By: Edward Dye
Balboa Park in San Diego is among the highly urbanized spaces in the whole world. It spans about 1200 acres, having eighty-five recreational and cultural organizations that include fifteen splendid museums and different art-performing groups. There is also an animal habitat that is ranked among the top 5 zoological gardens in the world. The park is named to honor Vasco Nunez de Balboa, a sixteenth century Spanish explorer. It is a world-class destination for visitors.
The Botanical Building, close to the epicenter of the park comprises showcase that is glass-walled, having over 2000 tropical plants ranging from uncommon tender orchids to extremely tall palms and ferns. The sun-lit aisles of this fabulous horticultural pavilion are amazing.
The Old Globe, a Tony Award winner is a theater that is internationally renowned, and has showed productions such as Shakespeare and Sondheim for the past seventy years. Its open air stages and indoor stages are among San Diego’s lasting impressions.
Reuben H. Fleet Science Center has a planetarium, IMAX-domed theatre, and extraordinary exhibits.
The Aerospace Museum gives a close view of the real command module of Apollo 9. You can ‘experience the 1903 Wright flyer or P-51 Mustang, or step on the USS constellation’. It offers exciting activities and hence, is a family destination and a constant appeal for kids.
San Diego Art Museum, the earliest and biggest museum in the whole region is renowned for a collection of early-Europe masters, Asian artists as well as Latin American artists. It has an unparalleled display of sculptures and paintings.
Timken Museum of Art has a collection of valuable Russian icons, landscape-based American paintings and European masters. The white-marble building located here is a label of the Balboa Park’s buildings.
San Diego Natural History Museum, the earliest scientific institute of Southern California, was founded by a few naturalists in 1874. The exhibits are varied and creative, and are not only informative, but also interactive. The giant-screen films of the museum spotlight the diversity of the astonishing ecosystem of the region, with an insight into its evolution.
San Diego Model Railroad Museum, among the hidden treasures of the Balboa Park is likely to be overlooked. Spanning an area of 28000 square feet, this museum is the largest of its kind in the world.
Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater had presented its first performance in the 1940s. The presentations here focus on the intelligible skills of the hands, with shadow, rod puppets and string-operated marionettes displayed. Kids greatly enjoy the puppet shows here.
Spreckels Organ Pavilion, built with an amazing sonic, around the 4530- pipe treasure, is ranked among the world’s largest keyboard instruments. It offers free concerts on Sunday afternoons since 1917. These outdoor concerts have been a great appeal.
San Diego Zoo, a home to over 4000 rare as well as endangered species of animals, houses animals such as giant pandas and koalas.
The Balboa Park has a number of eateries with reasonably priced items on the menu. With astonishing places and activities the park is a world-class destination.