Balboa Park Commons

A rich online library offering unprecedented access to photos, videos, journals, and other rich content from Balboa Park museums

Balboa Park and its extraordinary cultural institutions offer an astonishing array of treasures and resources. Its museums and institutions contain world-class masterpieces, specimens of extinct species, full-size aircraft and so much more.  It would take weeks for someone to view all of the exhibits, visit the galleries, and use the interactive displays. Yet what is open to the public is only a fraction of the whole. Although it varies among institutions, less than a quarter of the museums’ rich cultural resources are on display.

Initiated with funding from the federal Institute for Museum & Library Services and scheduled to launch in 2012, the Balboa Park Commons will accomplish the mission of museums and cultural institutions to not just gather and display artifacts, but to make valuable resources available for the use and benefit of everyone. Through the Commons, visitors will discover hundreds of thousands of digitized photos, slides, videos, audio clips, oral histories, and journals.

Its value is in its potential to expand the museum experience beyond walls. The Commons does not just provide information; it empowers the visitor to explore, resulting in cultural enrichment and gained knowledge.

Common Need

The community need for the Balboa Park Commons has never been greater. The internet is the primary source for information and research worldwide—particularly for young people who have grown up with internet access.

The Balboa Park Commons will present authentic information in a context that will encourage thinking and exploration of new areas. Much of it is uniquely San Diego, capturing the diversity of the region and the history of the scientists, artists, and pioneers who have contributed to its development. Access to meaningful resources is critical for learning and fundamental for sparking innovation. The connection between the arts and learning has been well-established but resources for arts experiences continue to decline.

Common Good

Early in the development process, BPOC reached out to the community to ensure the Balboa Park Commons would be useful for students and teachers. Local K-12 teachers, college professors, museum educators, and students participated in the planning and vision of the Balboa Park Commons. Once the site launches in 2012, BPOC will conduct extensive outreach to schools and community organizations in low-income areas. The possibilities for community participation will continue to evolve. The Balboa Park Commons will introduce new audiences to the experience of museums and increase access for established museum audiences. It fills gaps due to cutbacks in the education system and is aligned with learning trends. It will also promote park attendance from out-of-town visitors planning trips to San Diego who will have become more familiar with the Park’s museums and collections.

The Balboa Park Commons is designed for openness, sharing, and innovation.

Your Support is Needed

Your support will help us to expand the Commons and conduct outreach to students, teachers, and non-traditional museum audiences. You can help us to build an exciting, compelling, and accessible resource for users of all ages. To make an individual donation, please give using the Google Donate button below. 

Sponsorship

Balboa Park Commons Sponsors will receive recognition as follows:

• Name & logo on the Balboa Park Commons website and marketing collateral;
• Name & logo on the Balboa Park Online Collaborative website;
• Recognition of support and logo in all advance materials, press releases, and articles; and
• Name and logo used in video promotions and social media activities used to market the Balboa Park Commons.

The Balboa Park website already attracts more than 1 million unique visitors per year—more than some local media sites. Through social media, Balboa Park reaches more than 40,000 followers.

SPONSORSHIP LEVELS

Innovation Sponsor
$100,000 (one available)

Creativity Sponsor
$50,000  (two available)

Engagement Sponsor
$25,000  (four available)

Community Sponsor
$10,000 (unlimited)

Access Sponsor
$5,000 (unlimited)

Founding Sponsors for the Balboa Park Commons are the U.S. Institute for Museum and Library Services and the Legler Benbough Foundation. Become a sponsor by contacting Charlene Browne at cbrowne@bpoc.org.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas.