Coast to Cactus in Southern California, San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego, CA

San Diego is known for its incredibly diverse terrain, ranging from the beaches and chaparral near the coast, to the mountains and the desert farther afield. This terrain is what makes the region one of only 35 biodiversity hotspots in the world, meaning areas that have the highest concentration of different species of any geographic area of similar size. This bilingual exhibition combined the Museum’s scientific collections, alongside immersive environments, hands-on exhibits, live animals, and a story/object theater, to show visitors these unique habitats and the plants and animals that live in them.

This exhibition was nominated for and won severals awards:

• Finalist for The Best in Heritage: Projects of Influence, Europa Nostra and the Endowment Fund of ICOM, supported by the Ministry of Culture of Croatia and the City of Dubrovnik, 2017.
• Winner of the Overall Excellence Award from the American Alliance of Museums 28th Annual Excellence in Exhibition Competition, 2016.
• Winner of the 2016 Sustainability Excellence Award from the American Alliance of Museums professional network, PIC Green in the “Exhibits, Large Museum” category.
• Honorable Mention for the 2016 MUSE Award from the American Alliance of Museums, Media and Technology Committee for the Punk Skunk Series.
• Winner of the 2015 Excellence in Exhibition Label Writing Competition for “Wildfire in the Chaparral – Chapter 3. 
• Winner of the 2015 Balboa Park Sustainability Award, 2015.

Coast to Cactus in Southern California is a permanent exhibition and is located in the Dennis and Carol Wilson Hall of Biodiversity. As Senior Director of Public Programs at The San Diego Natural History Museum, I was the project director for this exhibition which opened in January 2015.