Balboa Park - San Diego’s Jewel
It is the home of the San Diego Zoo, some 15 excellent museums, venues for the performing arts and superb gardens. Even if you don’t plan to visit a museum or show, the Park is an attractive envirnment to visit, just to stroll around, meet up with friends or simply for some people watching - there is often crowd pleasing street entertainment going on somewhere in the Park.
Cultural performances are a leading feature of the park. The program is continually changing, and is well worth checking out to see what might attract you when visiting San Diego.
Some of the leading museums to be found in Balboa Park are:
- Marston House - on the National Register of Historic Places, Marston House is set in a large garden.
- San Diego Natural History Museum - dating from 1874 and well known for its research, the museum was rebuilt and expanded for a re-opening in 2001.
- San Diego Museum of Art - built in 1926 and housing a broad collection of European, American, Latin American and Asian art.
- San Diego Air and Space Museum
- San Diego History Museum
- San Diego Hall of Champions
- San Diego Automotive Museum
- San Diego Model Railroad Museum
The architecture of the buildings in Balboa Park, mostly with a Spanish influence, also contributes to the interest for visitors.
