Museum of Us

01/06/2024

Calling all San Diego readers! Start the new year off right by diving into a good book and signing up for the San Diego Public Library’s 2024 Winter Reading Challenge.

This year’s theme, Where We Come From, encourages readers to reflect on their backgrounds, cultures and identities. Participants who complete the challenge are eligible for a variety of prizes, including passes to the Museum of Us! Readers of all ages are welcome.

Register online and view the list of recommended books at sandiego.gov/WinterReading

12/28/2023

Read with Us in 2024! 📚✨ Check out our new and updated programs schedule starting in January.

Virtual Book Club hosted by the Museum of Us kicks off in January with “All About Love” by bell hooks. Sign up online to join our monthly virtual book club meetings over Zoom. The first book club meeting will be held on February 1.

Join Us for our first Book Swap Surprise! at the Museum on Saturday, January 27. This free community book exchange will be held monthly on the last Saturday of the month. To participate, bring a gently used book that deserves a new home and leave with a new-to-you book of your own.

Move with Us is now offered every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. except for select dates. Enjoy weekly sessions with a focus on relaxation and restoration.

Learn more at museumofus.org/calendar. Tap "More Links" at the link in bio.

12/22/2023

The Museum of Us is hiring a Visitor Experience Associate to join our team. Learn more and apply online now at https://museumofus.org/careers-visitor-experience-associate.

12/20/2023

The Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday for the rest of the month, including December 24 and December 31.

We will be closed on December 25-26 and January 1-2 per our usual business hours.

Don't forget! One visit to the Museum of Us grants you free admission for the year. Join our "Membership On Us" program during your next visit! 🎟️

12/17/2023

Enjoy a relaxing yoga session at the Museum this Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. This evening class promotes restoration by strengthening the mind-body connection with deep stretching, breathwork, and a welcoming space. Walk-ins are welcome and registration is just $10 per class. Learn more at museumofus.org/calendar.

12/14/2023

Join our community of supporters with a tax-deductible donation today! Help us provide accessible and community-centered learning experiences for all by donating online now at museumofus.org/donate. Plus, any donation of $20 or more includes annual membership!

12/12/2023

New San Diego secrets are now on display in the PostSecret exhibition! Visit us soon to see them in person, Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

12/07/2023

Thank you City Council for supporting Penny for the Arts! The Museum of Us was proud to attend and show support for San Diego's vibrant arts and culture community.

Fantastic! Thanks to our advocates and Councilmembers Moreno and Campillo for making Penny for Arts and Culture more than a concept - it is our future! We look forward to this being reflected in the Mayor's budget. This is a momentous, unanimous vote for the City!
Councilmember Raul Campillo
Vivian Moreno
Space 4 Art
The New Children's Museum
Fleet Science Center
Comic-Con Museum
San Diego Civic Youth Ballet
San Diego Youth Symphony
Spreckels Organ Society Balboa Park Cultural Partnership
Kimberly Art Show
San Diego Regional Arts and Culture Coalition
San Diego Museum Council
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
San Diego Museum of Art
Asian Story Theater
Mid-City CAN (Community Advocacy Network)
The Old Globe
San Diego Junior Theatre
MOXIE Theatre

12/07/2023

Want to bring your class or group to the Museum of Us? Booking a field trip or group visit is now easier than ever with Explorable Places! Find helpful tips for your visit, browse availability, and even apply for admission scholarships—all in one place.

Visit www.explorableplaces.com/places/museum-of-us to learn more and schedule a visit!

11/30/2023

We can't wait to open our doors to our community for this year's December Nights in Balboa Park. The Museum will be open with free admission from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on December 1-2. We will be closed during the day on both days, and will open for our regular hours on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. See you soon!

11/29/2023

Museums are for all of us! That's why we strive to provide free or discounted access programs to communities all year long. Last fiscal year, we welcomed almost 12,000 visitors to the Museum with free admission.

We need your help to continue making learning experiences at the Museum accessible to all. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today to support our efforts! Donate now at museumofus.org/donate.

11/24/2023

This exhibit – the first-ever museum exhibit about Kumeyaay astronomy – was developed by curator and Kumeyaay scholar, Michael Connolly Miskwish (Campo Kumeyaay Nation), and Mataam Naka Shin, the San Diego-Panama Exposition Centennial Intertribal Committee.

Michael Connolly Miskwish authored “Maay Uuyow: Kumeyaay Cosmology” to share the Kumeyaay traditions and cosmological beliefs. Learn more in the “Kumeyaay Peoples: Native Californians/Iipai-Tipai” exhibition.

11/18/2023

Get in besties, we’re going to the Museum of Us!

Quick reminder that the Museum will be closed on November 22-23. Plan your visit at museumofus.org/your-visit.

📸 Courtesy of IG: rae.cifelli

11/17/2023

Time for a decolonial turn? Dive into this workshop with Museum of Us CEO, Micah Parzen, and Sr. Director of Cultural Resources, Kara S. Vetter, as they discuss the necessity, challenges, and rewards of decolonial work with Darrell Jackson, Co-Founder of Stealing Culture and Museum of Us Trustee; Brandon Linton, Cultural Principal, Loveless Linton, Inc.; and Orlando Serrano, Co-Director of the Decolonizing Working Group at the Smithsonian’s Center for Restorative History.

Time for a Decolonial Turn? Making Your Case, Readying Your Organization & Doing Better as You Know Better SPEAKERS:Micah Parzen, CEO, Museum of Us (San Dieg...

11/16/2023

The project to reimagine the entire “Kumeyaay: Native Californians Iipai/Tipai” exhibition is a multi-year collaboration. In 2019, we made a set of interim changes to the exhibit as part of the Museum’s initial decolonizing initiatives.

Recognizing that this would be a long and ongoing process, our team prioritized these updates:
- Audited and removed items looted from gravesites and ceremonial grounds that fall under NAGPRA-the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
- In collaboration with Kumeyaay partners, we updated the exhibit text and artwork to better acknowledge the present-day Kumeyaay Peoples and land. The text explains how Indigenous voice and knowledge were ignored in previous versions of the exhibit, holding our institution accountable to our colonial past and showing that changes are ongoing.
- Displayed newly made objects from artists and traditional practitioners like hunting and agricultural tools, jewelry, toys, and more to show the continuum of artistry and technological design present in today’s community of makers.

The new exhibit will be driven by Kumeyaay community consultants to reflect the vibrant Indigenous community full of dedicated artists, educators, professionals, innovators, caregivers and more. Learn more at museumofus.org/exhibits/kumeyaay-native-californians.

11/14/2023

Enjoy a read on your next visit to the Museum. Check out books in the “Maya Peoples: Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth,” “Hostile Terrain 94,” and the “Race: Are We So Different?” exhibits and the Monsters! Clubhouse.

Did you know you can check-out a book from the Museum for a day? Just bring a book to our admissions desk to check it out, and return it by 4 p.m. Our staff will even give you a blanket so you can spread out and relax in a cozy spot in the Museum or a nearby garden in Balboa Park.

📸 Courtesy of IG: eyese_

11/12/2023

Planning a trip to the Museum of Us soon? Mark these dates on your calendar! Visit museumofus.org/calendar for all upcoming closures and hours.

Closed on November 16, 22, and 23. Open on Friday, November 24, for the rest of the weekend.

Open with free admission from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on December 1-2 for this year’s December Nights! We will be closed during the day.

11/09/2023

November is Native American Heritage Month in the United States! The “Kumeyaay: Native Californians – Iipai Tipai” exhibit at the Museum of Us features cultural resources showing the Kumeyaay community's connections to the land, water, and cosmology.

The next version of this exhibit will be driven by Kumeyaay perspectives to reflect their vibrant community full of dedicated artists, educators, professionals, innovators, caregivers, and more. This project to redevelop the entire exhibition is a multi-year collaboration. Learn more at museumofus.org/exhibits/kumeyaay-native-californians-iipai-tipai.

11/08/2023

“Maya Peoples: Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth,” gives visitors a new way to understand Maya histories. Experience the exhibition to learn about the diversity of Maya nations, languages, ceremonies and more.

📸 courtesy of artbyhomiesteve on Instagram

11/03/2023

Sunday mornings are calm and quiet at the Museum of Us. Visitors who prefer less audio-visual stimulation can join us for our sensory-friendly quiet hours, held every Sunday starting at 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.

📺 Television screens and flashing lights are turned off in all exhibits except for the “Cannibals: Myth & Reality” exhibition.

🔇Complimentary noise blocking headphones are available for check-out at the admissions desk in the Museum lobby and outside of the “Cannibals: Myth & Reality” exhibition.

At 11 a.m., all exhibit features will be turned on. Learn more at museumofus.org/blog/a-space-for-all-of-us.

10/31/2023

With increasing levels of Islamophobia and antisemitism across the United States, it’s important to understand the roots of hate, how it spreads, and our own biases. Learn more from our partners at Made By Us.

The Museum of Us is a member of the Made by Us coalition, a non-partisan collective of cultural institutions supporting young people's civic power.

10/29/2023

We are getting ready for an exciting week at the Museum! Learn more on our Events Calendar at museumofus.org/calendar.

This Wednesday, November 1, join us for the “Crossings” Screening and Q&A with the director and filmmaker, Deann Borshay Liem, in the Museum’s Administration building. Deann will also join us for our last complimentary “Hostile Terrain 94” Toe Tag Completion Workshop on Wednesday at 2 p.m.

Before the film screening, enjoy yoga in the rotunda on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

Stop by on Saturday, November 4, and walk with Little Amal in Balboa Park! This community event is free to the public and starts at 2 p.m. in The Old Globe plaza. Learn more from La Jolla Playhouse at https://lajollaplayhouse.org/without-walls/little-amal/.

Visit Us on Sunday mornings for our weekly sensory-friendly quiet hours at the Museum.

10/26/2023

Although the Korean War was halted by armistice in 1953, the warring parties never signed a peace treaty. Nearly 70 years later, the threat of renewed fighting looms as American troops continue to occupy the Korean peninsula, North and South Korea remain adversaries, and millions of Koreans are tragically separated from their family members.

“Crossings,” follows a group of international women peacemakers on a risky journey across the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, calling for an end to a 70-year war that has divided the Korean peninsula and its people.

Join us for a screening of “Crossings” and Q&A with director and filmmaker, Deann Borshay Liem, on Wednesday, November 1 at 7 p.m.

Trailer by Mu Films.

10/25/2023

Thank you CGN Noticias for visiting Us! Learn more and plan your California Tower Tour at CaliforniaTower.org.

10/21/2023

Did you hear? Educators now enjoy discounted admission to visit the Museum of Us! Just show your professional badge or proof of employment on your next visit. Plan your visit at museumofus.org/your-visit.

10/18/2023

The Museum of Us will be screening the documentary “Crossings,” on November 1 at 7 p.m. in the Museum's Administration Building. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the film’s director and award-winning filmmaker Deann Borshay Liem.

“Crossings” follows a group of international women peacemakers on a risky journey across the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, calling for an end to a 70-year war that has divided the Korean peninsula and its people. Comprised of Nobel Peace Laureates and renowned activists like Gloria Steinem and Christine Ahn, the intrepid team faces daunting logistical and political challenges as they forge a path with their Korean sisters toward peace and reconciliation.

Learn more and register online now at museumofus.org/blog/crossings-film-screening.

10/13/2023

Content warning: Cannibalism for survival

in 1972, Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 descended too early while flying over the Andes Mountains, resulting in a fatal crash high up in the mountain range. Thirty-three of the 45 passengers survived the impact of the crash, but their location in the snowy mountains made rescue efforts extremely difficult. The search was called off after eight days. Two harrowing months later, the remaining 16 survivors were rescued.

The survivors took shelter in the fuselage of the destroyed plane for 72 days. They ran out of food within just a few days of the crash, and over the next several weeks endured freezing temperatures and an avalanche. Several of the passengers resorted to cannibalism to survive, an impossible decision that brought on backlash from the public when they were later rescued.

In our “Cannibals: Myth & Reality,” exhibition, visitors hear the emotional first-hand account of the Uruguayan rugby players’ extreme survival story.

📸 Image 2: Memorial at the site of the crash, taken in 2006, via Wikipedia Commons.

10/11/2023

The Museum of Us is offering a series of free “Hostile Terrain 94” Toe Tag Completion workshops on select dates in October to reflect on the impacts of border policies worldwide.

This workshop directly connects with loss of life and violent realities of migration along U.S. border regions. The experience and content can be very powerful and personal. Please use your discretion to decide if this is an appropriate fit for you or your group.

Advance registration is required. Learn more at museumofus.org/blog/complimentary-hostile-terrain-94-workshops.

10/09/2023

“The very existence of Native News Online challenges the status quo of dismissing Indigenous voices and experiences.” - Elyse Wild, Senior Editor

For Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the editorial staff at Native News Online shared what it means to them to write on Indigenous stories and perspectives. Visit the link below to read this article, find more Indigenous news, or sign up for their free newsletter.

Indigenous People’s Day is a day to celebrate the resistance, strength, and legacy of Indigenous peoples everywhere. The Museum of Us is grateful for the generosity and courage of our home community, the Kumeyaay Nation, for their continued partnership with us.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Native News Online’s editorial staff is dedicated to providing accurate and important news about the Indigenous peoples year round. Their commitment to telling accurate stories about the history and contemporary stories of Indigenous peoples provides an important voice to t...

10/05/2023

Borders impact each of us differently – from movement and ancestral homeland to life and livelihood.

The Museum of Us will be screening the documentary “Crossings,” on November 1 in the Museum's Administration Building. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the film’s director and award-winning filmmaker Deann Borshay Liem.

To reflect on border impacts worldwide and honor lives lost to border policies, the Museum will also be offering a series of free Hostile Terrain 94 Toe Tag Completion workshops on select dates in October. Learn more and register online at museumofus.org/blog/crossings-film-screening.