The California Tower, the soaring, intricately detailed, portion of the California Building, is an icon of San Diego, and can be seen from miles around. The building houses the Museum of Us.
Constructed for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, this beautiful structure is an architectural hybrid of architectural different styles, including Baroque, Plateresque, Churrigueresque, and Rococo, with some Gothic details. Designed by Bertram Goodhue, who included intricate ornamentation, arched arcades, carvings and busts, and colorful tile adorning the tower and domes, the building is reminiscent of the Spanish-Colonial churches in Mexico that inspired him.
California Tower Tours are offered daily at the Museum of Us. Make the climb on a guided tour that highlights the origins of Balboa Park and the histories of some of the many diverse communities that call the region home. All tours culminate in breathtaking 360-degree views of San Diego from the Tower’s eighth-floor viewing deck—from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Cuyamaca Mountains in the east, and beyond. Tours may be booked online ahead of time or in-person at the Museum.
