Museums in San Diego

With the diversity of San Diego’s history and upbringing, San Diego museums are full of chronicles and memorabilia of its past and current state in many arenas. As San Diego is notable for it’s Navy fleet and essential connection to the Pacific Ocean, San Diego has vast maritime history which makes the USS Midway Museum and Maritime Museum of San Diego two of the most noteworthy San Diego museums to visit and are both located in the waters of the San Diego harbor.

The cultural and picturesque Balboa Park also houses two incredible San Diego museums which are a must to visit, the San Diego Natural History Museum and San Diego Museum of Man. In between going to both, you can walk around the most beautiful park in San Diego which is surrounded by Spanish-Renaissance architecture.

San Diego also has several other museums that depict its history and relation to the world through air & space, transportation, art, and more. Navigate through the menu on the left to get details on all of the San Diego museums to explore.

USS Midway Museum
Museums in San Diego

1. Maritime Museum of San Diego


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’s oldest active ship Star of India.



2. San Diego Air & Space Museum


Aviation history is truly a remarkable story, and it all unfolds at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.



3. USS Midway Museum


Prepare yourself for a lifetime memory aboard San Diego's top attraction. You'll explore a floating city at sea and relive nearly 50 years of world history aboard the longest-serving Navy aircraft carrier of the 20th century.



4. San Diego Museum of Art


The San Diego Museum of Art, the region’s oldest, largest and most visited art museum, provides a rich and diverse cultural experience.



5. San Diego Museum of Man


Transform your mind through great exhibits at the San Diego Museum of Man! Our mission is to inspire human connections by exploring the human experience.



6. San Diego Natural History Museum


Out vision is to interpret the natural world through research, education and exhibits; to promote understanding of the evolution and diversity of southern California and the peninsula of Baja California; and to inspire in all a respect for nature and the environment.



7. San Diego Automotive Museum


Since the opening of the San Diego Automotive Museum, millions of local auto enthusiasts and tourists from all over the world have visited our world-class collection. Today the museum stands as a living tribute to the automobile and what it has meant to our culture.



8. San Diego Model Railroad Museum


The mission of the San Diego Model Railroad Museum is to preserve the heritage of railroading through a series of miniature representations of California railroads, as well as research and preserve the history of model railroading.


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