San Diego History Center facts for kids
Entrance of the San Diego History Center in Balboa Park
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| Former name | San Diego Historical Society |
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| Location | Casa de Balboa San Diego, California, US |
| Founder | George Marston |
The San Diego History Center is a cool museum located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. It's all about exploring the amazing history of San Diego!
Contents
About the History Center
The San Diego History Center was started in 1928 by a businessman named George W. Marston. Back then, it was called the San Diego Historical Society. Its first home was the Junípero Serra Museum. This museum was built in the Mission style on Presidio Hill. This spot is very important because it's where San Diego and California first began.
In 1982, the Historical Society moved its main collections. They moved to the Casa de Balboa building in Balboa Park. The Serra Museum stayed open as a special place for learning. Later, in 2010, the society changed its name to the San Diego History Center.
What You Can See: Collections
The museum has some really special collections. One is the Historic Clothing and Textile Collection. It has over 7,000 items! These items show how clothes have changed from the late 1700s until today.
There's also the San Diego Fine Art Collection. This collection is known for its paintings from the early 1900s. These paintings often show outdoor scenes. You can see works by artists like Maurice Braun and Alfred Mitchell.
Research and Archives
Besides the museum exhibits, the History Center has a huge research library. It also has archives, which are like giant storage places for old documents. People like students and researchers use these to learn about the past.
The Document Archives hold more than 45 million historical items. This includes old records, maps, and diaries. It's the biggest collection of its kind in the San Diego area.
The photograph collection is also very impressive. It has 2.5 million photos! This makes it one of the largest photo collections in the United States. Many photos show San Diego from the 1800s and early 1900s. The collection also includes photos from the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper before 1981.
Some cool parts of the photo collection include the Edward H. Davis Collection. It has photos and drawings of Native American communities from the early 1900s. There's also the Norman Baynard Collection. This shows the African-American community in Logan Heights from 1939 to 1985.
Partnerships and Publications
Since 1955, the center has worked with the University of San Diego. Together, they publish the Journal of San Diego History. This journal shares interesting stories and facts about San Diego's past.
In 2013, the History Center became a Smithsonian Affiliate. This means it's connected to the famous Smithsonian museums.
See also
- List of historical societies in California
