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Explore San Diego

Museums & Galleries

From masters to local artisans, come celebrate the visual arts

Photo By Doug Gates

San Diego - One of America's Most Creative Cities

From the fine arts, including classical, contemporary and folk art, to science and natural history, San Diego's museums and galleries offer an abundance of experiences. Wherever your interest may lie, you're sure to find a collection that will provide you with deeper insight, engagement and inspiration. It's no wonder USA Today has called San Diego "one of America's most creative cities."


Balboa Park

Balboa Park

Often referred to as the "Smithsonian of the West," Balboa Park is the largest urban park with cultural institutions in the United States. It boasts 18 museums devoted to topics as varied as anthropology, art, comics, aviation, natural science and technology, and they're spread throughout the pristine gardens and historic Spanish Colonial architecture of the park.

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Balboa Park Explorer Passes

The Balboa Park Explorer Passes are San Diego's best cultural value. The one-day, multi-day and annual Explorer passes offer visitors the chance to experience multiple museums in the park, with savings of more than 50% and the convenience of a one-time purchase. The Multi-Day Explorer/Zoo Combo includes the Balboa Park Multi-Day Explorer Pass plus a one-day admission ticket to the San Diego Zoo, all for one low price.

Old Town San Diego's Bazaar Del Mundo

Old Town San Diego State Historic Park

Considered the birthplace of modern California, Old Town San Diego State Historic Park gives visitors a glimpse into San Diego's colonial period from 1821-1872. Many of the historical sites and museums in this neighborhood have free admission. Over a hundred shops and boutiques line the streets, along with plenty of restaurants. At the center of Old Town is the Whaley House Museum complex, which consists of five historic buildings, the most famous of which is the Whaley House, the most haunted house in the country according to the Travel Channel's "America's Most Haunted."

View a rare original stagecoach at the Wells Fargo Museum, see a scale model of 19th-century Old Town at the reconstructed Robinson-Rose House, and tour the Black Hawk Livery & Blacksmith, the first public schoolhouse in San Diego. Casa de Estudillo is considered one of the finest adobe haciendas in the state. Nearby is the Iipay ~ Tipay Kumeyaay Mut Niihepok (Land of the First People) park, commemorating the Kumeyaay people, the area's original settlers. And up the hill you'll discover Heritage Park, a 7.8-acre county park where seven Victorian homes have been relocated and now house shops, bed and breakfasts, and the Serra Museum, site of California's first mission and fort.

New Children's Museum

Museums for Children

While most of the museums and other attractions are kid-friendly, a few cater specifically to children. The Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park brings science to life with hands-on experiments that are sure to engage your child's inquisitive mind. Also in Balboa Park, you'll find the San Diego Model Railroad Museum, with an interactive Lionel train layout for children.

In La Jolla, the Birch Aquarium at Scripps showcases a fascinating range of sea life, from sea horses to sharks, and lets kids and their families get hands-on with ocean inhabitants thanks to a simulated tide pool. Kids are also sure to love the diminutive but very active penguins (the world's smallest) that reside in the Birch's newest habitat, the Beyster Family Little Blue Penguins area.

And the New Children's Museum in downtown San Diego brings art and discovery to life with fun interactive activities, craft projects and inventive play areas. Recent exhibits at the New Children's Museum have explored issues such as recycling and food sustainability through child-focused art and craft projects. Many of the museums have toddler areas as well so the littlest ones can join in all the fun.

USS Midway Museum

Downtown, San Diego - USS Midway Museum

The USS Midway Museum, named one of the top museums in the country by Tripadvisor, invites the public to learn about America's longest-serving aircraft carrier, with 35 exhibits and tours exploring its rich 47-year history. Many of the storytelling docents are veterans who served aboard the carrier. Just down the Embarcadero, the floating Maritime Museum of San Diego features one of the finest collections of historic ships in the world, including the Star of India, the oldest active sailing ship.

Click the links below to discover more wonderful museums and galleries to explore in San Diego.

ARTS DISTRICT Liberty Station

Arts District Liberty Station

This unique gathering place within 360 waterfront acres of the former Naval Training Center features historic Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, vast landscaped open spaces and plenty of free parking. ARTS DISTRICT Liberty Station is a destination where visitors and locals can stroll the 100 parklike acres, discover something new each time and make lasting memories. Many of the 38 historic buildings are now bursting with authenticity, heritage, creativity and innovation. Always changing and evolving, ARTS DISTRICT is a place to create, connect, learn, shop, dine, meet, explore and buy local art.

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Galleries & Museums

Show Your Badge & Save at SDCHM

San Diego Chinese Historical Society and Museum
Valid: Aug 23, 2024 - ongoing

Step back in time and discover the stories of San Diego's original Chinatown and the vibrant Asian Pacific Historic District. Journey through history as you explore how this once-bustling...

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Welcome To San Diego Admission Savings

Maritime Museum of San Diego
Valid: Jan 10 - ongoing

Welcome to San Diego! As a visitor to San Diego you are invited to explore the waterfront and save $3.00 on general admission ticket purchase for self-guided tour of the entire Maritime Museum of San...

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Show Your Badge & Save on Birch Aquarium Tickets

Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Valid: Jan 1 - ongoing

Dive into the world of sharks, seahorses, and Little Blue Penguins at Birch Aquarium in La Jolla. As the public outreach center for Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, Birch...

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Explore Museums & Galleries

Neighborhoods

Theatre

1. Historic Balboa Theatre

100 Years in the Historic Gaslamp District

Historic Balboa Theatre
868 Fourth Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 615-4000
Neighborhood: Downtown
Theatre

2. The Old Globe

The Tony Award-winning Old Globe

The Old Globe
1363 Old Globe Way
San Diego, CA 92101-1696
(619) 23G-LOBE
Neighborhood: Balboa Park
Galleries & Museums

3. Marston House - SOHO San Diego

Marston House - SOHO San Diego
3525 Seventh Avenue
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 297-9327
Neighborhood: Hillcrest
Theatre

4. San Diego Junior Theatre

San Diego Junior Theatre
1650 El Prado
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 239-8355
Neighborhood: Balboa Park
Galleries & Museums

5. Timken Museum of Art

Always free!

Timken Museum of Art
1500 El Prado Balboa Park
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 239-5548
Neighborhood: Balboa Park
Galleries & Museums

6. San Diego History Center

Explore the history of America's Finest City!

San Diego History Center
1649 El Prado Suite #3
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 232-6203
Neighborhood: Balboa Park
Theatre

7. Playwrights Project

Where stories take the stage

Playwrights Project
3675 Ruffin Road, Suite 330
San Diego, CA 92123
(858) 384-2970
Theatre

8. San Diego Civic Theatre

Theatre, Dance & More in the Heart of Downtown

San Diego Civic Theatre
1100 Third Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 615-4000
Neighborhood: Downtown
Galleries & Museums

9. San Diego Natural History Museum

Come on in. This place is full of life.

San Diego Natural History Museum
1788 El Prado Balboa Park
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 232-3821
Neighborhood: Balboa Park
Galleries & Museums

10. San Diego Automotive Museum

The Art of the Automobile!

San Diego Automotive Museum
2080 Pan American Plaza
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 231-AUTO
Neighborhood: Balboa Park
Theatre

11. San Diego Repertory Theatre

Downtown San Diego's cultural town hall

San Diego Repertory Theatre
79 Horton Plaza
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 544-1000
Neighborhood: Downtown
Theatre

12. Fern Street Circus

Fern Street Circus
4265 Fairmount Ave, Suite 120-B
San Diego, CA 92105
(619) 320-2055
Neighborhood: Downtown
Galleries & Museums

13. Mingei International Museum

Celebrate Folk Art, Craft, and Design

Mingei International Museum
1439 El Prado
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 239-0003
Neighborhood: Balboa Park
Theatre

14. California Center for the Arts, Escondido

Discover, Create & Celebrate the Arts

California Center for the Arts, Escondido
340 N Escondido Boulevard
Escondido, CA 92025
(760) 839-4138
Neighborhood: North Inland
Theatre

15. Coronado Playhouse

Coronado Playhouse
1845 Strand Way
Coronado, CA 92118
(619) 435-4856
Neighborhood: Coronado

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