Balboa Park

Бальбоа Парк в Сан-Диего - один из самых больших в Америке городских парков культуры. На территории парка находится множество музеев, ботанических садов и знаменитый зоопарк Сан-Диего "San Diego Zoo".

В музее антропологии - The Museum of Man представлено множество выставок об истории человечества. Музей искусства - The Museum of Art хранит коллекции выдающихся скульптуров и художников эпохи Возрождения, а также работы мастеров 19го и 20го веков. В музее авиации - Aerospace Museum вы узнаете о достижениях в области космоса, а автолюбителям непременно стоит посетить музей автомобилей - Automotive Museum.

В парке Бальбоа у вас будет возможность прогуляться по его замечательным садам. Сад кактусов - Old Cactus Garden поразит вас своей коллекцией необычных причудливых кактусов, пальмовый каньон - Palm Canyon называют тропическим оазисом, где растут 450 стройных пальм. Розарий - Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden поразит вас миллионом не только алых но и всех цветов радуги роз.

WELCOME to BALBOA PARK

Balboa Park is the nation's largest urban cultural park. Home to 15 major museums, renowned performing arts venues, beautiful gardens and the San Diego Zoo, the Park has an ever-changing calendar of museum exhibitions, plays, musicals, concerts, and classes—all in the beautiful and timeless setting of this must-see San Diego attraction.

Balboa Park is made up of more than 1000 acres and offers fifteen museums, various gardens, arts and international culture associations, as well as the San Diego Zoo, making it a place that offers something historical, horticultural, educational and recreational for everyone. Approximately 14 million visitors come to the park each year. Displays of internationally significant art treasures, exotic animal species, unique model railroads, world folk art, sports memorabilia and rare aircraft–to name a few–are on view in the Park's museums.

This urban park, just minutes away from downtown San Diego, is also renowned for its brilliant displays of seasonal flowers, shady groves of trees, and meandering paths through rolling lawns. Balboa Park is managed and maintained by the Developed Regional Parks Division of the City of San Diego Park & Recreation Department.

Many of the museums along Balboa Park's Prado are housed in magnificent Spanish Colonial Revival buildings, originally constructed for the 1915–1916 Panama-California Exposition. It was the first time that this richly decorated, highly ornamental architectural style had ever been used in the United States.

Discounted admissions to Balboa Park's major museums are available through the Passport to Balboa Park. The $39 Passport, valid for one week, represents a $95 value and allows entrance to 13 Park museums. A child's passport is also available for children 3 to 12 years old for only $21, which is a $43 value. Park museums also offer free admission one Tuesday per month on a rotating basis.

The Old Globe Theatre, San Diego's largest arts organization, is located in Balboa Park. On its three stages, the Globe annually presents at least 14 productions and 550 performances.

The rich ethnic diversity of San Diego is reflected in the Park's institutions: the Centro Cultural de la Raza; the World Beat Center (celebrating cultures of African origins); the Museum of Man anthropological museum; the Mingei Museum of International Folk Art; the Japanese Friendship Garden, and the House of Pacific Relations–17 cottages which are home to groups of diverse national origin.

Balboa Park's sports complex is named after John Morley, who was Park Superintendent from 1911–1939, years which encompassed the two international expositions that were so crucial to the development of the park. The facilities at Morley Field include USTA awarded tennis courts, a velodrome (bicycle track) where masters world cup championships are held, a swimming pool, and a disc golf course.

History

San Diego's Urban Jewel

On May 26, 1868, a 1400 acre tract of nine city pueblo lots was set aside as a public park by the Board of Trustees of the City of San Diego following the recommendations of a far-sighted citizens committee. The State Legislature ratified the grant on February 4, 1870 at a time when San Diego's population was 2,301 people and there were only 915 houses. For much of the remainder of the 19th century, the Park, known as "City Park" remained a fairly wild land preserve of hilltops, canyons, and arroyos, forever preserved for future generations of San Diegans and visitors.

In 1892, Kate O. Sessions, San Diego's patron saint of horticulture, asked city officials to lease 30 acres of "City Park" to her for a nursery. In return, she would plant 100 trees per year throughout the park and donate others to the city for planting elsewhere. With Kate Sessions' vision, brushwood and rocky dirt were transformed into tree shaded lawns, flower gardens, and hillside nature paths.

By 1902, a Park Improvement Committee had been formed and raised funds to employ Samuel Parsons, a landscape architect, to draw up a comprehensive plan for the Park. Funds were raised and planting development continued, and by 1910 the parkland began to look much as it does today. In order to find a more suitable name, a contest was held and the winner was Mrs. Harriet Phillips, a member of the Pioneer Society, with her suggestion of "Balboa", to honor the famous Spanish explorer, Vasco Nunez de Balboa who was the first European to see the Pacific Ocean.

The continuing development and "building" of Balboa Park owes much of the development to two world fairs, the Panama-California Exposition of 1915-16, and the California Pacific International Exposition of 1935-36. These two events marked the beginning and the continued development of the cultural park's center we see today.

The theme of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition was to celebrate man's progress and achievements. The Cabrillo Bridge and most of the Cultural Center "Buildings" along El Prado were built for the Exposition as well as the Spreckels Organ Pavillion, under the supervision of Bertrum Goodhue, a famous architect from New York. The scheme for the buildings was based on Spanish Colonial Architecture. The Southern Palisades or Convention area grew out of the second fair through the efforts of Richard Requa, Director of Architecture and Landscaping, who designed with the purpose of interpreting Goodhue's scheme in terms of a series of buildings representing a complete history of the Southwest, from prehistoric times to the modern era. Many of the new buildings were reminders of Indian Pueblo architecture or were Mayan in design.

During both World Wars the park was taken over for use by the military, and after the wars, the buildings reverted to use by cultural and recreation organizations, many of the facilities becoming the museums and institutions we see today. Extensive rehabilitation of Park buildings and facilities has been underway since 1946, and in 1960 a master plan for Balboa Park was submitted and used to continue the growth and future development of the Park. Improved landscaping, modernization of buildings and roadways, and improved pedestrian walkways and access is the result of the care and concern of the people of San Diego. With the 1960 Master Plan, $2,000,000 was spent on Park improvement and renovations. In 1989, a new master plan was adopted for a 20 year period to restore and continue the improvements. Balboa Park has always been special to the people of San Diego. Through the dedication and caring of many people over the years and the continued efforts today, Balboa Park will continue to flourish as the true heart of the City.

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