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Press Room

Media Contacts

Science Communications Manager Paula Sternberg Rodriguez | 619.255.0220
Senior Director of Communications Rebecca Handelsman | 619.255.0262



After an international search, The Nat has appointed John O. Niles as its new Vice President of Science and Conservation. He steps into this role at the height of The Nat’s 150th anniversary—a historical moment for the Museum and its role in the region’s conservation. Niles’ appointment continues Museum's mission to lead with our science and be a voice for nature in our region.

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The Nat’s anniversary year kicked off last Friday with the official groundbreaking of a new, native plant garden—Nature Trail at The Nat. This project is a cornerstone of the Museum’s 150th anniversary. The 22,000-square-foot outdoor exhibit, scheduled to open in early summer, will introduce visitors to the beautiful and beneficial native plants that support the incredible diversity of life in our region.


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A grant of nearly $800,000 from The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation will help launch a statewide urban nature alliance and continue San Diego-based community science in urban canyons. This three-year effort will help enhance biodiversity and environmental equity research in San Diego, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

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Visitors to The Nat can enjoy a recently completed 33-foot mural by San Diego-based artist Eva Struble. As the Museum approaches its 150th anniversary, this work is one part of a larger effort to turn the Atrium into a warm and inviting community gathering space that welcomes visitors to the Museum and introduces them to the specialness of nature in our region.

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Dr. Shahan Derkarabetian joins The Nat by way of Harvard University. An expert on harvestmen or daddy longlegs, he likes to “focus on the weird, rare things that are in the back of the field guides."

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Today, the Canyoneers with the San Diego Natural History Museum announced their new—50th—season of free, guided hikes. Sixty hikes will be offered this season, beginning September 10, 2023, and continuing through June 22, 2024. 

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Canyoneers from the San Diego Natural History Museum are celebrating a major milestone in 2023—their 50th anniversary. What started out as a group of volunteers leading walks through Florida Canyon has evolved into a county-wide program that has introduced tens of thousands of people to the wonder of nature in our region. 

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After an international search, the San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat) is pleased to announce Michelle E. Thompson, Ph.D. as its new—and first—Exequiel Ezcurra Director of Conservation Biology. The role is a key part of the museum’s strategic plan to lead with its science to help preserve biodiversity in our region. 

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A sabre-toothed predator from 38 million years ago offers insight on the origins of today’s meat eaters. This new-to-science species was recently described by scientists from the U.S. and Japan in the journal Biology Letters.  

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Slinking through your neighborhood. Darting across the highway. Fluttering along your favorite hiking trail. Wildlife is all around, even when we don’t see it. The Nat offers visitors a rare peek into the secret lives of wild animals in its newest exhibition.   

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