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Museum Fun with Gemstones, Dinosaur Fossils, Murals and More at The NAT

October 26, 2023

Kids Fun Exploring The Nat

With four levels of exhibitions to explore, the Natural History Museum is a family favorite. My kids love looking at all the gemstones, fossils and interesting species on view at the museum. There is so much to learn about nature, paleontology and science at this museum.

As part of the lead up to the 150th anniversary of the Nat next year, visitors can now enjoy an all-new 33-foot mural by San Diego-based artist Eva Struble at the vast, five-story space in the center of the San Diego Natural History Museum.

The new 33-foot mural in the atrium is a showstopper and caught my kids attention immediately. When we were there Eva Struble was up on the scaffolding just getting started, but now the piece is complete and it is beautiful!  Also on Level 1 just off the Atrium is the Living Lab, an exhibit we never miss. My kids enjoy observing a variety of creatures from a Gila monster and rattlesnakes to arachnids and frogs.

Did you know The Nat holds 8 million specimens in their storage areas?! They pulled out some Cool Stuff from their drawers so we can take a rare peek.

In the Unshelved: Cool Stuff from the Collection exhibition you get to experience some of the millions of specimens in its collection. My daughter loves seeing the butterflies, gemstones, shells and birds and she finds the preserved animals in jars fascinating.

Exhibit designers assemble a model of the desert section of “Coast to Cactus.” They decided an Airstream might be a fun and inviting way to get people involved in the desert portion, which also includes a large desert-in-bloom mural and diorama, and interactive elements, including a campsite with chairs to watch a presentation on the changing desert.

We also enjoy the Coast to Cactus exhibit that features an airstream you can climb inside and pretend to be a natural scientist. There are lots of interactive exhibits in this section that makes it especially fun for kids.

Fossil Mysteries is the largest and most comprehensive exhibition the museum has ever undertaken. Blending traditional and contemporary exhibition techniques, Fossil Mysteries showcases the last 75 million years in the southern California and Baja California bioregion.

You can’t visit the NAT without spending time learning about dinosaurs. They have a good collection in the Fossil Mysteries section where you can touch real fossils millions of years old. My kids loved the mammoth and mastodon fossils.  The museum also offers great resources for educators about geology and paleontology here. 

Located on the Museum’s top floor, Caught on Camera features remarkable images of southern California wildlife “caught” on film with the help of camera traps.

Lastly don’t miss the exhibits on the top floor of the museum including Caught on Camera and Expedition Baja. We were surprised to see the interesting animals such as coyotes photographed at night using camera traps, it made us wonder what animals are lurking in our backyard.

Here are some visitor tips to help you prepare for your museum adventure:

  1. The Museum offers free visitor parking located throughout Balboa Park and along Park Boulevard. Find parking information here. The museum is open daily for 10 a.m to 5 p.m.
  2. Enjoy your visit the NAT and consider having a picnic outside the museum under the massive Moreton Bay Fig Tree!
  3. There’s always something new to discover at The Nat, from family activities to evening events to new films and exhibitions. You can explore The Nat’s calendar of events here.
  4. There are plenty of restaurants nearby the museum for lunch or dinner

Find Tickets and More Information about the San Diego Natural History Museum Here

Written by Danielle Deery

Danielle Deery lives in the Encinitas area of San Diego’s North County with her husband, two kids who are 8 and 6 years old, and a dog. One of her favorite things to do is take her kids on museum adventures around San Diego. She is a Freelance Curator, San Diego Museum Council Board member, former President of the San Diego Museum Council, and former Director of Exhibitions at Oceanside Museum of Art.
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