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Top Museums in San Diego, CA
United States
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Museums
85
Museums
Art Galleries
42
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32
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12
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9
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2
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2
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1
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1
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1
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20
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We found
85 results
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Museums
USS Midway Museum
24,831 reviews
#1 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"The individual audio tour packs (like an iPod) were excellent and allowed each person to listen and learn about all aspects of the ship, the aircraft, personal
stories
from soldiers who worked on the ship, war sto..."
"The museum itself is fantastic, with a complimentary
audio tour
that provides you with context for what you're looking at in this City at Sea, but the best part of the tour are the docents, "Yellow Hats," who will..."
Learn More
See 26 Experiences
Old Town Model Railroad Depot
188 reviews
#2 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"Stopped in here, free admission but donations accepted, amazing detail in a huge two room train set up, moving parts, lights etc. watch the two trains move through
miniature
towns through thunderstorms, etc. very..."
"The layout(s) in the
Balboa Park
museum are much larger, but for actual detail throughout an entire layout, this is the best I've seen!"
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Maritime Museum of San Diego
1,744 reviews
#3 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"Wonderful visit saw around some terrific ships the Russian submarine was a real eye opener, it was great to see how the local children get to interact with some of the
exhibits
a great way to learn about what life..."
"You could cruise through the sailing ships, steamboat and submarine in this
museum
for a truly pleasant overview of how ships have shaped and interacted with San Diego as an core aspect of our history."
Learn More
See 15 Experiences
ARTS DISTRICT Liberty Station
180 reviews
#4 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"Or you can
stroll
through and enjoy watching artists at work in their studios or visit different galleries and museums, such as Visions (textiles), Watercolor Society, New Americans, SD Comic Art Gallery, or Envis..."
"My favorite is the water color museum which has classes in the art group but there is a public market with tons of
vendors
, 50 diner, Fig Cafe, Bakery Cafe, and many more restuarants that I want to go back and try."
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See 4 Experiences
San Diego Model Railroad Museum
534 reviews
#5 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"In addition trains the layouts feature great modeling of people, cars, trucks, buildings, etc. Worth several hours of entertainment, and the bonus is it is in
Balboa Park
with lots of other attractions."
"This is one of my two favorite model train
museums
as well - the other one being in Scottsdale Arizona We both (my husband and I) enjoyed our repeat visit."
Learn More
See 2 Experiences
Spanish Village Art Center
199 reviews
#6 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"I would highly recommend if your in
Balboa Park
or the Zoo go buy I mean by, you'll enjoy the artists are there to talk with every thing is affordably priced also."
"Here you will find over 50 shops of: - Glass - Metal - Jewelry - painting -
pottery
- wall art - guilds (one with over 50 artists - wood - sculptures - and on and on and on..."
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See 8 Experiences
San Diego Air & Space Museum
845 reviews
#7 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"We recently toured this museum and were greatly pleased at the well done exhibits and the stories of the development of civilian and
military aircraft
."
"This is a fun place to see real pieces of
aviation history
- and gain a little bit more knowledge of the evolution of out modern day air travel."
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See 4 Experiences
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
1,897 reviews
#8 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"The Birch Aquarium is located at the world famous Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and features excellent displays of local SoCal plus tropical
marine life
... the big kelp forest tank is very awesome (especially..."
"Great for everyone, Young and old alike you'll see fish creatures and be able to hold and touch some of the sea crustations from the bottom of the sea.. several hands on
exhibits
, a sure delight for kids."
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See 2 Experiences
Timken Museum of Art
206 reviews
#9 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"In addition to such fun and thought provoking shows, the Timken engages
museum
goers with a regular slate of programs that includes musical evenings, wine and art pariings, guest lectures, a collector's dinner, an..."
"This small, but mighty, museum showcases the interests of the Putnam sisters who collected fine pieces, especially
Russian icons
, 19th century art, and the four rich, royal French tapestries with gilt threads and..."
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See 2 Experiences
San Diego Museum of Art
299 reviews
#10 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"
Old Masters
are a comprehensive selection, including works like The Wedding Procession by Pieter Brueghel the Younger and the exceptional Arrest of Christ from Hieronymus Bosch."
"
Balboa Park
in general is a treasure, and a free docent led tour of this beautiful museum is always a delight."
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See 2 Experiences
Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum
96 reviews
#11 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"We were greeted by the highly knowledgeable Dennis...he sure knows a thing or two about political and military history and was a great guide to the
museum
."
"small but full of information and
great aircraft
, staff very helpful and friendly , all volunteers , and free parking."
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San Diego Natural History Museum
442 reviews
#12 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"The entrance to the Subaru 3D Experience (the largest Dolby® 3D theater for a
museum
in California!) is also here, where you can watch for free the variety of movies offered daily; the movies are either 2-D or 3-D..."
"I really enjoyed the 1st floor where there were really interesting facts about
dinosaurs
, bears and many more mammals, also I liked the second floor where there was facts about sea creatures and extinct animals."
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See 4 Experiences
Sheriff's Museum
78 reviews
#13 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"... historic sheriff cars; several sheriff motorcycles (which you can sit upon); a helicopter, etc. Retired Sheriff Wilder gave us an excellent tour of the
museum
which was highly educational and very interesting."
"The first room you visit is like an armory, filled with 3 walls of
firearms
of every size, shape and type: derringers, pistols, shotguns, rifles, semi-automatic and fully automatic guns, tasers and much more."
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See 1 Experience
San Diego Automotive Museum
272 reviews
#14 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"It’s a cute little
museum
and was perfect to come see during a rainy day in San Diego .. my husband is a gear head so he loved It .. we were both blown away by Louie mattars car that is a main permanent display th..."
"We were visiting San Diego for the weekend and heard that there was a special exhibit featuring Lowrider cars and
bikes
so we swooped in and were pleasantly surprised by how close we were able to get to the many c..."
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See 2 Experiences
Fleet Science Center
324 reviews
#15 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"This is an excellent place in Balboa park with a great Dome IMAX theatre where they show IMAX
films
on topics including nature, science, and culture."
"I'd highly recommend getting the costco city pass, and this
museum
is one that will get you free admission, which also includes an Imax ticket!"
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See 2 Experiences
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
183 reviews
#16 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"A beautifully curated museum with exceptional
exhibits
throughout the year."
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See 2 Experiences
Whaley House Museum
346 reviews
#17 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"The tour guides dress up in period costumes, and have
great stories
to tell about the house history and the family."
"You are given a paper for the self-
guided tour
that gives a background on every area of the house and its history."
Learn More
See 7 Experiences
San Diego Museum of Man
411 reviews
#18 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"Hosted in a delightfully ornate building dating from the 1915 Panama–California
Exposition
, it presents a wide overview of human culture and behaviours that we found quite engaging."
"Great little
museum
but with excellent exhibits on Egyptology, race, the Kumeyaay, the Mayans and beer."
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See 4 Experiences
Mingei International Museum
112 reviews
#19 of 85 Museums in San Diego
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Map and Atlas Museum of La Jolla
44 reviews
#20 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"Everything about this small, but mighty museum is top notch from the maps and other related items, to the staff, to the lighting and flow of the
exhibits
."
"Anyone who lives history, fine collections and the stories behind them will love this specialized
museum
."
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The New Children's Museum
190 reviews
#21 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"Excellent
museum
with lots of space for children on the move and strollers."
"
Exhibits
- there was such a variety, from the mini playgrounds to the block stacking to the car painting... we really felt that our children were constantly engaged Cleanliness - the museum was clean; the restroom..."
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See 3 Experiences
Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House
75 reviews
#22 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"The Gaslamp
Museum
is housed in the Davis-Horton House in the heart of the Gaslamp District in San Diego."
"Lots of fascinating history, whether you like to read or just look at
artifacts
."
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See 4 Experiences
Marine Corps Command Museum
53 reviews
#23 of 85 Museums in San Diego
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Wells Fargo Museum
54 reviews
#24 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"Mr Cris Sanchez was the
museum
curator and he was excellent in guiding us through the Wild West history, the role played by Wells Fargo in the Gold Rush and how it contributed to the development of Mid-west and We..."
"I also enjoyed the
artifacts
inside the area that was the old stage stop, and I enjoyed learning about the gold rush era! Rey interesting and highly recommended!"
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Africa and Beyond
27 reviews
#25 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"This
shop
is full of fantastic items and numerous collectors pieces."
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The Firehouse Museum
31 reviews
#26 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"The greeters were very friendly, the fire trucks and
photos
and tools were amazing!"
"All the items are either on loan or have been donated as gifts to the
museum
."
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Seeley Stables
30 reviews
#27 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"Docents in costume,
history
, haunted houses, and a fabulous cemetery that extends into (under) the more modern sidewalk."
"The upper floor of the
museum
is given over to native American artefacts including a spectacular headdress."
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Museum of Photographic Arts (MoPA)
127 reviews
#28 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"In addition to various special shows that highlight parts of their collection, they have a movie theatre that hosts film series from various groups and a huge photo
library
that is open by appointment."
"But there's more to delight your senses -- a
gift shop
off of the lobby and an auditorium that screens films and holds lectures."
Learn More
See 1 Experience
San Diego Chinese Historical Museum
41 reviews
#29 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"... and a koi pond; at 9 a.m. on Saturdays all are welcome to a free Tai Chi/Qi Gong class.. There's also an active monthly lecture program at a nearby building and a
special exhibit
in the annex across the street."
"One has a
permanent collection
that shows the Chinese history in San Diego; the courtyard with a koi pond and statues comes alive with Tai Chi classes (free) on Saturday mornings."
Learn More
See 2 Experiences
Stuart Collection
25 reviews
#30 of 85 Museums in San Diego
"World renowned
artists
with fantastic and diverse sculptural work."
"James de Silva established the collection and enticed world renown
artists
to participate."
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Frequently Asked Questions about San Diego
What are the best places for museums in San Diego?
These places are best for museums in San Diego:
USS Midway Museum
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Maritime Museum of San Diego
San Diego Air & Space Museum
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
See more museums in San Diego on Tripadvisor
Which places provide the best museums in San Diego for kids and families?
These are the best places for kid-friendly museums in San Diego:
USS Midway Museum
Old Town Model Railroad Depot
Maritime Museum of San Diego
ARTS DISTRICT Liberty Station
San Diego Model Railroad Museum
See more museums for kids in San Diego on Tripadvisor
Which places provide the best museums in San Diego for couples?
These are the best places for couples seeking museums in San Diego:
USS Midway Museum
Old Town Model Railroad Depot
Maritime Museum of San Diego
ARTS DISTRICT Liberty Station
San Diego Air & Space Museum
See more museums for couples in San Diego on Tripadvisor
Which places provide the best museums in San Diego for groups?
These are the best places for groups seeking museums in San Diego:
USS Midway Museum
Maritime Museum of San Diego
ARTS DISTRICT Liberty Station
San Diego Air & Space Museum
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
See more museums for groups in San Diego on Tripadvisor
Which places provide the best museums in San Diego for travellers on a budget?
These are the best places for budget-friendly museums in San Diego:
USS Midway Museum
Old Town Model Railroad Depot
Maritime Museum of San Diego
ARTS DISTRICT Liberty Station
San Diego Model Railroad Museum
See more budget-friendly museums in San Diego on Tripadvisor