Situated just behind the Museum of Man is the renowned Old Globe Theatre, a replica of the 15th-century London theater that was once the primary playhouse for William Shakespeare. Another distinctive venue is the Starlight Theatre. The Starlight is an open-sky theater that happens to be under the flight path of airline jets making their descent toward the nearby San Diego airport. When a jet happens to rumble noisily overhead during a performance, all the actors freeze their positions and speech, only to resume exactly where they left off when the plane is out of earshot. Other performance venues include the San Diego Comic Opera and the San Diego Junior Theatre.
Balboa Park features a number of lush gardens.
The Botanical Building displays an ever-changing world of flowers and trees, while the Japanese Friendship Garden is more of a place of contemplation for visitors, with its traditional sand and stone garden, koi pond and a wisteria arbor viewing area overlooking the canyon below. Also, guests can enjoy time in the sunken stone grotto of the Zoro Garden, where a butterfly garden has been planted, containing both the larvae and nectar plants needed to attract butterflies. Balboa Park is also home to the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Spread over 100 acres of mesas and winding canyons, the Zoo has been pleasing and educating visitors for three-quarters of a century. In addition to supplying entertainment and education, the Zoo is the last hope for many species that stand in the shadow of extinction.