San Diego Museum of Us

San Diego


Housed in the iconic 1915 California Building, this anthropological museum is packed with exhibits hopscotching from ancient Egypt to local Kumeyaay people, from beer to monsters and cannibals. The California Tower will once more able to be climbed upon completion of a seismic retrofit (expected in early 2020; separate fee).

It sits just north of where El Prado passes under an archway, which marked the main entrance for the 1915–16 exposition. Figures on either side of the arch represent the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, while the arch itself symbolizes the Panama Canal.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

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