Museum of Us

Museum of Us A place for the stories that define us all! Open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Museum of Us is a place for the diverse stories that define us—all of us!
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Home to the historic California Tower, the Museum of Us sits on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Kumeyaay Nation in San Diego's Balboa Park. Located in Balboa Park on the unceded ancestral homelands of the Kumeyaay Nation, our mission is to inspire human connections by exploring the human experience and support guests in becoming agents of positive change. Enjoy immersive experiences about th

emes that connect humans across time and culture, like the history of race in San Diego and the broader region, to migration and the power of secrets. Plus, climb one of San Diego's most iconic landmarks on a guided tour of the California Tower. With the purchase of an admission ticket, visitors can enjoy complimentary, annual membership and return to the Museum as often as they like. Speak with an associate during your visit to enroll in membership and enjoy annual access to the Museum for the price of single-day admission. The Museum of Us is a place for all to reflect on the human experience with kindness and respect. Social media community guidelines are in place to maintain a positive and safe space for all, learn more at https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/qpip5g0wkjqwnyi3fnsci/Social-Media-Community-Guidelines-JUNE-2023.pdf?rlkey=o3q1pegoxgmygcv6476aexqyl&st=mot0lbp9&dl=0.

An announcement from the Museum of Us: Micah Parzen will conclude his tenure as Chief Executive Officer at the Museum of...
06/15/2026

An announcement from the Museum of Us:

Micah Parzen will conclude his tenure as Chief Executive Officer at the Museum of Us in August 2026, after 16 years of leading the Museum through a period of profound change.

Parzen will join the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology at UC Berkeley as its Executive Director, where he will continue advancing relationally accountable museum practice within one of the world’s leading research and teaching universities.

Erin Spiewak, a veteran nonprofit executive who has co-led the Museum alongside Parzen as its Executive Director since 2023, will continue in that capacity, providing strong and seamless leadership.

Read the full statement and learn more about the transition online at https://museumofus.org/blog/micah-parzen-concludes-16-years-of-leadership.

The Museum’s Education Coordinator Keala Rusher (AKA Miss K!) has led hundreds of students through learning experiences ...
06/12/2026

The Museum’s Education Coordinator Keala Rusher (AKA Miss K!) has led hundreds of students through learning experiences at the Museum of Us in both English and Spanish, from School in the Park classrooms to field trip groups.

Educators like Miss K, the School in the Park program staff, and classroom teachers make learning spaces fun and engaging for all!

That’s why the Museum of Us is excited to invite educators from all professional backgrounds to join our Teacher Tuesday Summer Series.

Join Us on Tuesdays in July to enjoy free admission and a free 𝘙𝘢𝘤𝘦 Exhibits tour featuring 𝘙𝘢𝘤𝘦: 𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳, 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 & 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 and 𝘙𝘢𝘤𝘦: 𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘞𝘦 𝘚𝘰 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵?

Learn more at museumofus.org/blog/teacher-tuesday-summer-series2026.

Photos courtesy of School in the Park.

We’ve wrapped up another wonderful school year with the School In The Park program! This year, 10 classrooms visited th...
06/10/2026

We’ve wrapped up another wonderful school year with the School In The Park program!

This year, 10 classrooms visited the Museum of Us to learn about Kumeyaay history and culture. At the end of the week, students’ families were invited to the Museum for an open house where students shared what they learned about Kumeyaay culture – from tule boatmaking to ethnobotany.

The students and their families also get to enjoy a year of complimentary membership to the Museum after their time with Us.

School in the Park is made possible thanks to the support of the Price Philanthropies Foundation.

Photos courtesy of School in the Park.

06/09/2026

Tips for your trip to the Museum of Us ✨

Visit our newest experience 𝘙𝘢𝘤𝘦: 𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳, 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 & 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 to learn more about our region’s history through powerful stories, art, and voices often left unheard. Artworks by Einar and Jamex De la Torre, Hugo Crosthwaite, Marcos Ramirez ERRE and more artists give form to these stories.

Book a California Tower Tour to experience the best views of the city and learn about San Diego’s unique and diverse communities. Visit CaliforniaTower.org to learn more.

Sign up for our complimentary membership program and enjoy unlimited visits for one year for the price of a single day admission!

Plan your visit at museumofus.org.

Happy World Pride Month! On Saturday, June 27, we will celebrate Pride at the Museum with free admission for registered ...
06/03/2026

Happy World Pride Month! On Saturday, June 27, we will celebrate Pride at the Museum with free admission for registered guests, activities with community partners, and special guests – Queens from the Haus of St. James.

Our wonderful community partners include:
ArtReach San Diego
Casa de Luz
CA vs. Hate of the California Civil Rights Department
Lambda Archives of San Diego
Project Trans at The San Diego LGBT Community Center
San Diego Public Library
SheFest

Learn more and register online at museumofus.org/blog/pride-party-2026

Thank you to the educators who shared space and inspired learning with Us this year! As summer approaches, we’re excited...
05/28/2026

Thank you to the educators who shared space and inspired learning with Us this year!

As summer approaches, we’re excited to invite you to join Us for the Teacher Tuesday Summer Series in July.

⭐ Free admission and 𝘙𝘢𝘤𝘦: 𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳, 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 & 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 exhibits tour with advance registration
⭐ Optional field trip info session + Q&A
⭐ Space to connect and plan future visits

All educators are welcome. Come imagine a field trip with Us and get ready for the next schoolyear.

📅 Tuesdays in July - July 7, 14, 21, 28
⏰ Tours offered at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Learn more at https://museumofus.org/blog/teacher-tuesday-summer-series2026. Link in bio.

The Museum of Us is open today! Join Us for experiences that invite deeper reflection on ourselves, our communities, and...
05/25/2026

The Museum of Us is open today! Join Us for experiences that invite deeper reflection on ourselves, our communities, and our shared experience. Plan your visit at museumofus.org/your-visit.

05/21/2026

Now on view at the San Ysidro Library! The Kumeyaay Comics banner exhibit is a traveling exhibit featuring excerpts from the full-length Kumeyaay Comics, created by the Kumeyaay Visual Storytelling Project. Kumeyaay Comics is a series of co-created comics that illustrate Kumeyaay history and lifeways.

The Museum of Us is proud to partner with the Kumeyaay Visual Storytelling Project to share the banner exhibit with community organizations, free-of-charge! The banner exhibit will be on view at the San Ysidro Public Library branch until August 2026.

Visit Kumeyaayvsp.weebly.com to learn more about Kumeyaay Comics.

Financial support is provided in part by the City of San Diego Department of Cultural Affairs.

We are heartbroken by the deadly act of violence at the Islamic Center in our San Diego community. We mourn with the vic...
05/19/2026

We are heartbroken by the deadly act of violence at the Islamic Center in our San Diego community.

We mourn with the victims, their families, and our Muslim neighbors. Violence and hatred directed at people because of their faith or identity have no place in our community.

At the Museum of Us, we believe in the dignity, safety, and belonging of all people, and we stand against Islamophobia, antisemitism, and all forms of hate-based violence.

On International Museum Day, we share our deepest gratitude to our partners at the Guam Museum and the NMI Museum of His...
05/18/2026

On International Museum Day, we share our deepest gratitude to our partners at the Guam Museum and the NMI Museum of History & Culture whose collaboration and leadership made our most recent repatriation through The Homeward Project a success.

The Museum recently completed the first wave of returns of its Chamoru belongings to the Guam Museum in Hagåtña, Guam. Now, generations of Chamorus can reconnect with these items – or in some cases, see them for the first time – supporting the preservation of history and revitalization of cultural memory.

Dr. Michael Lujan Bevacqua, Curator of the Guam Museum, and Nicole Delisle Dueñas, the Archeological Collections’ lab manager at the Guam Cultural Repository, led a public viewing of the cultural resources for Chamorus in San Diego. They also shared the history of the Guam Museum and Chamoru self-determination with Museum of Us staff and trustees.

The Guam Museum will offer a public presentation and exhibit on the history of these cultural resources and the process to bring them home. This return comes during the Guam Museum’s centennial celebration.

Many thanks and meggai ma’ase to Dr. Michael Lujan Bevacqua, Nicole Dueñas, and Leonard Leon, Director of the NMI Museum of History and Culture, for this meaningful collaboration and return.

Learn more on the blog: https://museumofus.org/blog/thp-chamoru-repatriations

Photos were taken and shared with community permission.

Address

1350 El Prado
San Diego, CA
92101

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+16192392001

Website

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