Discover the culturally diverse people and colorful events that have made San Diego the nation’s eight largest city by visiting the San Diego History Center (SDHC) , located at the Casa de Balboa Building in Balboa Park, 1649 El Prado, and experience the history of America’s finest cities.

The San Diego History Center is located in the heart of Balboa Park and it’s where you’ll find a research library and an astonishing collection of intriguing exhibitions that chronicle San Diego’s diverse history. It’s also home to 2.5 million images and over 45 million pieces of paper that document the events, places and people of San Diego’s past. Besides the exhibitions at San Diego History Center, the museum also presents a number of public programs such as workshops, lectures and educational programs.

As a public service, Balboa Park organizers offer free admission on every 2nd Tuesday of the month for all San Diego City and County residents, all active military and their dependents; the museums members, visitors with Balboa Park Passports, and the ‘Go’ San Diego or ‘Go’ Los Angeles cards.

Once you visit the San Diego History Center, head on over to The Junipero Serra Museum, in Presidio Park, which is not too far from many of the five star hotels in San Diego . The Junipero is also apart the the SDHC, and is one of the most familiar landmarks in San Diego and is considered a major symbol of the city. Standing atop a hill and is where California began. It was here, in 1769, that a Spanish Franciscan missionary, Father Junipero Serra, along with a group of soldiers and led by Gaspar de Portola, established Alta California’s first mission and presidio or fort.

The current exhibition at Junipero , commemorates 75 years of the museum itself; chronicling the history of Presidio Hill from the turn of the century through the Serra Museum’s dedication day on July 16, 1929. You’ll get to see how the mission looked in the late 1800s and how the San Diego River once flowed at the base of the Presidio Hill. The exhibit occupies 2 rooms at the top of the tower. This exhibition is temporary, so check it out as soon as you can, history doesn’t wait forever.

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