The museums at Balboa Park, Maritime Museum, Botanical Gardens and The Maritime Museum are some of the museums and sites listed here.

The Museums at Balboa Park

San Diego Aerospace Museum

Their mission: To celebrate the accomplishments of men and women who have made significant contributions to the field of aerospace for the betterment of humankind. To educate the public on the human, social and technological significance of developments in aerospace and on the possible directions for future progress. To inspire the public to pursue their future dreams and encourage involvement in aerospace by discovering the history of achievements in this field.

San Diego Automotive Museum

The San Diego Automotive Museum is a cultural and educational resource center contributing to the preservation and celebration of the automobile and motorcycle Arts and Sciences through community involvement.

San Diego Model Railroad Museum

Located in the heart of Balboa Park, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum (SDMRM) is the world's largest operating model railroad museum. This unique museum has four enormous scale model layouts, built by separate clubs, which depict railroads of the southwest in O, HO and N scales.

San Diego Museum of Art

San Diego Museum of Art - the region's primary resource for exhibitions and collections of fine art for more than 75 years.

San Diego Museum of Man

San Diego's only anthropological museum. One of the nation's great collections of artifacts, folk art, and archaeological finds is located here.

Mingei International Museum

Mingei is a special word increasingly used throughout the world for "arts of the people." Mingei International in San Diego was incorporated in 1974 as a nonprofit, public foundation dedicated to furthering the understanding of art of all cultures of the world. This art shares a direct simplicity and reflects a joy in making, by hand, useful objects that are satisfying to the human spirit.

Museum of Photographic Arts

Museum of Photographic Arts (MoPA) has been devoted to collecting, conserving and exhibiting the entire spectrum of the photographic medium.

Natural History Museum

The San Diego Natural History Museum traces its roots to an enthusiastic group of amateur naturalists, who formed the San Diego Society of Natural History in 1874.

Reuben H. Fleet Science Center

The Science Center features five galleries of exciting, hands-on science exhibits, as well as major traveling exhibitions. The 76-foot IMAX Dome Theater, the first in the world, presents the biggest films on the planet, plus planetarium shows and more.

Timken Museum of Art

Located in San Diego's beautiful Balboa Park, the Timken Museum of Art houses the world-class Putnam Foundation Collection of European old masters American art, and Russian icons.

Other San Diego Museums & Historical Sites

Stephen Birch Aquarium & Museum

Birch Aquarium is the public exploration center for Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD, in La Jolla, California.

Cabrillo National Monument

Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo led the first European expedition to explore what is now the west coast of the United States. Cabrillo departed from the port of Navidad, Mexico, on June 27, 1542. Three months later he arrived at "a very good enclosed port." That port is known today as San Diego Bay.

Maritime Museum

The Maritime Museum of San Diego enjoys a worldwide reputation for excellence in restoring, maintaining and operating historic vessels. The museum has one of the world's finest collections of historic ships, including the world famous Star of India.

Marston House

This home was built in 1905 for George Marston, prominent San Diego merchant, philanthropist and civic leader, who was a founder and first president of the San Diego Historical Society. The George White and Anna Gunn Marston house is an early example of the work of San Diego architects William Hebbard and Irving Gill.

Midway Museum

Experience Midway Magic aboard the nation's newest naval aviation museum, the U.S.S. Midway. Located on San Diego Bay in downtown San Diego at Navy Pier, Midway provides a dynamic and enriching experience as guests take a look back at the history of America's longest serving Aircraft Carrier.

Mission San Diego

First of the 21 missions and known as the Mother of the Missions, Mission San Diego de Alcala was founded on July 16, 1769 by Blessed Junipero Serra. It was designated as a Minor Basilica in 1976 by Pope Paul VI. The Mission today is an active Catholic Parish in the Diocese of San Diego.

Museum of Contemporary Art

The permanent collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, includes more than 3,000 works created after 1950, representing all media and genres: painting, sculpture, works on paper, photography, video, film, and installation. MCASD is known for collecting works by promising emerging artists and under-recognized mid-career artists, as well as by major figures in contemporary art.

Quail Botanical Gardens

Quail Botanical Gardens is dedicated to the conservation of rare and endangered plants from across the globe.

Balboa Park

Midway Museum

Star of India at the Maritime Museum