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!

Quite worth the $40 if you are into this stuff. The price may be a bit high for museums but there…read moreare lots to see in the different levels of the ship. Guided tours are also included with the bridge of the ship. The best part is going on to the top deck on a nice day. You can probably occupy a few hours of hunger does not get you first.

Great unique experience. Was a lot more interesting than we imagined and definitely educational…read more Well worth a visit. Warning: Some areas may be difficult for folks who have trouble with stairs and confined spaces. Especially the island tour requires going up and down multiple flights of steep ladder style steps. There are elevators available for the main deck levels. They offer a free self-guided audio tour in multiple languages which they say you can spend upwards of six hours to see everything. Talk to the docents/staff. Many are veterans and some are even recovered POWs who served on this ship. They offer fascinating stories and insights and are really friendly. There are many different planes and helicopters to explore in the hangar and atop the flight deck. Inside, you can get a look at the variety of living and working spaces and operation centers that drove an immense vehicle like this. Within the hangar there is a gift shop, cafeteria style restaurant, and a fast service counter. There is also a large outdoor patio with great views located on a plane elevator.

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.

A Funday Sunday Adventure! It takes a lot to get me downtown on a weekend if it's not for a great…read moremeal or a baseball game. Usually super busy, crowded and some areas very smelly, I'd rather kiss a pig than be there. The WNDR museum caught my eye. Saw some ads and had nothing planned. Checked tickets and availability was wide open for that day. Easy entering the lobby as well as starting our tour whenever we preferred. There were exhibits upstairs and down. Many were pretty cool with mirrors and lights which made for some WOW moments. Other guests generally moved at about the same pace as us. Some stayed in certain areas for extended time, which, at times caused some backlog of movement. Restrooms located adjacent to the snack bar which is just beyond the entrance/ lobby. Easily a great visit for the young and young at heart! I believe the WNDR museum is scheduled to close at the end of August '25.

Really cool museum, small but plenty of exhibits! My kiddo was fascinated! Must buy tickets online,…read morestreet parking or park in the parking structure near by. They have a little cafe, small little store to purchase souvenirs, clean bathrooms. Would definitely recommend!

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.

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.

Second year (2019) I've been to Wonderspaces and I had a blast with my best friend but I enjoyed…read morelast year's more. Adult admission this year was $27, which I think increased from last year. If you have a school ID, I strongly recommend to use it! It becomes $20/person +$1 fee when ordered online. It was extremely packed in this area on a Saturday, so plan accordingly. We paid $10 for parking at the lot that's about a less than 5 min walk away. This might be the Millennial in me talking... but there weren't as many photos ops, in my opinion, compared to the other years. There were a few exhibits that I would have liked to see and we signed up for the wait list on the tablets, but it said there were over 100 people waiting, we never got a text back, and then ended up leaving. It seemed like there were a lot of people just waiting around the common areas and I'm assuming it's for those exhibits. On the plus side, it was indeed fun. They serve red and white wine (right under $9), which we ordered and made the trip a blast ;) The exhibits that we did see, especially with the lights and colored yarn, were awesome. I just didn't favor the one in the dark room where you hear a bunch of cars crashing over and over...it got me paranoid... but hey it's art. The confession wall was interesting and sometimes even funny. Overall, it was a fun experience and have no regrets in going! Every employee was super friendly and willing to answer any questions

Visiting San Diego over the weekend can lead to several exciting things, the immersive art…read moreexperience was definitely not immediately the experience I was looking for, but certainly an experience that was truly appreciated. If you have a couple hours to explore more than just your visual sense then I recommend stripping down and diving into the latest of the Marina's art venues. A few of my favorite exhibits include: "Experiment 2.C" takes you high above the clouds. "We Are All Made of Light" places you deep into space as you may imagine life among the stars to be. "Rainbow Room" allows you to live among the different colors and textures of life. "Where Thoughts Go" provides you with a VR experience of hearing other's intimate thoughts and life experiences and sharing your own before drifting away. The collection of art displayed and your experience with each is immeasurable, unforgettable and definitely worth visiting over and over again. Looking forward to seeing more this.

Small free area with lot of plants to look at. Multiple entrances and exits so you don't have to…read morecrowd in one area. It looks like a green house from a distance but the whole building has air gaps to allow breeze.

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.

May 15 2026 in La Jolla California is Birch Aquarium…read more Took my Dad and mom and brother to Birtch Aquarium. This Aquarium is amazing and wonderful. The staff are alwqys professional and polite. They alwqys greet you . And help if you need it. My dad loves the sea horses I live the sea dragons. And black and white clown fish It was some what busy today but we were able to visit and we all had fun and got to see some amazing fish and sea life. Thank you to all the Birtch Aquarium staff. I highly recommend them and I will be back

I had a wonderful visit in April 2026, if you get the tickets online and go in the afternoon you…read moreget them for a big discount. I had so much fun, the penguins were delightful. I didn't get to see the octopus awake I hope to next time. Going in the afternoon, you avoid the school field trips, which gives you space to see the aquarium. It was my first time visiting, and I will be back.

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

Made it to Museum of Us in Balboa Park... and honestly? The main museum itself was just okay to me…read more A few interesting exhibits, some cool architecture, but nothing that really grabbed me at first. Then I walked into the second half -- the Cannibals: Myth & Reality exhibit -- and suddenly the admission fee became worth it. It wasn't some cheap shock-value horror setup either. It was surprisingly historical, psychological, and thought-provoking. The exhibit dives into how cultures throughout history have been accused of cannibalism, how colonial powers often weaponized those accusations, and how survival situations pushed ordinary people into impossible decisions. A few things that stood out: * Stories about shipwreck survivors and stranded explorers forced into life-or-death choices * Historical use of human remains in old European medicine (yes... actual medical "remedies") * Interactive exhibits that make you question where humanity draws moral lines * Pop culture comparisons from movies and folklore versus actual documented history * The fact that the exhibit stays mostly educational and "gore-free," which somehow made it even creepier The craziest part? You leave realizing how much of history is shaped by fear, propaganda, survival, and perspective. Also, the building itself has a wild history. The museum dates back to the 1915 Panama-California Exposition and sits in one of the most iconic buildings in Balboa Park. (Wikipedia) So overall: Main museum = anticlimactic. Cannibalism exhibit = unexpectedly fascinating and absolutely the highlight of the visit.