San Diego Natural History Museum
4.6(3,051)4.6 out of 5 stars, 3051 reviews San Diego, CA
About San Diego Natural History Museum
The San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat) offers a rich and extensive natural history experience, particularly strong in paleontology with dinosaur and California-native extinct species fossils, and exhibits featuring local wildlife, including a notably large living frog (12-15 inches). It's highly educational with exhibits highlighting ongoing research and knowledgeable staff at the help desk who share fun facts. While the reviews indicate it's engaging for adults and that 'kids would love this place,' specific 'New Year's Eve Kids Activities' or detailed kid-centric programming beyond general museum appeal are not described. The venue also appears to host various intimate musical performances that cater to an adult audience, which parents should be aware of when choosing activities.
What parents should know
Summarized from real visitor reviews.
Best for: Families and adults interested in natural history, including dinosaurs, fossils, and extinct species.Educational outings focused on California's native wildlife and scientific research.Anyone looking for a museum with extensive exhibits that can fill a significant portion of a day.Adults seeking intimate musical performances (though not a 'kids activity').Highly recommended for 'kids' (general statement, no specific age range given), with engaging exhibits like dinosaur fossils and a large living frog.
Why families love it
- Extensive collection of fossils, including dinosaurs and extinct species native to California.
- Features a very large living frog exhibit (estimated 12-15 inches long) that kids might find captivating.
- Exhibits are nicely laid out and include specific mentions of the scientific research conducted at the museum.
- Help desk employees are highly knowledgeable and provide 'great fun facts.'
- Strong focus on local wildlife, offering educational insights into the region's natural history.
- The venue (or at least its performance spaces) can offer a 'small intimate setting' for events.
Insider tips
- Plan for more than a single day if you wish to fully explore all attractions, as one reviewer found 'one day is not enough'.
- Engage with the employees at the help desk to learn interesting 'fun facts' and enhance your visit.
- If attending for 'kids activities,' verify the specific nature of the event beforehand, as the venue also hosts adult-oriented concerts.
Good to know before you go
- Avoid rushing your visit if you want to see everything, as the museum's offerings are too extensive for a single brief trip.
- Do not assume all events hosted at The Nat are kid-friendly; reviews indicate specific adult-oriented musical concerts are also held there.
- If you are specifically looking for New Year's Eve kids activities, the reviews do not provide any direct information to confirm their suitability or existence.
- Reviews indicate 'one day is not enough' to fully experience the museum, suggesting it might be challenging for families with limited time or shorter attention spans.
- While the museum is recommended for kids, the provided reviews do not offer specific details about dedicated 'New Year's Eve Kids Activities' or other specific kid-focused programs.
- Crowds
- One review describes a musical event as a 'small intimate venue' and 'intimate setting', but this refers to specific performance spaces rather than the general museum crowd level. No information about general museum crowd levels (weekends, weekdays, peak times) is provided.
- Accessibility
- No specific accessibility features or accommodations are mentioned in the provided reviews.
- Safety
- No specific safety measures or features are mentioned in the provided reviews.
What parents say
"There so many attractions to visit that around this place that one day is not enough, as an adult i enjoyed visiting with my significant other and had a blast learning and admiring so many things about animals, they have fossils from dinosaurs to extinct species that were native from California. What i was amazed is that they have a huge living frog that I think it's about 12-15 inches long. Kids would love this place."
a month ago
"I liked how it was a small intimate venue as well and how they talked to us. It was one's FIRST show ever, another orchestrated (?) (figured out which of the 4 instruments could do what) 4 of the songs himself. It was fun trying to figure out which piece was doing what sound as well. I would even get chills when the two were in PERFECT harmony (insane!!!) And of course cried at times. Chef's kiss 👌"
a week ago
"The Nat is a great museum and the exhibits are laid out very nicely. I love that there are specific mentions to the research that is done there. The employees at the help desk are very knowledgeable and have lots of great fun facts. I really enjoyed strolling around and learning about local wildlife as well as seeing so many fossils and bone structures. What a cool place!!"
2 months ago
Reviews sourced from public Google data.
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