San Diego History Center

The San Diego History Center is the regional history museum and research archive for San Diego, California, housed at 1649 El Prado in the Casa de Balboa building of Balboa Park. The organization traces its roots to the San Diego Historical Society, founded in 1928, and it also operates the Junipero Serra Museum on Presidio Hill and the Villa Montezuma. The Casa de Balboa is a Spanish Colonial Revival structure rebuilt in permanent materials in the early 1980s from a building constructed for the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition. The museum presents the story of the region from the Kumeyaay, who have lived here for thousands of years, through the Spanish and Mexican periods, the American takeover in the 1840s, the founding of New Town in 1867, and the growth of the military, aviation and tourism economies in the 20th century. Its permanent and changing exhibits draw on a collection of historic photographs, maps, costume and objects, and the research archive holds millions of photographs, manuscripts and oral histories that researchers can consult by appointment. Exhibitions have included long-running displays on the city's neighborhoods and on the Panama-California Exposition. The museum's approach is largely chronological and thematic, mixing artifacts with photographs and interactive features, and recent programming has increased attention to indigenous and community histories. Preservation of the collection involves climate-controlled storage and ongoing digitization of images, which are searchable online. The museum is generally open Tuesday through Sunday from about 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with paid admission and discounted rates for residents and groups. Its location on El Prado puts it within walking distance of other museums, so many visitors combine it with a stroll through the park and the Museum of Us nearby. Educational programs and walking tours of historic neighborhoods supplement the exhibits.