balboa park

California Tower Finally Reopens After Seismic Retrofit

Tickets for the attraction can now be purchased online

NBCUniversal, Inc.

Following a year-long closure for renovations, one San Diego spot that offers a stunning 360-view of America’s Finest City has finally reopened.

Tickets for the California Tower at the San Diego Museum of Man are now on sale to the public after it was closed for a seismic retrofit. The iconic Balboa Park-based attraction boasts a 40-minute tour on the origins of the park and some San Diego history.

"I think what’s most special is that this is part of a museum experience," said Shannon Fowler, Director of Marketing and Communications for the San Diego Museum of Man. "We’re a cultural anthropology museum, and so you not only get to enjoy these 360-degree views of San Diego, but you get to think of it through the lens of human experience, through these San Diego stories and hopefully inspire your own human connections through that.”

The construction project began last winter as crews strengthened the historic building against potential earthquake damage. Its appearance was not changed and most of the construction was planned for the interior of the structure.

“The main body of work that was done as part of the seismic retrofit was to expand the foundation of the tower, to replace the steel support columns that are seen on the 3 exterior levels of the tower, and to thicken the interior concrete walls by up to 12 inches,” Fowler said.

Those interested in purchasing tickets for a California Tower tour can click here for more information.

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