Natural History Museum offers half-price admission during construction

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- The San Diego Natural History Museum, also known as The Nat, is offering visitors a steep discount from now through early November as it embarks on a $7.5 million construction project.

Admission will be half-off until early November due to the theater and several galleries around the atrium being closed for safety purposes during the project.

The construction project consists of replacing the atrium ceiling with a more sustainable design that allows for the addition of solar panels, the museum said.

Visitors may enter through the south entrance off the Prado walkway or use the ADA-friendly entrance along Village Place on the west side of the building.

The north entrance to the building will be closed. Starting Sept. 23, the parking lot directly east of the museum will also be closed.

The Nat hopes to reopen most of the galleries and amenities by mid-November after the new roof is installed, the museum stated. However, two galleries on the fourth floor will remain closed until next spring.

According to the museum, the new roof will help reduce costs associated with energy usage and will improve temperature control which, in turn, will preserve scientific collections.

The new roof, which will be composed of mostly steel, is also meant to be more resilient against rainstorms, flooding and wildfires.

The discounted tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors ages 62 and over, students and military with ID, and $7 for youth between the ages of 3 and 17. More information about the museum and available exhibits can be found on The Nat's website.