The SD museums of art is at the balboa park amongst other museums and beautiful outdoor flowers,…read moresceneries, etc. there were many tourists out that day including school field trips, groups, etc. I used the gocity pass to check in at the front desk and then I was able to enjoy the museum. It is two stories big offering stairs and elevators. They have security on each art room/ theme area. I was able to observe many paintings that were diverse and unique. Some are antiques kept there for everyone to admire. They have clean restrooms available as well. Bring comfortable shoes because there is pretty to walk around. Staff were very nice and checking went smoothly as well. The sticker you are given can be used all day long to come back to the same Museum. Most museums open at 10AM but plenty of people arrive earlier. I took public transportation to get up there and that was easy.

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.

On February 28, 2026 we visited the Air and Space museum in Balboa Park…read more We definitely enjoyed the museum and all of the exhibits. One of the volunteers showed us how to start the messerschmitt jet engine. This was fascinating. While there, we also had the pleasure of visiting the flight path grill. The hamburgers were fantastic! We wanted to thank the person that grilled them but they are behind closed doors. We couldn't believe the hamburgers cost only $8. The hamburgers were far better than the $22 hamburgers we got at our hotel! We really appreciated having such an enjoyable experience and hope you will give the person that grilled those hamburgers something special.

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!

Knowledge is power and giving knowledge to the young ones is invaluable. Sparking their curiosity…read moreis rewarding and the Fleet Science Center delivers in a unique way for families. As soon as you enter, there are several exciting science based exhibits that immediately capture the minds and attention of the young ones. The Fleet Science Center provides many interesting designed science exhibits for all ages. You walk through the exhibits and have a great interactive experience. So many amazing activities to do and see!!! What a wonderful place to visit!!! Paid Parking is available now. Definitely a return visit call with the family!!!

Impressive tech, but proceed with caution for 3-hour feature films!…read more We were super excited to see The Odyssey here for our very first IMAX experience after waiting two weeks for our date! Having already seen the movie twice in a standard theater, we were curious to see how it translated to the Heikoff Giant Dome. Here is the full breakdown of how it works and what to expect: Essential Tips & Logistics for 6:30 PM Box Office Movies: Tickets & Arrival: You MUST buy tickets online in advance. The Science Center itself closes to the public at 5:00 PM, but line up outside around 5:00 PM--the queue fills up fast between 5:00-5:30 PM! Door Opening & Entry: Doors open at 6:00 PM sharp. Once tickets are scanned, you'll enter a second line inside. Members and ADA guests get priority boarding around 6:25 PM, followed by General Admission. Pro-Tip for Groups: Seating is first-come, first-served. It was literally a stampede when doors opened! Have one person hold your spot in the inside queue while another uses the restroom or hits concessions. Concessions: Everything is prepackaged (bags of popcorn, candy, canned sodas/water). No fresh movie-theater popcorn or fountain drinks, but fine for a quick snack. Seats & Seating Placement: Aim as high up and toward the center as possible! We sat in the lower half of the upper section. The seats are clean, comfortable, and feel brand new, but they do not recline. Staring up at the dome for nearly 3 hours caused some serious neck strain. Also, watch out for the glass balcony railings in the upper section, which can partially cut into your sightline. The Film Experience: The sound system is fantastic and the theater itself is spotless, but for a fast-paced action movie like The Odyssey, the dome format just didn't work for us. Being that close made it feel like watching a screen two feet from your face--fight scenes became a blur, and the dome curved the edges of the picture (buildings and straight objects looked noticeably warped/distorted). It felt a bit like looking through a fishbowl. Overall Verdict: No knock at all on the staff, Fleet Science Center, or the incredible tech--for documentary shorts or environmental films, this dome is probably mind-blowing. But for long feature films with heavy action, it didn't add to the movie and was a bit overwhelming. Glad we experienced it, but we'll stick to traditional theaters for feature films in the future! P.S. / Note for Fleet Science Center Management & Staff: I know queuing outside can be tricky to manage, but I wanted to share an observation in case it helps improve the queue process. We arrived around 5:10 PM and were about 10th in line outside. However, the group of 2 people right in front of us gradually grew to 12 as more of their party arrived over the next hour, and another pair grew to 8. By the time the doors opened at 6:00 PM, our spot in line effectively jumped from 10th to around 25th. While holding places for late arrivals is understandable to a degree, seeing groups multiply like that can feel a bit unfair to those who stood outside early. Some retail stores and venues (like those in Hawaii) handle this by handing out numbered queue cards or tokens per person as they join the line, preventing late-arriving party members from jumping ahead of early arrivers. Just a thought for future popular feature film screenings!

This is the second museum that we booked through San Diego Discover and Go using our library card…read more The place is absolutely incredible! We enjoyed each exhibit and learned a lot about history, race, power, and the way of life of those before us. The ticket includes entry to the other museum across the street which showcases the history of cannibalism. It's a very interesting place! I love the mini interactive activities they have too. Head on to Balboa Park if you're looking for fun places to visit with family and friends!

One of my favorite museums I've been to in SoCal. The two…read moremost outstanding exhibits in my opinion are the one regarding border crossing in Arizona and the one about secrets. Both exhibits stand out in different ways-- The border crossing exhibit sheds light on how many lives were lost in one small area in Arizona while the secret exhibit is interactive and elicits all sorts of emotions from the reader. Definitely recommend this museum and will be returning within the year as tickets are good for a year

What a gem in National City! Christopher gave us a fabulous tour of the farm animals and was so…read morekind to let our little toddler feed the goats and admire all the creatures that live here. She loved hearing the chickens and turkeys and watching the goats, emu, pig and lamb. A highlight was picking some delicious tomatoes right off the vine. We are grateful for the experience and welcoming volunteers. If you visit, be sure to bring a cash donation to help this special place continue to run.

Cute place ! A hidden little gem ! Had no idea this place even existed !…read more Went here for a children's Bday party ! They had a cute little set up and even had a jumper ! I'm assuming you have to rent one your self ! I did see a few animals , not as many as I had hoped for ! But I did enjoy checking out the fruit trees ! The trees are beautifully maintained . The bathrooms are in the back decently kept and good size !!

I learned so much about the local history. This is a great place for local artists to show their…read morework!

Small, but charming and informative civic museum discussing the history of the town and the valley…read more Helpful and friendly staff. Easy parking.

A beautiful conservatory that houses over 2,000 plants. It's humid and feels like you have just…read morestepped into a mini jungle. It's very photogenic and the best part is that it's free to everyone. Weekday mornings are the best time to visit because this place is popular and gets very crowded. I always leave wanting to purchase more plants for my home.

What do you mean no lilies in the lily pond?…read more Zero. Also, pay parking is awful. I can forgive the no lilies, but the parking situation - abhorrent.

There are 7 total ships, including the Star of India, and a submarine. You can purchase your ticket…read moreat any of the main booths/boat entrances, then show your receipt to visit the others on the same day. The flexibility of a self-guided tour was great. One ship was away on a sail in the afternoon this past Saturday, but there was more than enough to explore on the various vessels during our visit. Plenty to see and experience on each of the boats. We stepped onto the swift boat where staff educated us about its machine gun. And we walked through and checked out the different sections of the USS Dolphin submarine too. The HMS Surprise was a lovely ship with plenty of references to its use in films. The Star of India was like a museum all on its own, so many areas to explore and a ton of history to learn. The Californian was pretty basic, not very different from many other ships we've visited in the past. Steam Ferry Berkeley was the largest, with displays showcasing scientific instruments, model boats, artwork, the riverboats in Vietnam, the engine room, a torpedo caught by a fisherman, and a special exhibit featuring the "histories of the black pacific". There's a gift shop on site as well. Altogether, the variety of ships at the Maritime Museum made for an interesting adventure, a bit touristy, but worth the cost if you're into history or simply like boats.

Ok so I will split this into two reviews:…read more 1: the ships and actual adventure 2: the reservation process and customer service 1: booked a trip for the Spanish replica ship adventure the San Salvador and really loved it. The ticket also got you access to the other ships to walk around which was cool. But the coolest part was that San Salvador was sailed like they would have sailed it waaay back when. We got to see real rigging masts sails steering all being done by a crew and it was a totally amazing experience and such a perfect day. Bonus: we saw dolphins and it was a perfect day. Drawback: the gentlemen speaking throughout didn't talk into his mic often so missed a lot but oh well - who's really going for history?! such a good time!!. 2. I had a good with my tickets and called and tried to talk to folks in person and could never get someone. The tickets were cancelled but not refunded which was a bummer and staff in the kiosk even said they phone lines were messed up. A bummer. :(