The San Diego Natural History Museum in Balboa Park unveiled its newest exhibition Friday after a $5.1 million renovation.
"Amazement in the Basement" gives visitors a backstage glimpse at the museum's extensive collections and the scientists who study them.
I took a tour of the new exhibit this afternoon and discovered the hidden treasures beneath the museum.
When you enter the basement level, the first display features taxidermied animals from Southern California in what's called the "paleo passageway."
"All of these fossils are from San Diego County. There are over 1.6 million fossils here, thousands on each shelf," a museum guide explained.
Visitors can peer inside the lab where fossils are prepared for the collections, an area previously hidden from public view. Soon, the barriers will be removed completely, allowing full visibility into the working lab.
"San Diego is actually a fossil hotspot. These are from Carlsbad, Mission Hills. This is Balboa Park. These fossils date back 3.5 million years," the guide said.
The "Library of Life" section showcases reptiles, frogs, snakes and other specimens that help scientists understand how diseases spread.
Abby Car Kenny, director of exhibits at the Natural History Museum, highlighted the scientific importance of the collections.
"We're really excited about this part of the exhibit because it's giving visitors a really up-close look at our science and our collections," Kenny said.
The exhibit displays specimens from various collections, including herpetology, mammals, birds, and insects.
"We're telling the story of how we use these specimens for really surprising reasons. For example, the museum collects poop. People might be surprised by that, but one of the things we use poop for is learning what animals eat," Kenny said.
This research helps scientists protect endangered species like the Pacific pocket mouse.
Visitors can engage with the science through hands-on experiences, observing and comparing specimens just as scientists do.
"So a really up-close look at our spiders, our scorpions, which some people might love, some people might not," Kenny said.
