The San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat)—nestled in the heart of beautiful Balboa Park—is the premier museum event venue in San Diego. Just minutes away from downtown, the convention center, and the airport, The Nat offers you and your guests an unforgettable backdrop for any gathering. It is the ideal location for private corporate and non-profit events, galas, weddings, proms, film screenings, meetings, and more.
Whether you’re searching for a unique wedding venue, a memorable holiday party space, or an intimate setting for a team retreat, The Nat delivers an experience you won’t find anywhere else. From taking in the sweeping skyline views on the rooftop terrace to dining among prehistoric creatures in our expansive galleries, your guests will be talking about your event for eons.
Featuring multi-level private event spaces, in-house bar service, equipment and decor rentals, and experiential add-ons, events of all sizes are easily planned with our in-house special events team. We’ll transform the Museum to meet your vision—from a team-building retreat for 20, a seated dinner for 100, or a reception-style party for 1,800.
When you book your event at The Nat, you help support our mission to conserve nature through science and discovery.
150 reception I 100 seated I 190 ceremony | Impress your guests with the most spectacular view of Balboa Park, the downtown skyline, and San Diego Bay. The rooftop is a stunning spot, ideal for wedding ceremonies, cocktail mixers, workshops, and other social gatherings.
1,800 reception | Featuring five floors of exhibit and event spaces, The Nat can transform to host a variety of reception style events. Abundant fossils, models, murals, and specimens offer a multi-sensory experience for you and your guests to see the world—past and present—in a whole new way.
300 seated | With a large format screen and Dolby Digital sound, the theater has multimedia capabilities with state-of-the-art acoustics and technology. Ideal for programs, lectures, or film presentations. Museum AV technicians will be available to assist with soundcheck and equipment needs.
Bring the natural world to your guests with an event set within one of the Museum’s exhibitions. These spaces make for a unique event add-on that allow guests to mingle while engaging up close with the discoveries and scientific work happening right here in our region.
We have meeting spaces galore, from the fourth-floor board room to multi-purpose workshop and classroom spaces. Ideal for trainings, board meetings, workshops, and more. All meeting spaces feature Wi-Fi and state-of-the art audio.
“We had our company holiday party at The Nat with 1,300 in attendance and it could not have been a more perfect venue for a large group...I received countless comments from employees saying it was one of the best company parties they had been to.”
–Tami, Dexcom
Have questions? Our special events team is here to help. Fill out an inquiry form or email events@sdnhm.org and our team will get back to you.
For more event information and price guides, see below.