Exhibitions
The Exhibitions of the world-renowned Museum of Man are a major resource for the San Diego community. Permanent exhibits explore the Maya, ancient Egypt, the Kumeyaay Indians of San Diego County, Human Evolution, and the Human Life Cycle. These exhibits inform and entertain San Diegans and visitors alike, and are used extensively in the region's school curricula to study ancient history, local history, Indigenous cultures, and health sciences. These permanent exhibits are complemented by a series of changing exhibits on display throughout the Museum.
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Counter Cultures: The Secret Lives of Games Now open! The San Diego Museum of Man is getting serious about playing. Counter Cultures: The Secret Lives of Games, funded in part by the Dr. Seuss Fund at the San Diego Foundation, features board, tile, and card games from around the world. Visitors of all ages can reminisce over old classics, marvel at games from around the world, and become a game piece themselves on the Counter Cultures game board. The players lounge also allows visitors to create their own games or play their favorites with friends and family. |
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The Genographic Project Who are we?
Where did we come from?
Though we look so
different, are we all related? |
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Gods & Gold Uncover centuries of Latin America's mysterious ancient past in Gods & Gold: Ancient Treasures From Mexico to Peru. The exhibition features the Museum's stunning collections of Mexican, Central American, and South American archaeological objects. See rare gold and jewelry, exotic figurines, intricate stonework, and exquisite pottery from the ancient world. Explore distinctions in artistic styles, techniques, and materials used to create numerous intriguing pieces by the Maya, Aztec, Inca, and many others. |
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Kumeyaay: Native Californians The Kumeyaay, or Diegueño (as they were later called by the Spanish), are the Native American people of present-day Southern California (San Diego and western Imperial Counties) and Northern Baja. For many generations before the arrival of the Spanish, they occupied the deserts, mountains, and coasts, developing sophisticated means of adapting to the diverse environments. |
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Maya: Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth The ancient Maya tamed time. They could reckon dates far into the past and into the future by using cycles of the moon, the sun, and the planet Venus. |
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Ancient Egypt The culture of ancient Egypt holds a universal appeal and fascination for adults and children alike. The Museum of Man is fortunate to have one of the most important ancient Egyptian collections in the United States. |
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Children's Discovery Center The Children's Discovery Center (CDC) exhibit, Discover Egypt, gives Discovery Center visitors an opportunity for interactive, sensory learning about ancient Egyptian civilization, and about the role of anthropologists and archaeologists in the research and interpretation of the culture. |
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Footsteps Through Time: Four Million Years of Human Evolution The Museum's West Wing houses our fabulous anthropology exhibit, Footsteps Through Time: Four Million Years of Human Evolution. The permanent exhibit—covering 7,000 square feet and featuring five galleries and more than a hundred touchable replicas of early humans |