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32 W e s t W o r l d >> s u m m e r 2 0 1 4 (museum) randy Duchaine/Alamy/All Canada Photos, (spreckels) 2014 Balboa Park I f you have time for an in-depth multi- day visit to the park, consider mixing the blockbusters with some smaller attractions only the locals seem to know about. Beneath the California tower – a baroque edifice that marked the entrance to the 1915 expo – the Museum of Man is lined with fascinating Native American artifacts. Even more visitors head to the Natural History Museum, a menagerie of skeletal dinosaurs and taxidermied tooth and claw critters. Rounding out the must- see triumvirate, the Air & space Museum displays ingenious innovations from shiny biplanes to NASA spacecraft. Less visited (but well worth a tour) is Marston House, a preserved 1905 Arts and Crafts home set on idyllic landscaped grounds. In addition, the brilliant Museum of Photographic Arts combines F inally, after a heated day of exotic animal-spotting or museum-touring, you'll likely be exhausted. But you don't have to return to your hotel for a restorative sit-down. In fact, there are more than a few reasons to spend the evening here, too. Dining-wise, you can fuel up at park hotspots like Casa 1915, Home Plate and the sushi-serving tea Pavilion. But when it comes to a romantic dinner, consider the charming Prado, tucked into the historic House of Hospitality building. Aim for a courtyard seat and a leisurely evening of international fusion dishes here: tandoori duck breast recommended. And after an indulgent dessert, take in a show. You can enjoy free Monday-night concerts at Balboa Park's spreckels organ Pavilion – complete with one of the world's largest pipe organs – but if you fancy a whiff of greasepaint, you're also in luck. The Tudor- look old Globe theatre recalls Shakespeare's original London auditorium, but on balmy summer nights, the affiliated lowell davies Festival theatre is the place to be. From July to September, you can catch top-notch outdoor Bard productions here, as the sunlight gently fades behind a nearby stand of eucalyptus trees. As the stars come out, it'll be the perfect curtain call to your immersive Balboa Park visit. ℹ Consider purchasing travel insurance before any trip south of the border. Members save 10% on BCAA Travel Insurance. Details at bcaa.com/ insurance MUSEUMS AND MORE a permanent history-of-photography show with changing temporary exhibitions. It's in the same turreted Casa de Balboa build- ing as the quirky san diego Model railroad Museum, home to one of the world's largest working scale-model layouts. DINNER AND A SHOW san diego Natural History Museum spreckels organ Pavilion p28-33_Balboa_Park.indd 32 14-04-15 12:30 PM