Nat Talk: Phil Unitt’s Journey Through the Collection

Name: Nat Talk: Phil Unitt’s Journey Through the Collection
Start: 2026-02-19T19:00:00-08:00
End: 2026-02-19T21:00:00-08:00
Location: 1788 El Prado, San Diego, CA, United States, California 92101

Schedule

Thu Feb 19 2026 at 07:00 pm to 09:00 pm

UTC-08:00

Location

1788 El Prado, San Diego, CA, United States, California 92101 | San Diego, CA

After four decades of building and caring for The Nat’s world-class bird and mammal collection, beloved Curator Phil Unitt is retiring. Before he does, he’ll take us through a journey of discovery, showing how preserved specimens help us understand environmental change and guide conservation. This is your chance to hear directly from the person who has shaped our understanding of Southern California’s wildlife.
Phil Unitt has spent his career asking a simple question: What can the past teach us about the future? Now, after 37 years of work, he’s inviting us into the world he’s dedicated his life to—The Nat's extraordinary collection of more than 53,000 bird specimens and over 26,000 mammal specimens. But as much as those specimens tell us about our environment, it is the people who built the collection who inspire us to keep their legacy vibrant.
Since the 1800s, determined collectors braved harsh conditions to document the region's wildlife. Their work created something remarkable: one of the most significant natural history collections in the western United States. In this talk, Phil brings those early nature enthusiasts to life and shows us how specimens continue to drive current research. Specimens are time capsules that reveal how our environment has changed and help us protect what remains.
You'll leave with a new appreciation for what natural history collections can do, why they need our support, and what Phil's decades of work have meant for science and conservation in our region. Come celebrate a legendary curator and discover why collections matter.
Tickets are $12 for members, $15 for non-members. Theater doors open at 6:30 PM.