Museum of Us

The Museum of Us, at 1350 El Prado in Balboa Park, San Diego, California, is an anthropology museum known until 2020 as the San Diego Museum of Man. It occupies the California Building, the centerpiece of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, designed by Bertram Goodhue with a tiled dome and a tower decorated with figures of Spanish explorers and colonial leaders. The anthropology exhibit at the exposition, organized by Edgar Lee Hewett and Ales Hrdlicka, led to the founding of the museum in 1915, and the building has housed it since. The building itself is a Spanish Colonial Revival landmark with ornate carved facades, an arched entry and a surviving 1915 tower that visitors can climb on a guided tour. Inside, the museum's exhibits address human origins, race and identity, ancient Egyptian mummies and artifacts, Mesoamerican and Andean cultures, Native American and Kumeyaay heritage, and contemporary topics such as the history of beer and the impact of colonization. The museum renamed itself in 2020 after reviewing the term Man and acknowledging its past role in promoting outdated racial theories, and it now emphasizes community collaboration and repatriation of materials. Its curatorial approach is thematic and interactive, with exhibitions designed to prompt reflection about shared humanity. The collection includes about 80,000 objects, among them textiles, baskets, pottery and photographs. The building has been restored over time, including reconstruction in permanent materials after the original structure deteriorated, and seismic and facade work. Visitors generally spend one to two hours, and the museum is usually open daily from about 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM with paid admission, discounted for residents and groups. The central location makes it easy to combine with the Prado museums, gardens and the nearby California Tower views over the park.