San Diego Natural History Museum

First established in 1874, the San Diego Natural History Museum is the second oldest scientific institution in Southern California and third west of the Mississippi. Its mission is to interpret the natural world through research, education and exhibits; promote understanding of the evolution and diversity of southern California and the peninsula of Baja California; and inspire in all a respect for nature and the environment. In addition to blockbuster exhibitions such as the 2007 Dead Sea Scrolls, the museum houses the highly acclaimed, binational Biodiversity Research Center of the Californias and the Environmental Science Education Center. SDNHM has played a pivotal role in regional initiatives, such as the establishment of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Torrey Pines State Park, and Anza Borrego State Park.