, celebrating art with a spectacular dinner in the galleries.

Bloom Bash on Friday, April 29, is the high-voltage celebration that kicks off Art Alive weekend. Bloom Bash features craft food and cocktails from more than 30 of the region’s top eateries, live performances, the return of the Ferris wheel to the plaza in front of the Museum, and music and dancing all night, plus special after-hours viewing of the Art Alive floral exhibition, special art installations, and featured exhibitions.

Art Alive Floral Exhibition takes place Friday, April 29, through Sunday, May 1, showcasing masterful floral designs interpreting works of art in the Museum collection. Experience botanicals throughout the Museum to enjoy art in an all-new way.

SDMA Art Alive 2021 0619219200502.jpg

SDMA Art Alive 2021 0619219200502.jpg

Garden of Activities is designed for families and youth of all ages. Join Museum educators on Saturday, April 30, and Sunday, May 1, in the floral-themed art-making space to explore some of the many optical illusions artists employ through a variety of hands-on arts projects and demonstrations.

New Contemporary Art Exhibition Opens Art Alive Weekend

Experience a contemplative contemporary art space with TERRA: Fernando Casasempere. Opening Art Alive weekend, the Chilean ceramic sculptor’s first solo exhibition in the US highlights the urgency of the environmental crisis through installations that utilize the Earth as both subject and medium.

Special exhibition Monet to Matisse: Impressionist Masterpieces from the Bemberg Foundation is also on view during Art Alive. Showcasing a knockout collection of more than 60 renowned works of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art, the exhibition showcases a stunning collection that wonderfully complements the Art Alive floral displays.Admission to both exhibitions is included with Art Alive tickets.

Get Tickets to Art Alive, the Museum’s Fun-Filled Signature Fundraiser

Art Alive is The San Diego Museum of Art’s signature annual fundraiser, providing essential support for Museum exhibitions, education, outreach, and public programs. Join the fun April 28–May 1 to experience an immersive fusion of flowers and art and show your support for the arts in your community!

Reserve Art Alive tickets now!

Studio S JUNE 8, 2026

Seven Restaurants, One Rising Star

Yes, Chef! winner Emily Brubaker leads the robust culinary program at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa

Seven Restaurants, One Rising Star

For Executive Chef Emily Brubaker, Omni La Costa Resort & Spa feels like home. She grew up just a mile-and-a-half away from the 400-acre property and fondly recalls walking the golf course perimeter as a kid. Though her ambitions led her away from San Diego for nearly two decades in which she honed her craft in some of the highest of high-profile Las Vegas restaurants—including triple Michelin-starred Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand—they ultimately brought her back to North County.

Courtesy of Omni La Costa

Today, the classically French-trained chef, who’s fresh off a victory on NBC’s Yes, Chef!, judged by Martha Stewart and José Andrés, oversees Omni La Costa Resort & Spa’s seven distinct dining concepts. Her goal is to elevate the resort’s culinary program with her creative, hyperlocal ingredient-driven approach while maintaining the Spanish- inspired flavors and fresh California coastal cuisine that are the bedrock of its culinary identity.

“The San Diego food scene is really growing, and in North County alone, it’s really exploded in the last five years,” Brubaker says. “There are Michelin stars, beautiful tasting menus, craft bakers, and all this food—when I was growing up in La Costa, it was fish tacos. Now there are really cool things popping up, and I’m so happy to be here to see where it’s going to go.”

Brubaker gives chefs de cuisine at each individual restaurant autonomy, however, her influence is evident across the resort.

For example, lobby restaurant Bar Traza serves as Omni La Costa’s culinary centerpiece and features bold Spanish flavors in a lively, social atmosphere. Brubaker overhauled the menu to be more consistent and centered on casual bites with that signature vibe. Think smoky paprika, vibrant citrus, and Spanish meats and cheeses.

At VUE, the focus is on seasonal offerings, California coastal cuisine, and Baja-inspired dishes. She and Chef de Cuisine Cameron Dixon change the menu biannually, which heading into summer, will highlight farm-fresh produce and hyperlocal ingredients—the resort even has its own herb garden and honeybee hives.

Courtesy of Omni La Costa

Poolside dining options are leaning into the country’s 250th this summer with a selection of classic American dishes with an Omni La Costa twist. And Bob’s Steak & Chop House (Brubaker is a trained butcher) offers a classic steakhouse experience with elevated service.

The chef and company also plan menus for special events at the resort where her creativity can really shine. For an upcoming National Ski Association dinner, the banquet hall will be transformed into an Alpine-themed winter wonderland complete with a snow machine, savory sausages, and melty, decadent raclette. A recent dinner was built around the Carlsbad Flower Fields and each course was matched to a color of ranunculus (Did you know pink dragonfruit are grown in North County? You do now.).

“It’s my zen to be in the kitchen playing with food,” Brubaker says.

Omni La Costa’s culinary program is a key part of the resort experience. And with Brubaker’s leadership, it’s becoming a draw for visitors and locals alike.

“These aren’t just hotel restaurants, these are restaurants that you should go to. They’re destinations, and I’m really hoping for the future that’s where we’re going,” Brubaker says.

Courtesy of Omni La Costa

Brubaker is also channeling her experience on Yes, Chef! into the culture at Omni La Costa—more emphasis on teamwork and collaboration, empowering her staff to share constructive critiques, and embracing different perspectives. Alongside her leadership role, Brubaker has become an advocate for mental health in the hospitality industry, serving as chief ambassador for the Burnt Chef Project and serves on the Board of Advisors for the Apex Culinary Program, where she mentors and develops future talent.

For more on Omni La Costa Resort & Spa and its dining program, please visit omnihotels.com/hotels/san-diego-la-costa.

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Things to Do JULY 22, 2014

Hot Tickets

Must-sees on stage, on screen, and in the gallery

Hot Tickets

1

The 23rd Annual Juried Exhibition opens August 2 at the La Jolla Athenaeum in the Joseph Clayes III Gallery

2

Learn about the Asian Art Market in a lecture by Kate Fitz Gibbon. San Diego Museum of Art, August 28.

3

The Broadway classic My Fair Lady comes to the Moonlight Amphitheatre in its 34th summer season. August 13–30.

4

The 2012 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, Once, takes the stage. San Diego Civic Theatre, August 12–17.

5

Picnic with friends and enjoy Until the End of the World during the Film in the Garden event. Balboa Park, August 25.

6

Mark Lamos directs Shakespeare’s delightful comedy, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, beginning August 10 at the Old Globe.

Hot Tickets

The Two Gentlemen of Verona at the Old Globe.

Things to Do JULY 22, 2014

Hot Tickets

Must-sees on stage, on screen, and in the gallery

1

The 23rd Annual Juried Exhibition opens August 2 at the La Jolla Athenaeum in the Joseph Clayes III Gallery

2

Learn about the Asian Art Market in a lecture by Kate Fitz Gibbon. San Diego Museum of Art, August 28.

3

The Broadway classic My Fair Lady comes to the Moonlight Amphitheatre in its 34th summer season. August 13–30.

4

The 2012 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, Once, takes the stage. San Diego Civic Theatre, August 12–17.

5

Picnic with friends and enjoy Until the End of the World during the Film in the Garden event. Balboa Park, August 25.

6

Mark Lamos directs Shakespeare’s delightful comedy, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, beginning August 10 at the Old Globe.

Hot Tickets

The Two Gentlemen of Verona at the Old Globe.

Partner Content JUNE 5, 2026

Beautiful Balboa Park: Nine Ways to See the City’s Crown Jewel in a New Light

San Diego Magazine's 2026 Guide to Balboa Park.

Beautiful Balboa Park: Nine Ways to See the City’s Crown Jewel in a New Light

Balboa Park is San Diego’s cultural heart.

The iconic 1,200-acre preserve’s history dates back more than 150 years, evolving from a scrub-filled plot atop a mesa overlooking what’s now Downtown to an urban oasis—the largest of its kind in the country—filled with an array of museums, attractions, gardens, trails, restaurants, and more. Balboa Park is an epic playground where San Diegans and visitors alike can experience the great outdoors just as easily as they can enjoy a world-class performance or explore groundbreaking discoveries.

Tucked away in the Spanish Colonial Revival-style architecture are 18 diverse museums that allow visitors to spend the day learning about, well, anything. A great place to start is the San Diego History Center. Located in the Casa del Balboa building, the museum tells the story of the city’s past, present, and future through photographs and art, clothing and textiles, and interviews with people who witnessed history-making events firsthand. The San Diego Natural History Museum takes visitors even farther back with interactive exhibitions that show what the region was like up to 75 million years ago. 

Blast off on a simulated trip to space at the San Diego Air & Space Museum, then check out artifacts from aviation legends, including the Wright brothers, Amelia Earhart, and Buzz Aldrin. Discover new perspectives revolutionizing the science world, learn about an often overlooked but overutilized utility, and exercise your creativity at the Fleet Science Center.  

Calling all theater-lovers, Balboa Park has something for you, too. The San Diego Junior Theatre will present their musical take on beloved children’s book A Bad Case of the Stripes from June 26 through July 12. And laugh, cry, and marvel in awe as the pros of The Old Globe perform Kim’s Convenience, the award-winning comedy that inspired the popular series, from May 15 to June 14. 

There’s nowhere else in Balboa Park quite like WorldBeat Cultural Center. The institution celebrates African diaspora and indigenous cultures around the world using art, music, dance, and education. The building, a renovated water tower covered in colorful murals, houses a performing arts center, museum, gift shop, cafe, and outdoor classroom.

If you’d like a side of nature with your culture, Balboa Park has you covered there, too. Stroll through the gardens of the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum, a monument to the relationship between San Diego and its sister city, Yokohama, Japan. Inspired by traditional Japanese design dating back centuries, the 10-acre respite features a living exhibition that showcases plants native to both cities. 

If there seems like a lot going on in Balboa Park, it’s because there is. Let the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership be your guide. The organization is the umbrella for 24 of the park’s institutions and offers an Explorer Pass that allows visitors to access multiple museums for one affordable price. The hardest part is picking where to start.

16 Museums, One Pass

Save on admission to San Diego’s top museums with the Balboa Park Explorer Pass. Explore 16 museums of art, science, history and culture across Balboa Park — all with one affordable pass. Choose the option that fits your pace: the Limited Pass (one day for up to four museums), the Parkwide Pass (seven consecutive days of access to all 16 museums) or the Annual Pass (365 days of unlimited exploring).

Looking for an experience-driven gift? Let the museum lover in your life enjoy their favorite museums all year with a Balboa Park Explorer Annual Pass gift voucher.

BuyMyExplorer.com | Phone: 619-232-7502, Press 2 for Explorer 

Fleet Science Center

Bigger experiments, brighter ideas, and boundless curiosity await at the newly reimagined Fleet Science Center. This summer, the Fleet debuts Element 8 Cafe, an expanded theater queuing and concessions space, two new gallery spaces, and, for the first time, a free entrance gallery exploring science in and around San Diego. The transformation marks a new chapter for the Fleet, keeping it a vital, innovative, and accessible science hub for the region. Visitors are invited to explore the experience this summer and connect with the power of science like never before.

Address: 1875 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101
Website: FleetScience.org
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Phone: 619-238-1233

Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum

An accredited cultural gem, the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum brings traditional Japanese garden design to life with koi ponds, curving walkways and layers of greenery. Guests explore bonsai trees, streams and peaceful nooks while taking part in exhibits, educational programs and festivals that illuminate Japanese culture. Situated in the heart of Balboa Park, the garden doubles as a meditative retreat and a dynamic gathering place, welcoming visitors to slow their pace and connect more deeply.

Address: 2215 Pan American Road E, San Diego, CA 92101
Website: Niwa.org
Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily; last admission at 6 p.m.
Phone: 619-232-2721

The Old Globe

A San Diego summer favorite, The Old Globe invites audiences to experience a beloved local tradition in its outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre. 

This summer, the 2026 Shakespeare Festival presents two thrilling tales of power, passion and romance. Measure for Measure, running June 14 through July 12, 2026, is a riveting story of justice and hypocrisy that asks who holds power, who is punished and what it truly means to be virtuous. Much Ado About Nothing, playing Aug. 2–30, 2026, is a classic rom-com packed with schemes, sparks and laughter as opposites attract. Audiences can enjoy both shows for $44.

Address: 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego, CA 92101
Website: TheOldGlobe.org
Hours: Box office open Tuesday–Sunday, 1 p.m. to final curtain
Phone: Box office, 619-234-5623

San Diego Air & Space Museum

Aviation and space exploration come to life at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. See an airworthy replica of the Spirit of St. Louis, a Gee Bee racer and historic aircraft from World War I, World War II and the Korean and Vietnam eras. Get up close to the Apollo 9 command module — one of only 11 of its kind in the world — along with Mercury and Gemini capsules, Mission Control and space shuttle simulators, and a selfie spot beside a lunar lander on the moon. Running through 2026, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! brings oddities from around the world to Balboa Park.

Address: 2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101
Website: SanDiegoAirAndSpace.org
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Phone: 619-234-8291

San Diego History Center

History belongs to everyone. At the San Diego History Center, two experiences bring that history to life this summer: America at 250 and the Center for Women’s History. America at 250 traces San Diego’s place in 250 years of U.S. history, while summer programs invite children to learn and explore. The Center for Women’s History amplifies the voices of women whose leadership and creativity have shaped our region.

By understanding our past, we build a more vibrant and inclusive community together. These vital educational experiences are only possible through generous community support. Discover your roots, spark meaningful dialogue, and help keep San Diego’s stories alive for future generations.

Address: 1649 El Prado, Suite 3, San Diego, CA 92101
Website: SanDiegoHistory.org
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday–Sunday
Phone: 619-232-6203

San Diego Junior Theatre

Junior Theatre is San Diego’s longest-running youth theatre program, empowering students ages 4 to 18 to explore storytelling, performance, and collaboration in a supportive environment. Through classes, camps, and productions, young artists build confidence, creativity, and lifelong skills onstage and off. Each season features a wide range of opportunities, from introductory experiences to advanced training in acting and musical theatre. 

Looking for a summer adventure? Junior Theatre’s Summer Camps deliver dynamic programs for grades K–12, including musical theater intensives, acting academies and immersive JT Studio experiences. It’s a place where imagination truly takes center stage.

Address: 1650 El Prado, Suite 208, San Diego, CA 92101
Website: JuniorTheatre.com
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Phone: 619-239-1311

San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat)

This summer, The Nat is talking trash—literally. Their newest exhibition, Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea, features larger‑than‑life marine sculptures made of ocean debris collected from beaches. It invites visitors to explore the impact of plastic pollution and discover ways to take action.

But the experience doesn’t stop at the gallery doors. Friday nights, the exhibition transforms into an ocean-themed “dive bar” during Nat at Night. Select Sundays bring something brand new: a rooftop brunch with sweeping Balboa Park views. Add two new giant-screen films and five floors of nature to explore, and The Nat is shaping up to be one of the season’s must-visit destinations.

Address: 1788 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101
Website: SDNat.org
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays in summer
Phone: 619-232-3821

WorldBeat Cultural Center

The WorldBeat Cultural Center is a nonprofit multidisciplinary cultural organization dedicated to promoting, presenting and preserving Indigenous cultures worldwide through music, art, dance, education, sustainability and community programs. WorldBeat elevates multicultural artists, expands opportunities for cultural enrichment and fosters deeper understanding across traditions. WorldBeat offers a holistic cultural experience that inspires pride, unity, connection and belonging for all ages.

Address: 2100 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101
Website: WorldBeatCenter.org
Hours: Classes: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 6–9 p.m. Exhibits and café: Friday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
Phone: 619-230-1190


Event Calendar

Throughout 2026: Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!

Step into a world of the weird and wonderful at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park. Explore hundreds of bizarre artifacts, interactive displays and unbelievable stories that celebrate the curious and the extraordinary.

San Diego Air & Space Museum | 2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101

Throughout 2026: San Diego’s Lost Neighborhoods

Presented in partnership with the San Diego Museum of African American Fine Arts, San Diego’s Lost Neighborhoods uses augmented reality, oral histories, and archival materials to explore communities and residents displaced by redlining, freeway construction, and other discriminatory policies.

San Diego History Center | 1649 El Prado, Suite 3, San Diego, CA 92101

June –Aug: The 2026 Shakespeare Festival

Spend a summer night at The Old Globe. The Lowell Davies Festival Theatre stages Measure for Measure (June 14–July 12) and Much Ado About Nothing (Aug. 2–30), offering two unforgettable Shakespeare productions for just $44.

The Old Globe | 1363 Old Globe Way,
San Diego, CA 92101

June 8–Aug. 7: Theatre Summer Camps

Summer camps at Junior Theatre spark creativity for grades K–12 with hands-on training, musical theatre intensives, acting academies, and JT Studio experiences.

San Diego Junior Theatre | 1650 El Prado, Suite 208, San Diego, CA 92101  

June 14, July 12, Aug 9: Brunch at The Nat


A museum visit turns into a Sunday Funday with the addition of rooftop brunch, featuring mimosas, bloody Marys, and brunch bites from Wolfish by Wolf in the Woods (June 14, August 9) and Hash House a Go Go (July 12). 

San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat)
1788 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101

June 21: Harriet Tubman Freedom Bird Walk

Celebrate Juneteenth weekend with guided birding, storytelling, soul food, native planting and an African peace drum circle.

WorldBeat Cultural Center | 2100 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101

Aug 7-8: Toro Nagashi Festival

Nagashi at the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum by floating a lantern to honor loved ones who have passed. Stroll merchant booths, enjoy cultural performances in the Inamori Pavilion, and sample food vendors plus a beer and sake garden in the lower garden.

Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum | 1649 El Prado, Suite 3, San Diego, CA 92101


Explore arts, science, history, and culture in the Balboa Park Cultural District with one convenient, affordable Pass. The Balboa Park Explorer Pass is your ticket to up to 16 museums and endless fun! Purchase your pass at BuyMyExplorer.com.

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