San Diego Mineral & Gem Society & Museum

CELEBRATING, SHOWCASING, AND PRESERVING NATURAL AND COMMUNITY HISTORY

- HELEN SERRAS-HERMAN

The San Diego Mineral and Gem Society is one of the oldest societies in the country. Yes, you read correctly, it is the “Mineral & Gem Society” and not the “Gem & Mineral Society” as most societies are known nationwide. And the reason is that the San Diego society was first established as the “San Diego Mineral Society” in 1934 and merged later with the San Diego Gem Society.

The San Diego Mineral & Gem Society (SDMG) is fortunate to occupy a building for their society, workshop and museum collections within the famous Balboa Park, adjacent to the picturesque Spanish Village, in downtown San Diego.

My husband, Andrew, and I visited San Diego in November 2019, following an invitation from SDMG President, Jim Parrish, to give a presentation during the society’s monthly meeting, and see the workshop and museum.

BALBOA PARK MUSEUMS

The SDMG Society & Museum occupies a historic landmark building built in 1935 for the California Pacific International Exposition. The 1935-36 Expo was the second such event that took place in San Diego, resulting in the park’s expansion. The park was created for the first Fair twenty years earlier. The Expo of 1915-16 was called the Panama-California Exposition and commemorated the opening of the Panama Canal.