SAN DIEGO—The San Diego Natural History Museum’s fossil collection is normally seen only by expert eyes—but that’s about to change when its new Paleontology Center formally opens to the public this spring.
The Tom Deméré Paleontology Center is a brand-new state-of-the-art collections space and fossil processing lab located in the Museum’s lower level. It officially opens to the public on Friday, June 6 as part of Amazement in the Basement, an exhibition featuring natural history specimens of all kinds—eye-catching taxidermy, drawers of colorful insects, snakes in jars, interesting skulls and shells, plant pressings from the museum’s herbarium, a wide variety of fossils, and much more.
The opening of this space means the Museum will have five full floors of exhibits for visitors to enjoy. Guests can peer into an active paleontology collection room housing more than 1.5 million specimens from our region, interact with scientists cleaning and preparing fossils in the lab, and think like a scientist as they navigate the galleries. The exhibition will also showcase stories of medical discoveries and conservation projects that have their foundation in The Nat’s research collections.
“Amazement in the Basement invites everyone behind-the-scenes to experience our collections and meet our scientists. The exhibition provides a window on the process of scientific discovery,” said Judy Gradwohl, president and CEO at The Nat. “The new experience is one of the many ways we’re expanding our offerings and bringing visitors closer to nature.”
Amazement in the Basement and the new Paleo Center are permanent additions to The Nat’s exhibits program and will be the centerpiece of The Nat’s Summer of Wonder. Additional amenities and activities that will round out the summer’s nature-focused activities include:
Nat at Night. The best weekends start in Balboa Park. Every Friday admission is half-price after 5 PM. Visitors can explore all five floors, then hit the roof to mingle with other nature lovers and enjoy a spectacular sunset view, a TGIF cocktail, and small bites from Wolf in the Woods. Learn more.
New this year: Rooftop views all weekend. Rooftop access is not only a Nat at Night thing. Guests visiting on Saturdays or Sundays this summer can hit the rooftop for fresh air and sunny views of Balboa Park (though food and drinks are available on Friday nights only).
Hands-on activities. Get creative with nature studio and gallery sketching, interact and learn directly from our Museum-trained naturalists, enjoy Nature and Me Storytime, family days, and more. Learn more.
Animal encounters. Meet some of the coolest critters from Living Lab and some extra special guests—birds of prey. Encounters take place on Saturdays and are guided by our animal care team and professional handlers to make the experience fun and educational.
New films. Two films are screening at The Nat for the first time: Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope and Animal Kingdom play daily in the Giant Screen Theater and are included with admission (Wild San Diego remains in the rotation too). Learn more.
New store and cafe. Enjoy authentic San Diego flavors from The Craft Taco, a vibrant taco restaurant offering a fusion of flavors. Visit Gold Leaf, the new retail partner with a curated selection of nature-focused home goods, unique gifts, and more—all in the re-imagined Museum atrium. Learn more.
To stay in the know on all things Paleo Center and Summer of Wonder, visit The Nat website, sign up for email updates, or follow on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
About the San Diego Natural History Museum
The San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat) is one of California’s oldest and most respected cultural and scientific institutions. Founded in 1874 by a small group of citizen scientists, the Museum works to preserve and protect this amazing place we call home. The Museum is located at 1788 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101 in Balboa Park. For more information, call 877.946.7797 or visit sdnat.org.
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For a full press kit and images, click here.
For media inquiries or interview requests, please contact:
Paula Sternberg, Science Communications Manager, psternberg@sdnhm.org, 619.255.0220
Interviews available upon request. Sneak preview and behind-the-scenes tour of Amazement in the Basement and Paleo Center available by appointment beginning in late May and early June.