La Jolla Historical Society

The La Jolla Historical Society inspires and empowers the community to make La Jolla’s diverse past a relevant part of contemporary life.  The Society preserves and shares La Jolla’s distinctive sense of place and serves as a community resource and gathering place where residents and visitors explore history, art, ideas, and culture.

In our newly renovated Wisteria Cottage galleries, the Society provides high quality, rotating exhibitions that explore the rich culture of La Jolla and interpret history for contemporary audiences. Our education programs include a variety of adult and youth learning opportunities throughout the year. The archive consists of photographs, postcards, architectural drawings, and oral history recordings; plus collections of local newspapers, street and land use files, and business and personal documents. These resources are available to the public at our Office and Research Center. Our mission includes consulting with the City of San Diego regarding historic preservation of properties in La Jolla.

Our public outreach programs include two annual community events. The La Jolla Concours D’Elégance & Motor Car Classic is held in April and welcomes visitors from national and international destinations who come to enjoy the judged competition and learn about automobile history. In May of each year, we present the Secret Garden Tour of La Jolla for visitors from throughout San Diego County and beyond to view private gardens in the community.