Museum of Us facts for kids
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| Established | 1915 |
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| Location | California Quadrangle 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park San Diego, California, United States |
| Type | anthropological museum |
| Visitors | 220,000 annually |
The Museum of Us (once called the San Diego Museum of Man) is a museum about anthropology. Anthropology is the study of human societies, cultures, and how humans developed. The museum is located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. It is housed in the beautiful and historic California Quadrangle buildings.
Contents
History of the Museum of Us
The museum started during the Panama–California Exposition, a big fair that opened in 1915. This fair celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal. The main part of the fair was an exhibit called "The Story of Man through the Ages."
A famous archaeologist named Dr. Edgar Lee Hewett helped put this exhibit together. Archaeologists study human history by digging up old objects and places. Dr. Hewett led trips to find ancient pottery from the American Southwest. He also traveled to Guatemala to find objects and copies of Maya monuments. Maya monuments are large stone carvings made by the ancient Maya people.
Other items for the museum came from trips led by anthropologist Aleš Hrdlička from the Smithsonian Institution. Anthropologists study human cultures and societies. He collected casts and items from Africa, Siberia, Alaska, and Southeast Asia. They also got ancient bones and skulls from Peru.
After the fair, a group of citizens, led by George Marston, wanted to keep the collection. They formed the San Diego Museum Association to create a permanent museum. Dr. Hewett became its first director. Later, the museum added the Jessop Weapons Collection. They also received a rare collection of artifacts from the ancient Egyptian city of Amarna. These were given by Ellen Browning Scripps and the Egyptian Exploration Society.
From 1935 to 1936, the museum was briefly called the Palace of Science. This was for another big fair called the California-Pacific International Exposition. During this time, the museum showed special exhibits, including many items loaned from the Mexican government.
In 1942, the museum's name changed to "Museum of Man" to show its focus on anthropology. "San Diego" was added to the name in 1978. During World War II, the museum became a hospital. Its exhibits and collections were moved to storage. After the war, the museum began to focus on the people of the Western Americas. The museum's collections grew a lot from the 1980s to the early 1990s. Today, it has almost two million objects!
Museum Buildings and Architecture
The museum is located in four original buildings from the 1915 Exposition. The main part is the California Quadrangle, designed by American architect Bertram G. Goodhue. The California Tower is also part of this area. It is one of the most famous landmarks in San Diego. The Quadrangle and Tower are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites. The sculptures on the outside of the building were made by the Piccirilli Brothers.
The main museum, with its exhibits and gift shop, is in the beautiful California Building. The California Tower was closed to the public for almost 80 years. It reopened on January 1, 2015, just in time for the 100th anniversary of the Panama–California Exposition. The tower has a carillon, which is like a giant musical instrument with bells. Its chimes can be heard all over Balboa Park every 15 minutes.
The museum also uses three other original buildings from 1915. The administrative offices and an auditorium are in the Gill Administration Building. This building is next to the museum on the west side. It was built in 1911 and designed by architect Irving Gill. It was the very first building built in Balboa Park. On the other side of the California Quadrangle is Evernham Hall. This was once the Fine Arts Building. It is now used for banquets and temporary exhibits. Next to it is the Saint Francis Chapel, a beautiful Spanish-style chapel. It is used for private events like weddings.
On August 2, 2020, the museum officially changed its name to the Museum of Us. This change was made to be more welcoming and inclusive to everyone.
Museum Collections
The museum's collections and permanent exhibits focus on the history of the western Americas before Christopher Columbus arrived. It has items from Native American cultures in Southern California. It also features objects from Mesoamerican civilizations, like the Maya.
The museum also has one of the most important collections of Ancient Egyptian artifacts in the United States. This includes burial masks, small statues, and seven painted wooden coffins. One very special item is a rare child's coffin from the Ptolemaic period. Only six others like it are known to exist worldwide! In total, the museum has over 100,000 cultural items, more than 300,000 archaeological items, and over 25,000 photographs.
Exhibits to Explore
The Museum of Us has many interesting exhibits for visitors of all ages.
First Floor Exhibits
Admissions and Gift Shop This is where you enter the museum and can find unique gifts.
BEERology: This special exhibit explores 10,000 years of the history of beer. It shows how ancient Egyptians, Sumerians, Chinese, and other cultures made and used beer. The exhibit looks at old and new ways of brewing. It also shows how beer connects to farming, religion, and social life. Highlights include a solid gold beer cup from an Incan king and ancient Peruvian pots. There's also a short film about the craft beer industry in San Diego. This exhibit was open through 2018.
Maya: Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth: This exhibit displays several huge Maya monuments, called stelae. These are copies of the original monuments found in Quirigua, Guatemala. The copies were made for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. They have been on display ever since, except during World War II. At that time, the Navy used the museum as a hospital. Today, researchers study these copies because they are in better condition than the original monuments. The originals have worn down over time. The exhibit also includes other ancient Maya items like masks, bowls, and figurines.
Monsters!: This is a fun, kid-friendly exhibit. It uses interactive activities and displays of folk art to tell stories about more than 50 different monsters and mythical creatures from around the world. Visitors learn about creatures like dragons, the yeti, the kraken, unicorns, and the bogeyman. You can explore different areas that look like monster homes, such as a child's bedroom, a forest, a cave, and the ocean. Fun activities include a book nook for monster stories, a magnetic wall to create your own monsters, and a puppet theater. This exhibit was open through 2016.
Second Floor Exhibits
Race: Are We So Different?: This exhibit explores the idea of "race." It shows how our ideas about race have developed over time and how many of them are not based on science or genetics. It helps us understand the history of race and how to talk about it in helpful ways. Visitors can explore these ideas with hands-on activities and videos.
Post Secret: This exhibit explores the idea of secrets. Secrets can be our deepest thoughts or our biggest hopes. They are very personal but also something many people can relate to. For over ten years, millions of people worldwide have shared their secrets anonymously with Frank Warren. He started a community art project called PostSecret. Each secret is sent on a unique, handmade postcard.
Living With Animals: This exhibit looks at our relationship with animals. Over 15,000 years ago, humans started sharing food with wolves, creating the first friendship between humans and animals. Since then, we have formed many different relationships with animals. We see them everywhere: cuddling on the couch, crawling in our walls, or on our dinner plates. The exhibit shows how our views of animals as pets, pests, or food have changed over time and across cultures.
Kumeyaay: Native Californians: This exhibit explores the traditional ways of life of the Kumeyaay people. It shows their art of pottery and basket making, how they found food, their clothing, traditional medicine, games, and ceremonies. The exhibit uses artifacts and photographs from the museum's collection. It highlights the rich culture of the Kumeyaay, showing how the ancestors of today's people lived.
Ancient Egypt: This main exhibit combines history and science. It shows the mummification traditions of Ancient Egypt and other examples of mummification from around the world. Artifacts include the real remains of two Egyptian mummies, painted mummy coffins and masks, amulets, pottery, and ushabti figures. These items are mostly from the Late Period and the Ptolemaic Dynasty. The exhibit also has a rare child's sarcophagus (a stone coffin) from 305-30 B.C.E. It is one of only seven known to exist in museums worldwide. Also on display are several items from the ancient city of Amarna. This city was ruled by Akhenaten, who was the father of King Tut. One special item from Amarna is called ‘The Missing Cartouche of Nefertiti’. It was given to the museum by San Diego helper Ellen Browning Scripps.
Adventure Kids in Egypt: This family-friendly exhibit lets younger visitors learn about ancient Egyptian civilization in a fun, hands-on way. It also teaches about the role of anthropologists and archaeologists in studying and understanding cultures. Highlights include a computer game that tests your archaeology skills. There's also a dig box with artifacts to uncover, a child-sized sarcophagus puzzle, and ancient Egyptian costumes for kids to wear.
Special Events
The museum also takes part in the yearly "December Nights" event at Balboa Park.
See also
In Spanish: Museo del Hombre de San Diego para niños
