If artist Eva Struble’s massive mural is any indication, The San Diego Natural History Museum is planning to go big in 2024 to mark its 150th anniversary.
Last month, the San Diego-based artist began working on a 33-foot mural in the Balboa Park institution’s atrium, a five-story space that anchors the museum’s north entrance.
“We’re creating a lively and vibrant entry experience in time for our 150th anniversary in 2024,” Judy Gradwohl, the museum’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “Eva drew inspiration from our curators and collection, and we think her artwork will inspire curiosity and appreciation for our region’s unparalleled natural history.”
Early members of the San Diego Society of Natural History — identified as Professor Gallegos, Mrs. May Canfield and Mr. Laurence M. Huey — doing field research in May of 1924. Members of the society later formed what would become the San Diego Natural History Museum.
(Courtesy of San Diego Natural History Museum)
The San Diego Natural History Museum — aka The Nat — was founded on Oct. 9, 1874, as the San Diego Society of Natural History. The people behind it? Amateur naturalists whose goal was to create a group that could be “a primary source of scientific culture: find new species, discuss technical innovations, serve a growing community eager for information, and make real contributions to the study of this region,” according to the museum.
Thirteen years later, in 1887, the society occupied a lot on Sixth Avenue between B and C streets. It moved to its current location in Balboa Park on Jan. 14, 1933, after years of occupying buildings repurposed from the 1915 Panama-California Exposition.
Today, the museum says, it is the second oldest scientific institution west of the Mississippi and the oldest in Southern California.
Struble’s mural, titled “Frasera,” draws inspiration from “specimens in the museum’s collection and showcases the incredible biodiversity of Southern California and the Baja California Peninsula,” according to the museum.
“As we plan for our 2024 events and celebrations, we want to recognize that we are more than a building with exhibitions. We serve the community in many ways — through conservation, research, education and much more.”
— Judy Gradwohl, president and CEO of The San Diego Natural History Museum
Visitors get a peek at a mural by San Diego-based artist Eva Struble in the atrium of The San Diego Natural History Museum in Balboa Park.
(Alejandro Tamayo/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Struble — who has exhibited across the globe, from New York to London — said in a statement: “I’m inspired by the sensory aspects of nature — like the smell of sage or the feeling of moisture in the morning. Through hiking and teaching, I’ve also been inspired to learn about the deep Kumeyaay respect for and uses for native plants. Many of these elements make their way into my work.”
“Playing with the ocean as sky, as well as with color and texture, adds playfulness to my painting for The Nat,” added Struble, who is also a professor at San Diego State University. “It allows me to remake the landscape in a new way. Of course, I had to include the ocean, since swimming with leopard sharks and sea creatures in La Jolla is about the best thing to do in San Diego.”
“As we plan for our 2024 events and celebrations, we want to recognize that we are more than a building with exhibitions,” Gradwohl said. “We serve the community in many ways — through conservation, research, education and much more.”
“Over the years, our programs have changed but our passion remains the same — we want everyone to love nature as much as we do so we can protect it for future generations. We hope the community is excited to get involved and be part of the biggest year in our history.”
As part its celebration, the museum is offering year-round specials, including free birthday admission for visitors who can choose a date of their choice during their own birthday month as well as a limited-edition product every month, starting with a nature-themed art print designed for The Nat by nationally recognized author and illustrator Rachel Ignotofsky.
In early summer, the museum will open a new exhibition that “will showcase important moments in the organization’s, and San Diego’s, history — particularly focused on how nature lovers have worked tirelessly to protect the wildlife and habitats that make this region so special.”
In early summer, The San Diego Natural History Museum will unveil a native garden as part of its yearlong celebration of its 150th anniversary.
(Courtesy of The San Diego Natural History Museum )
Also in early summer, the museum will unveil a new native plant garden — “surrounding the building with living displays that provide habitat for pollinators and other wildlife.” The museum says the garden is “the museum’s birthday present back to the community.”
The museum has also commissioned a 40-minute film, set to debut in late 2024, that “will showcase a year in the life of San Diego’s spectacular flora and fauna.”
Other plans include special talks, docent tours and the opening of a new store and cafe, scheduled for the spring.
Artist Eva Struble with Judy Gradwohl president and CEO of The Natural History Museum, which commissioned a 33-foot mural for its atrium.
(Alejandro Tamayo/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
