The San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat) is a treasure trove of astonishing artifacts that tell the story of Southern California’s ecosystems. Exhibits include fossils uncovered during construction projects and displays that highlight the regions’s biodiversity.
I recently had the pleasure of spending two days at The Nat in the Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea gallery space, where I shared information about Surfrider San Diego’s Plastic Pollution Program and facilitated my Marine Debris Creation Station with the help of student volunteers from the Westview High School Surfrider Club.
It was the ideal setting for sharing information and encouraging artistic exploration using plastic items found on local beaches. Museum guests of all ages engaged with the materials as they created abstracts and underwater scenes, including a variety of sea animals. Many jellies emerged, inspired by the large-scale jellyfish sculptures on display in the neighboring gallery.
Visitors could be heard asking, “What is this?” as they picked up unidentifiable objects, or exclaiming, “Look at this!” when they recognized familiar household items, such as a weathered deodorant container.
Children focused intently on balancing pieces or finding the perfect object to complete their designs. Families and groups of friends collaborated, pausing to photograph their creations when complete.
When I shared my experience at The Nat with my artist sister, Judith Selby-Lang of One Beach Plastic, she offered an insightful observation about the setting. Surrounded by plastic debris displayed in a natural history museum, she said, “The future won’t be natural. It will be plastic.” In response, I jokingly called it an “unnatural history museum.”
Jokes aside, the exhibit serves as a fitting reminder of plastic’s lasting impact on the natural world. It also raises the question: What artifacts of the Anthropocene epoch will be on display in museums of the future?
The Washed Ashore exhibit will be on display through February 28, 2027. Follow me on Instagram to find out when I will return to The Nat for a Nat at Night event coming soon. I’m grateful to The Nat for the opportunity and for shining a spotlight on marine plastic pollution in such a thoughtful and impactful way.
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