Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:1350 El Prado
San Diego, California
Tel:
(619) 239-2001
Visit the world-renowned Museum of Man, home to 70,000 artifacts, folk art and archaeological finds from all over the world - and the only anthropological museum in San Diego. Explore the world of the Maya, ancient Egypt, human evolution, and the human life-cycle all in one museum!
The San Diego Museum of Man is devoted to anthropology and emphasizes the peoples of North and South America. The museum is housed in a building which itself is a symbol of the city. Its tile-capped tower, designed in 1915, has a "California Mission" style of architecture. Permanent exhibits here include Life and Death on the Nile: Sun gods and Mummies in Ancient Egypt - which has a great Discovery Center for kids, and From the Hands and Hearts of the Greater Southwest and Footsteps Through Time: 4 Million Years of Human Evolution - which is an interactive exhibit that shows all the major anthropological finds relating to human evolution. The Museum also boasts life-size replicas of a dozen varieties of Homo Sapiens, and has a small room with Egyptian mummies and artifacts.
To get here from Downtown San Diego: Head North on 6th Avenue to El Prado and turn right on El Prado; or take buses 1, 3, 7, 7A/B, or 25. Either way, be sure not to miss this treasure of a museum and time capsule of the human narrative!
From San Diego Museum of Man:
Because of the Museum's concentration on anthropology, its name was changed in 1942 to the Museum of Man (with "San Diego" added in 1978). During World War II, the Museum was converted to a hospital, and exhibits and collections were stored. During the 20-year directorship of Clark Evernham, beginning in 1951, the Museum entered a period of community outreach. Important acquisitions included Mexican apparel and ceramics.