San Diego Natural History Museum

Frommer's Review

Founded in 1874, the Natural History Museum is one of the oldest scientific institutions in Southern California. It focuses on the flora, fauna, and mineralogy of the region, including Mexico; as a binational museum, research is done on both sides of the border and most exhibits are bilingual. You can see them all in about an hour. There's a 300-seat large-format movie theater, and two films are included in the price of admission. The interactive installation Fossil Mysteries is the museum's largest, most detailed exhibit; it includes life-size models of prehistoric animals like the Megalodon shark, the largest predator the world has ever known. SDNHM also leads free nature hikes and has a full schedule of classes, lectures, and overnight expeditions for both families and adults.

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