Category: #Memories

Museum of US

& California Tower

The Museum of Us in San Diego was formally called the Museum of Man. The name was changed in 2020 to be more inclusive and reflect the museum’s commitment to equity, anti-racism, and decolonization. 

The large Tower to the left is known as the California Tower. It is a soaring, intricately detailed, portion of the California Building and is an icon of San Diego which can be seen from miles and miles around. The California Building houses the Museum of Us (aka Museum of Man).

Growing up in San Diego, the Museum of Man in Balboa was a favourite and fascinating place to visit. The entire time I lived in San Diego the Museum was called the Museum of Man. [I’ll probably always remember it as the Museum of Man as that is what it was called in the special time I recall in my memories.]

The Museum of Us(Man) traces its starting point to the Panama–California Exposition, which opened in 1915 on the occasion of the inauguration of the Panama Canal. The central exhibit of the exposition, “The Story of Man through the Ages,” was assembled under the direction of archaeologist Dr. Edgar Lee Hewett of the School of American Archaeology (later renamed the School of American Research and since 2007 the School for Advanced Research).

Between 1935 and 1936, the museum’s name briefly changed to the Palace of Science to correspond with the California-Pacific International Exposition. During this exposition, the museum housed special exhibitions from a variety of sources, such as the Monte Alban exhibit, which featured many artifacts on loan from the Mexican government.

In 1942, the museum underwent a name change to the Museum of Man, reflecting its commitment to anthropological pursuits. The addition of “San Diego” occurred in 1978. The museum is housed in four original buildings from the 1915 Exposition. These include the California Quadrangle, which was designed for the Exposition by American architect Bertram G. Goodhue, and the California Tower, one of the key landmarks in San Diego. The main museum is housed in the California Building with its landmark tower. 

The museum’s cultural resources and permanent exhibits focus on the pre-Columbian history of the western Americas, with materials drawn from Native American cultures of the Southern California region, and Mesoamerican civilizations, such as the Maya. 

The San Diego Museum of Us is one of the best anthropological style institutions in the United States. It is centrally located in Balboa Park, at 1350 El Prado. Besides being a popular attraction for tourists that come to visit the city, it is also a wonderful historic landmark. It is a must visit if you ever get to visit the San Diego area.

Click on image to enlarge. 

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