Balboa Park

The mosaic domes and tower of The Museum of Man Casa Del Prado, home to six museums and three art groups. Side Panel of Casa Del Prado building Horticulture Building and Reflection Pool Fountain and building housing Cafe Prado

Casa Del Prado Theater

Balboa Park

One of the Crown Jewels of San Diego is Balboa Park. In 1868 the City set aside 1400 acres of scrub land for a park. Originally named City Park the name was changed in 1910 to Balboa Park to honor Vasco Nunez de Balboa because of the beautiful view of the Pacific.

The first museum built in Balboa Park was The Natural History Museum in 1874. The impetus for creation of the park was the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition honoring the opening of the Panama Canal. The buildings built for the Expo are the highly ornate Spanish Renaissance style. These photos are just a few of the many beautiful buildings. To see the details in many of the photos, click to enlarge.