• Whales: Giants of the Deep
    March 19–September 5, 2016
  • Whales: Giants of the Deep
    March 19–September 5, 2016
  • Whales: Giants of the Deep
    March 19–September 5, 2016

Big is beautiful. Dive in and explore the awe-inspiring world of whales.

Interactive, immersive, and featuring the latest in international cetacean research, Whales: Giants of the Deep is an experience that brings adults and children eye to eye with some of the world’s most elusive creatures.

The exhibition’s unique blend of science, storytelling, and innovative interactivity gives visitors the opportunity to discover more about the world of whales.

Featuring two fully-articulated sperm whale skeletons, including an impressive 58-foot male, Whales showcases amazing and rare specimens from Te Papa’s whale collection, one of the largest in the world. Visitors will see life-size and scale models of whales common to the South Pacific as well as contemporary whalebone treasures such as weapons and chiefly adornments. They’ll also learn about whale biology, the extraordinary evolutionary journey of whales from land to sea, and the history of whaling in New Zealand. Children can even crawl through a life-size replica of the heart of a blue whale, the Earth’s largest living creature.  

Read more about the exhibition highlights and our related programs. 

The San Diego Natural History Museum thanks the County of San Diego and the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture for their generous support of Whales: Giants of the Deep.

TheNAT is pleased to be Part of the Pride. Inspired by the San Diego Zoo's centennial celebration, several Balboa Park museums are collaborating to bring you a menagerie of animal-themed exhibitions in 2016. Come celebrate animals and nature with us. 

This exhibition was made possible through the support of
the New Zealand Government and the Smithsonian Institution.



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