Highly recommend coming and checking out the SDASm's Annex. The staff is extremely friendly and…read morehelpful. Very knowledgeable about the aircraft they have displayed. They also have some fun pedal cars and things available for kids. A great place to come, learn about some aviation history and spend time at the airport.

I am always energized by Museum Month in San Diego. Whoops, the Gillespie Field Annex does not…read morehonor Museum Month. So, I paid the $10 fee. A very chatty docent offered me a tour of the normally off-limits restoration hangar, and I enjoyed that. There is a MiG 21 in there under restoration as well as a recently painted yellow T-34 (as I recall). My attention was on the MiG. Outside, there is an interesting lineup of military aircraft, including one of San Diego's own, an F-102. The Atlas missile is also a San Diego product, as is the pedestal-mounted drone. Unfortunately, all the aircraft are showing signs of weather damage, some more than others. At least the canopies have been covered with blue tarps. The placard describing the deep blue Douglas A2D Skyshark indicated that of the 12 aircraft produced, it is the only survivor. Why is this uniquely rare aircraft displayed outside? Can't room be found for it in the Balboa Park location? It's a Navy aircraft with folding wings, so it wouldn't take up much space. It is a restoration facility, as well as a sort of catch-all for miscellaneous artifacts, most of which are aircraft-related. That said, it has a haphazard look about it that perhaps can be improved.

The Lakeside Museum is a well kept secret. The building began its long life as the rectory/home for…read morethe Church next door's pastors and their families for almost 100 years. Now it houses a wide variety of antiques and items from Lakeside's long colorful history! A personal favorite is the machine women would use to give their hair a "permanent". If you're interested in the paranormal history of Lakeside you need to stop by for a visit! As a paranormal investigator, I've conducted 2 full investigations of the museum and the Church, one in 2014 and another in 2017. My written analysis's of all recording devices along with a portable hard drive with these files are filed in the nearby Lakeside Historical Society's office and are available to the public.

Amazing museum! I learned a lot and really got to take time to read a lot of history…read more I love reading about DeVinci and his pursuit of aviation. I love reading about the space shuttle program. Great place for all aerospace enthusiasts.

Whenever we visit a new city, we always try to check three things off our list: visit a museum, do…read moresomething on the water (if applicable) & catch a sports game. The San Diego Air & Space Museum was our museum pick for this trip & it was a fun, educational morning! My husband is a retired Army veteran & enjoys planes, aviation history & anything military-related, so this museum was right up his alley. We could have spent hours exploring all of the exhibits, aircraft, artifacts & historical displays. One of the highlights of our visit was meeting a super outgoing docent shortly after we walked in. Somehow, he kept magically popping up throughout the museum during our visit, sharing fascinating tidbits & fun facts about whatever exhibit we happened to be looking at. You could tell he genuinely loved being there & his enthusiasm made the entire experience even more engaging & personal. (My apologies for not remembering his name. He was an Air Force B-52 pilot & bonded with hubby over their shared military service.) Another really cool aspect of the museum is its location directly in the flight path of the airport. Planes were flying overhead every couple of minutes, which honestly added so much atmosphere to the visit. Hearing & seeing aircraft constantly overhead while walking through the exhibits made the whole experience feel extra immersive. The vintage Pacific Southwest Airlines stewardess uniforms on display were awesome! The museum does a great job balancing serious aviation history with quirky, interesting pieces of airline culture & design history. This was definitely a worthwhile visit - whether you are an aviation buff or just looking for an interesting & interactive museum experience. We both had a great time!

So this place is definitely one of the coolest looking museums I've ever been too. Very nicely…read moredone, I loved that each room was completely different and the dinosaurs were all really cool. This museum is definitely on the religious side rather than science. Whatever you believe you'll still have a cool time, but there was a lot of things that I would say are not facts. Great book store as well, and pretty big! I think it's worth a visit to learn or just have a different experience.

Great place to bring kids. They tell you a lot about earth, science etc and how it's connected to…read moreGod.

This is always a fun time. If your expecting a quiet museum trip, this is not your museum. It is…read morealways filled with kids and loud. However it's really meant to be that way, very interactive and fun. There are currently 4 levels. LL, 1, 2, and 3. 4 is currently under construction. LL is fossils. 1 floor is gift shop and kids rooms. 2nd floor is dinosaur and local animal habitat. 3rd floor is gems and library. There is enough stuff in here to keep you busy for a couple hours. Lots of San Diego native stuff and facts about where we live. I will say to me it's a little small and everytime something is closed. But still fun to go, I would just aim for a free day if your a local or if your a visitor it's worth to learn about San Diego and natural history.

Just visited this week. Probably our fourth visit in five years as our son is a big fan of Natural…read moreScience Museums. As of this writing, they're currently under construction raising the roof (no fourth floor access) and renovating the first floor. Currently, access to the building is on the second floor. They are part of the ASTC Travel Passport Program, so if you have an out of town membership to a participating program, you can get free admission here. My favorite part of the museum is a 7.5 minute "film" by a small Airstream RV. It shows the silhouette of two kids in a tent and the adventure covers all the animals they might run into out in the desert. Other things I found interesting were: The fossilized leg and hip bones of an Ankylosaurus that was found locally in Carlsbad. Different preserved animal specimens like a full anaconda skin, a whale vertabrae, a spotted skunk, and a thorny oyster. They're currently working on a fossilized Bison skull and neck Assorted skeletons and models of larger animals. A small section on minerals A giant pendulum I would consider this a medium sized museum where most families would spend around 1.5-2 hours there.

Warbirds West is been such a BLAST to be a part of! The people are fun and enthusiastic. There are…read morealways projects to do and new things learn and new people to meet. Just in my first year I've been able to attend: air shows - in town and out of town; lots of monthly pancake breakfasts; movie nights; dinner/dance with band; formation flying; flyovers; drive military vehicles; celebrate veterans; create quality friendships and meet fascinating people, many of whom are veterans. As an Aircraft Sponsor Member, I get to fly in warbirds with people I admire and trust and look forward to more! :)

Had a good collection of antique planes and trucks, but this place no longer exists. He suddenly…read morevanished and, from what I understand, re-emerged in Redding, CA.

Absolutely one of my favorite spots in San Diego! The Japanese Friendship Garden is such a…read morepeaceful, serene escape right in the middle of the city. From the moment you walk in, everything feels calm, quiet & beautifully maintained. Hubby & I spent the morning at a museum around the corner & decided to walk over to check out the garden. I could have spent hours wandering through the winding paths, admiring the stunning koi ponds filled with colorful fish, listening to the soothing sounds of the waterfalls & taking in all of the lush greenery surrounding the garden. The flowers were absolutely gorgeous & smelled heavenly. I especially loved all of the vibrant leafy greens, bamboo, trees & delicate plants that made the entire space feel so tranquil & immersive. There are so many little hidden corners & scenic spots to sit, relax, meditate & just enjoy the sounds of nature. It is definitely the kind of place that instantly lowers your stress level. The garden is beautifully designed with traditional Japanese touches throughout, making it feel both elegant & welcoming. Whether you are looking for a quiet afternoon, a romantic stroll, beautiful photo opportunities or simply a break from the busy city, this place is a gem. We left feeling refreshed & relaxed. Highly recommend.

I wanted to love it like I loved the Japanese Tea Garden at Golden Gate Park is San Francisco…read more Layers. Color. Amazing. Go look online. Balboa Part iteration just wasn't it. Pretty but also ho-hum when you grew up with something so magical. Also, the parking g sucked!! Not only do you have to pay, but there is one single machine to pay. Huge and pack lot. There are better ways to spend the afternoon....which I hate saying because at my core, I like a park/museum situation and look to those venues fir food times in any city where I'm a tourist.

It had been a minute since I was here last. There were some new exhibits I thoroughly enjoyed:…read more Cafes and Cabarets: the spectacular Art of Toulouse-Lautrec known for his beguiling portraits of Paris nightlife and immortalizing the cabaret culture of Belle Époque Paris. Chanell Stone: Undulation of a Rupture during a journey through the Mississippi Delta. Black and white photographs invite reflection on the Mississippi River as both a natural force and a historical passageway. The museum created an atmosphere of this exhibit with a deeply emotional connection and experience. Graciela Iturbide, arguably Latin America's best-known living photographer from Mexico. This exhibition surveys her most iconic photographs, primarily captured in Mexico, but also worldwide. Also, Dutch Paintings on loan from Boston Museum of Fine Arts. I came during the Great Exchange and it was free if you have membership with a participating museum. It's also free for San Diego residents on the third Tuesday of the month. Two things that surprised me: The first being half of upstairs was closed to prepare for new exhibits. Secondly, several Gallery Attendants behaved very strangely and were definitely not friendly or welcoming. There were two different exhibits where I was viewing the museum app on my phone and witnessed the attendants walking around in circles quickly. It was distracting and odd. I got the impression they didn't want me to linger but I ignored them and they finally stopped. I asked a question to another attendant and he seemed annoyed like I was disturbing him. The friendly women security guards were absolutely wonderful! Lastly, free parking was available for several hours as long as you previously registered with the city. Check out the map online for the different locations.

For the many that have never been to the many art myseums there are some of the best artists that…read morehave shown the true elegance what the art field has ofdered. San Dirgo Myseum of art show cases the art work from Eutope to the ealy years of the 1800s to the earliest of the 1600s. For the artistz that catch your eye to the statues that you can see what the artist sees when the statue work is done. Of the many pieces that have such great power to them the art work of picaso and the works of Degaul the Museum of Art has so msny great works when the Holidays of Christmas came the art works of Devinci showing the works of the many pieces showing the Jesus of Nazareth. Going to the Museum you xen feel the art but dont touch tgere are statues you can touch the sculptures captures the true art but what the artist is thinking . From the art work of the outside the larger sculptures and the metal creations there are many that you xan see near the Tymkim that is one of the many free museums that you can go to at Balboa Park. The masterpieces of the European and the American Artists showing the art work and how artists the pieces they did. With the San Diego Museum is one of the great places you can go and study the art work from around the world for the works of the grand masters they have such great history. The colors of the museum from the marble floors the hardwoods that you would find in the museum rooms the San Diego Museum of Art is the greatest place for students the erucation and artists have so much to show. As a Yelp Elite Reviewer over the meny years the San Diego Museum of Art the the art shows its one place showing the masters on the weeks I would come and see rwstorations take place. The San Diego Museum of Art for the students to the older the world of art offers so much.

A free quaint museum about La Mesa's humble beginnings and railroad history…read more Parking was 25 cents for 20 minutes and we finished the tour with a few minutes to spare. According to the website, tours start at 11:00 on Saturdays but the guide was willing to lead parties around prior. The entire museum consisted of two rooms with a few artifacts. Our tour guide Paul did a stellar job putting all the objects into context. While I wouldn't go out to check out the museum, this is a great spot to check out as La Mesa local. Love to see a piece of history preserved so well in SD.

If you love trains, you will love it here. The exhibits are very good, though the staic ones…read moreoutside desperately need a little TLC, but the indoor area is really nice and well done. Unfortunately, the train ride was not as exciting as I had hoped for. Dues to 'track conditions,' we only went up and back a couple of times for maybe a total of 30 minutes. However, you are able to walk around and the docents are very friendly and informative. Just wish we could have went a bit further, but it was still fun.