The California Building (Museum of Us)
historic place
The California Building, now home to the Museum of Us, stands in San Diego, California. It was erected for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, serving as a grand entry to the event. Noted architect Bertram Goodhue designed the building, blending various Spanish-Colonial architectural styles. Its facade features sculpted historical figures and busts, including Junípero Serra and Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. The California Tower, part of the complex, is 198 feet tall and contains a carillon. Following the exposition, the building became the San Diego Museum in 1916, later renamed the Museum of Man, and now the Museum of Us. This historic place, located in San Diego County, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 17, 1974. The California Building remains a prominent architectural landmark in Balboa Park.