by Jordan Jacobo

June 2, 2025

If you’re one of the rare San Diegans who actually grew up in San Diego (I like to think of us as “America’s Finest Hometowners”), then it’s likely that setting foot in Balboa Park’s Natural History Museum as an adult might illicit feelings of nostalgia based on one or more elementary school field trips. I was overcome with such nostalgia when, for the first time in nearly 2 decades, I once again visited the spot that locals have affectionately come to know as “The Nat.”

I was genuinely surprised by how much of the museum remained the same; namely the vastness of its 4-story-high atrium who’s exhibits peek out just past every floor’s railings to offer a hint of things to come, as well as full-sized models of sea creatures dangling directly overhead, culminating in a glass ceiling that bathes the space in natural light, giving it the impression of a cathedral in which pilgrims come to stand in awe of the wonders of the natural world. 

What surprised me even more, though, was how much of the museum had changed from the last time I’d walked through its doors as a schoolboy. 

As a “full-grown,” self-described “man about town,” I was delighted by the Friday evening social hour held on the museum’s rooftop deck. Even though it had been years since I’d visited the Nat, I’m no stranger to Balboa Park, which made the unique, overhead views of the Bea Evenson Fountain, Museum Row and the Organ Pavilion all the more captivating.  Of course, the delicious food and alcoholic beverages didn’t hurt, either.

I was also surprised by my fellow roof-goers, a well-dressed group composed almost entirely of adults, who wouldn’t have seemed at all out of place at any other San Diego hot-spot.  At a corner table, three elegantly dressed ladies who I later found out worked as concierge in two of San Diego‘s more prominent hotels, shared a series of dishes served by “Wolf in the Woods,” the Nat at Night’s culinary partner, who describes their food as “New Mexican.”  

At a standing table overlooking the balcony, two impeccably dressed gentlemen who had decided to pair white wine with a view of the sun setting over the park told me that they were scouting venues for their upcoming 30th anniversary celebration.  At yet another table, a young couple seemed to be awkwardly navigating what I was sure must’ve been their first date.  

After sufficient schmoozing, I decided to head down into the museum itself to explore its many floors of exhibits only to be surprised to learn that they now featured an additional floor of wonders.  Namely, “Amazement in the Basement,” a behind-the-scenes look at the museum’s newly upgraded Paleontology Center, a labyrinthine complex featuring towering shelves full of plants, animals, minerals, and fossils that comprise only a fraction of the Nat’s vast collection.

What impressed me the most was the functioning paleontology laboratory where visitors are invited get a first-hand look at scientists working on fossils recovered from digs and construction sites throughout the region, and with whom the museum encourages not just observation, but interaction.  

As I emerged back into the atrium, I was once again surprised to see that all of the tables, which had been mostly empty when I arrived, were now populated by groups of people eating tacos and taking part in what might be the largest-scale “trivia night” gathering I’ve ever seen in San Diego, with the host utilizing the museum’s massive projector screen as part of the competition.  

Though I had clearly missed the start of the game, it certainly wasn’t too late for me to walk around the tables in order to mouth-wateringly gawk at the dishes from “The Craft Taco,” located just inside the atrium, which mostly consisted of made-to-order tacos featuring signature blue corn tortillas. Having just eaten upstairs, it took every ounce of willpower to conclude that I’d had enough for one evening.

As someone who’s as fascinated by science as he is by any opportunity to rub elbows and clink glasses with interesting people in a unique setting, I can safely say it wasn’t my worst Friday night, and I definitely intend on going back.

The Nat at Night series is open to visitors of all ages, and takes place every Friday throughout the summer, from 5 PM to 10 PM, with trivia in the atrium starting at 7 PM.  Admission is half price after 5 PM and can be purchased in person or online.  Amazement in the Basement officially opens on June 6.