The San Diego Zoo is a must-see in Balboa Park. Spend the day monkeying around in the tropical oasis and visit amazing habitats for animals such as gorillas, tigers, sun bears, flamingos, mandrills, polar bears, birds of paradise, giant tortoises, leopards and more. Visit the Australian Outback to see a colony of 24 koalas. Take a Panda Trek to visit the giant pandas ...

The Cabrillo Bridge (Laurel Street Bridge) is a simple, yet majestic bridge that serves as the grand entryway into the first exposition's "Magic City." Inspired by ancient Roman aqueducts, the bridge still provides a graceful link between the museum corridor and the Park's West Mesa. One of the first people to ride in a car across the bridge, as part of the dedication...

The 1910 Balboa Park Carousel, adjacent to the San Diego Zoo, is a menagerie of animals and all but two pairs are original with hand-carved European craftsmanship. Also original are the hand-painted murals surrounding the upper portion of the carousel and the military band music. This carousel is one of the few in the world still offering the brass ring game for every...

John D. and Adolph Spreckels donated the Spreckels Organ, one of the world's largest outdoor pipe organs, to the City of San Diego in 1914 for the Panama-California Exposition. This unique organ contains 4,530 pipes ranging in length from the size of a pencil to 32 feet and is housed in an ornate vaulted structure with highly embellished gables. Since 1917, San Diego ...

Daily art demonstrations featuring contemporary fine arts and crafts directly from San Diego County's largest community of artists. Thirty-seven working artist studios/galleries host over two hundred independently juried local painters, sculptors, metalsmiths, jewelry designers, clay artists, gourd artists, photographers, printmakers, fiber artists, basket weaver...

A multidisciplinary cultural arts center dedicated to creating, promoting, preserving and educating about Chicano, Mexican, Indigenous and Latino art and culture. Features rotating exhibits and performances with theater, dance, music, and film/video. For hours and more information, visit their website at: http://centroculturaldelaraza.com/

The San Diego Lawn Bowling Club introduced the Sport of Bowls to the general public in 1932 and continues to offer membership for social games and tournaments. Balboa Park's lawn bowling greens are nestled on the northeast side of the Cabrillo Bridge across from Founders Plaza located near the corner of Balboa and El Prado Drive.

The remarkable large tree to the north of the museum is a Moreton Bay Fig tree, which—like most of the other large trees in the Prado area of Balboa Park—was planted in preparation for the 1915 exposition. The 1914 planting list for the exposition shows a five-gallon fig tree planted at this location. Since it was a few years old at the time it was planted...

The A-12, the first of three different versions of the Blackbird, was secretly developed by Lockheed for the Central Intelligence Agency. The majority of Blackbirds were the SR-71 strategic reconnaissance versions used by the USAF Strategic Air Command until March 1990. Lockheed developed the Blackbird to provide a Mach 3 replacement for the U-2 spy plane. Development...

The best way to start your time in Balboa Park is with a stop at the Balboa Park Visitors Center. Located across from The Prado Restaurant in the House of Hospitality, the Visitors Center has the most current and comprehensive information about the Park’s activities and attractions. Open from 9:30am-4:30pm daily (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year&rsquo...

The Balboa Park Miniature Railroad takes a 3-minute, ½-mile trip through four acres of Balboa Park. The train is a model G16 - now a rare antique with as few as fifty currently remaining. Operated by the San Diego Zoo Department of Transportation.

Housed in historic 1935 Exposition cottages, 36 groups promote multicultural goodwill and understanding through educational and cultural programs. Open Houses: Open Houses: noon-5:00 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday, showcase the national traditions from many lands. Lawn programs: 2:00 p.m. on Sundays from February through November, feature music, dance, traditional c...

The Photographic Arts Building is home to the Southern California Association of Camera Clubs. SCACC is the local association of camera clubs in San Diego County. It was organized to promote the visual arts through color and black and white photography, stereo (3-d) photography, digital photography, and the art of film making. Also on exhibit are several stereo 3-D p...

The United Nations Building houses the United Nations Association of San Diego (UNA-SD), the Eleanor Roosevelt Global Classroom, and the International Gift Shop. In 1956, Eleanor Roosevelt requested that the San Diego City Council grant the newly formed UNA-SD the permanent use of the Park's U.N. Building for educational and administrative purposes. The Internati...

Twilight’s live music under the stars has been delighting visitors. The music program ranges from military bands and Dixieland jazz, to big band swing and Latin salsa. Concerts run all the way through the end of August, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. with special theme-events celebrating starting at 5:30 p.m. on the stage of ...