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It’s clear by now that the ever-multiplying outdoor San Diego summer film series has quickly filled the gap created by the demise of the drive-in theater. One of the best and most popular in San Diego (perhaps because it’s free) is the annual Screen on the Green film series, hosted by the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park.

Now in its eighth year, the San Diego Museum of Art has traditionally programmed its series around a major summer exhibition, selecting films that tied in thematically (directly or at times rather loosely) to the artworks on display. This year, Screen on the Green has taken the new tact of presenting family friendly films that are set (at least in part) in a museum. The four-week roster includes:

Bringing Up Baby (July 26) — Starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, this classic screwball romantic comedy has an heiress attempting to catch (trap?) a stuffy paleontologist by using her pet leopard, Baby.

House of Wax (Aug. 2) — No, this isn’t the R-rated slasher film featuring America’s favorite jailbird, Paris Hilton. It’s the original 1953 (PG) version with creepy Vincent Price who quickly rebuilds his burned down wax museum using some stiff friends.

How to Steal a Million (Aug. 16) — In another classic Hepburn comedy, a woman must steal a statue from a Paris museum—with the help of “burglar” Peter O’Toole—in order to conceal her father’s art forgeries. I hope the museum has scheduled extra security for that night!

L.A. Story (Aug. 23) — This peculiar and fun choice stars Steve Martin and Sarah Jessica Parker as unconventional lovers romping through L.A. and taking an equally unconventional trip through the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

All movies begin at 8:00 p.m. in front of the Botanical Building in Balboa Park, and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Picnics and take-out are welcome, though glass bottles are discouraged as per park policy.