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Summer of Wonder

May 23-August 22, 2025

We're going all out with a summer full of wonderful. With the Museum’s biggest new exhibition in years, three films in the theater, Nat at Night on Fridays, and hands-on activities for the kids, there will be a whole lot of wonderful to fill up a busy, beautiful summer. See below for details, and start making plans!

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A new exhibit experience

The brand-new Amazement in the Basement offers a behind-the-scenes look at fascinating specimens from the collection—from eye-catching taxidermy to drawers of colorful insects—and invites visitors to watch scientists at work in the brand-new Paleontology Center. Learn more.

Nat at Night

The best weekends start in Balboa Park. Every Friday admission is half-price after 5 PM. Visitors can explore all five floors, then hit the roof to mingle with other nature lovers and enjoy a spectacular sunset view, a TGIF cocktail, and small bites from Wolf in the Woods. Learn more.

Hands-on activities

From animal presentations to sketching in the galleries, enjoy hands-on activities every weekend. See our event calendar below for details.

Three films. One Giant Screen.

Your general admission includes access to all three films in our theater, including Wild San Diego, Animal Kingdom, and Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope. Kick back, relax, and enjoy stories about this amazing place we call home. Learn more.

A summer full of wonderful—every weekend

There’s always something new when you visit on weekends. Come face-to-face with raptors, sketch in the galleries, get crafty in Nature Studio, and keep the little ones busy with Storytime. Just like nature, our schedule of events is always changing, so check our calendar of activities for details.

Have the most wonder-full summer!

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