Summer of Wonder at The Nat

Summer of Wonder at the San Diego Natural History Museum turns Balboa Park into a place to explore all season long. Alongside the debut of Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea, The Nat offers daily experiences that go far beyond the weekend. You can move through five floors of exhibitions, catch new films on the giant screen, join hands on activities and family programs, and meet live animals guided by museum experts. On Fridays, Nat at Night adds half price admission after 5 PM, rooftop views, food, and drinks, giving you even more ways to connect with nature any day you visit.

Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea is on view this summer through February 2027 at the San Diego Natural History Museum, turning ocean pollution into a vivid, thought-provoking experience. The exhibition pairs larger-than-life sculptures with hands-on learning to show how discarded plastics affect marine life and what visitors can do to help.

• More than 25 large-scale sculptures of marine creatures made from debris collected along coastlines across the United States.
• Standout pieces include suspended jellyfish blooms, an 18-foot whale ribcage, Dexter the Dungeness crab, Eli the eel and Annie the anemone.
• Each sculpture is built from recovered items such as plastic bottles, flip-flops, lighters, ropes, and toothbrushes.
• Interactive learning stations help visitors understand the impact of plastic pollution and explore ways to act. 

Ocean Art that Makes Waves

The sculptures have been featured at locations throughout the country and bring attention to the estimated 75 to 199 million tons of plastic currently choking our oceans and waterways, and killing wildlife. Based in North Bend, Oregon, the Washed Ashore Project is a non-profit dedicated to educating and creating awareness about marine debris and plastic pollution through art.

Bonus: Nat at Night Dive Bar

During the popular Nat at Night series on Friday evenings, the Washed Ashore will morph into an ocean-themed lounge, the Museum’s very own “dive bar.” 

The opening of Washed Ashore also kicks off The Nat’s Summer of Wonder, full of special programs and activities:

Two new films on the giant screen

The Giant Screen Theater is adding two new films this summer, while Wild San Diego remains in the dally rotation and all screenings are included with admission.

• Ocean Paradise: Narrated by Diane Lane, this film reveals the secrets of some of the Pacific Ocean's most remote areas, with music by Coldplay and Jack Johnson.
• Back From the Brink: Narrated by Claire Danes, this film shares the stories of animals rescued from the brink of extinction.

Nat at Night

The best weekends start in Balboa Park. Every Friday, admission is half-price after 5 PM for Nat at Night. Visitors can explore all five floors, then hit the roof to mingle with other nature lovers and enjoy a spectacular sunset view, a TGIF cocktail, and small bites from Wolf in the Woods.

Hands-on activities

From creative activities like Nature Studio and gallery sketching, to interacting and learning directly from our museum-trained naturalists to family programs like Nature and Me Storytime, there’s something for everyone at The Nat.

Animal encounters

Meet some of the coolest critters from Living Lab and some extra special guests—birds of prey. Encounters take place on Saturdays and are guided by our animal care team and professional handlers to make the experience fun and educational.