The San Diego Natural History Museum was awarded a $7 million state grant to renovate and install a new 8,000-square-foot permanent exhibit to feature animals, plants and habitats from Southern California’s major ecosystems. The new exhibit, "Habitat Journey," will build upon on the museum's "Fossil Mysteries" permanent display.
Museum president and CEO Michael Hagar said San Diego is one of the top ten biodiversity hotspots in the world, with more plants and animals than anywhere in the continental United States. He envisions the museum becoming a visitor center for the region.
"We hope this will inspire our young people and residents to be concerned about the quality of life and the quality of the habitat of our region,” said Hagar.
The exhibit will also display environmental challenges. "Pollution at the shore, living with fire at Coastal Sage, climate change at higher elevation, and the challenges of imported water and the Colorado River delta," explained Hagar.
The money comes from the 2006 voter-approved Proposition 84 –- the Safe Drinking Water Bond -- which allocated $93 million dollars for nature education and research.
The exhibit is scheduled to be competed in time for Balboa Park’s Centennial Celebration in 2015.
