The ideal San Diego getaway involves visiting the San Diego Zoo, exploring the vibrant neighborhoods, and checking out the pristine beaches of the county—but, the fun is just getting started. If you thought Los Angeles was the only one with fabulous galleries and museums, San Diego will prove you wrong. Your San Diego itinerary isn't complete without the city's impressive museums. There are over 90 museums sprinkled throughout San Diego County, with 17 of them located in the nation’s largest urban cultural park: Balboa Park. The next time you’re in the area, check out the top San Diego museums that are bound to inspire you.
1. San Diego Museum of Art
Location: 1450 El Prado, San Diego
Price: $8–$15 for general admission, free for people ages 17 and under
The region’s oldest and largest art museum is The San Diego Museum of Art, which is located in the heart of Balboa Park. This San Diego museum contains one of the most comprehensive art collections, with works ranging from 5,000 BC to the modern era. An assortment of Italian Renaissance, Dutch, and Baroque pieces can be found here. The museum also features pieces by famous Spanish artists such as Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, Francisco de Zurbarán, Juan Sánchez Cotán, and Jusepe de Ribera.
Architects William Templeton Johnson and Robert W. Snyder designed the building in a plateresque style to match the rest of the structures from the Panama-California Exposition of 1915. The annual Art Alive flower exhibit (held under normal circumstances) takes place right here at the San Diego Museum of Art. Each April, floral designers gather to express their interpretation of an art piece selected from the museum’s permanent collection, using only flowers and organic materials.
2. San Diego Natural History Museum
Location: 1788 El Prado, San Diego
Price: $11–$20 for general admission, free for children ages 2 and under
The San Diego Natural History Museum, often referred to as "The Nat," is a local favorite. Founded in 1874, it’s one of the oldest institutions in Southern California. Showcasing the natural history and unique biodiversity of the binational region, the San Diego Natural History Museum includes dinosaur bones, bugs, skulls, hands-on fun, and top-notch temporary exhibits for people of all ages to enjoy.
The most popular exhibition is Fossil Mysteries—an interactive exhibit tracing the 75-million-year, fossil-rich history of Southern California and Baja California, Mexico. With four floors of exhibitions, a 3D theater, and a research collection boasting nine million specimens, this San Diego museum promotes the understanding of the evolution and diversity of SoCal.
3. San Diego Children's Discovery Museum
Location: 320 North Broadway, Escondido
Price: $6–$10 for general admission, free for children ages 1 and under as well as for active-duty military and veterans
Providing interactive educational exhibits for children, the San Diego Children's Discovery Museum is where science, cultural diversity, and art programs come to life. The lively indoor and outdoor museum offers early learning supplemental educational resources to children, parents, and educators. As the only hands-on educational children's museum in North San Diego County, the interactive museum features four focused program areas: experimentation, exploration, imagination, and discovery.
Offering eye-opening experiences to visitors, this San Diego museum focuses on the critical years of child development while also encouraging families to learn together. With professionally designed exhibit spaces and programs for hands-on activities, children can experiment at the Magnification Station, discover nature in the Children’s Discovery Garden, and experience many more adventures at this exceptional establishment.