Your Guide To San Diego's Kid-Friendly Museum Month (Feb 2023)
photograph by Mariela Cohen Photography, (graphic by me)
We love the museums so much that we had our family photos taken in front of one of our favorites. @sdnhm 💗 Museum Month is a great time to explore a new museum or one you haven't been to in a while.
HERE'S YOUR GUIDE TO SAN DIEGO'S (KID-FRIENDLY) MUSEUM MONTH
🏛 WHAT: Get 1/2 off admission to over 45 museums
📆 WHEN: Feb. 1-28
👨👩👦👦 WHO: Valid for four 1/2 price admissions per museum pass. If you have more than 4 in your family, get another one.
🎫 MUSEUM PASS: You need this to present as your discount for the 1/2 off admission. Get them for free from your local library, (or digitally here), available all month long. You'll need to keep this pass and show it to each museum you visit.
📊 STRATEGY: Visit the more expensive museums you otherwise wouldn't go to. 😉
🗺 WHERE: The full list of participating museums is at the bottom...BUT first you'll see my list of our favorite kid-friendly museums below.
Here's a Neighborhood Guide that the San Diego Museum Council put together if you want to see which museums are in the same location. Here's their full website for more information.
16 OF OUR FAVORITE KID-FRIENDLY MUSEUMS
We've been to all of these museums listed below and I can say without a doubt that my kids enjoyed themselves at these places. Your family may or may not agree, but this might give you a good start to figure out which museum(s) you want to try next.
Regular prices from 2022 are below, since Museum Month gives you 1/2 off you can calculate about how much it will cost. Remember that one Museum Pass is valid for four 1/2 priced admissions, so if your family is larger than four you'll want to get two Museum Passes.
*NOTE: Prices/Hours are listed are from 2022...I have not updated them yet for 2023.
Have fun!! Let me know if you go what you think of them. :)
🐠 BIRCH AQUARIUM
Advanced timed tickets only. Use code "MuseumMonth23" at checkout
Hours: daily 9-5
Cost: $24.95 for ages 17+, $22.95 for ages 60+, $19.95 for kids ages 3-17, free for kids 2 and under, discounts for military
📍 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla 📞 858-534-3474 💻 website
🔭 FLEET SCIENCE CENTER
Hours: daily 10-5
Cost: $21.95 for ages 13+, $19.95 for ages 65+, $18.95 for kids ages 3-12, free for kids 2 and under
📍 1875 El Prado, Balboa Park 📞 619-238-1233 💻 website
🦸♀️ COMIC-CON MUSEUM
Hours: Wed-Sat 10-6, Sun 11-7 (closed Mon/Tue)
Cost: $19.95 for ages 12+, $15 for ages 60+, $11.95 for kids ages 4-12, Free for kids 2 and under, $15 for military and students
📍 2131 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park 📞 619-546-9073 💻 website
🌸 JAPANESE FRIENDSHIP GARDEN
Hours: daily 10-6
Cost: $12 for general admission, $10 for ages 65+, free for kids 6 years old and under, $10 for military and students
📍 2215 Pan American Rd. E., Balboa Park 📞 619-232-2721 💻 website
🦅 LIVING COAST DISCOVERY CENTER
Hours: Thu-Sun 10-5
Cost: $18 for ages 13+, $13 for kids ages 3-12, free for kids 2 and under
📍 1000 Gunpowder Point Dr., Chula Vista 📞 619-409-5900 💻 website
⚓️ MARITIME MUSEUM
Hours: daily 10-5
Cost: $20 for ages 18+, $15 for ages 62+, $10 for kids ages 3-12, free for kids 2 and under, $15 for military and students
📍 1492 N Harbor Dr., San Diego (Embarcadero) 📞 619-234-9153 💻 website
🎶 MUSEUM OF MAKING MUSIC
Hours: Tue-Sun 10-5 (closed Mon)
Cost: $15 for general admission, $10 for ages 60+, free for kids 2 and under, $10 for military and students
📍 5790 Armada Dr., Carlsbad 📞 760-438-5996 💻 website
🛩 SAN DIEGO AIR & SPACE MUSEUM
Hours: daily 10-4:30
Cost: $22.50 for ages 12+, $18 for ages 65+, $12 for kids ages 3-11, free for kids 2 and under, $18 for military and students
📍 2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park 📞 619-234-8291 💻 website
⛏ SAN DIEGO ARCHAEOLOGICAL CENTER
Hours: Thu-Fri 10-4, Sat 10-2
Cost: Donation based, $5 suggestion
📍 16666 San Pasqual Valley Rd., Escondido 📞 760-291-0370 💻 website
🏎 SAN DIEGO AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM
Hours: Tue-Sun 10-5 (closed Mon)
Cost: $14.50 for ages 18+, $10 for ages 65+, $8.50 for kids ages 5-17, free for kids 4 and under, $10 for military and students
📍 2080 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park 📞 619-231-2886 💻 website
🌺 SAN DIEGO BOTANIC GARDEN
Hours: Wed-Mon 9-5 (closed Tue)
Cost: $18 for ages 18+, $12 for ages 60+, $10 for kids ages 3-17, free for kids 2 and under, $12 for military and students
📍 230 Quail Gardens Dr., Encinitas 📞 760-436-3036 💻 website
🤸🏻♂️ SAN DIEGO CHILDREN'S DISCOVERY MUSEUM
Hours: Tue-Sat 9-12 & 1:30-4:30, (closed Sun/Mon)
Cost: $9.50 per person, free for kids under 12 months old, $6.50 for military and educators
📍 320 N Broadway, Escondido 📞 760-233-7755 💻 website
🚂 SAN DIEGO MODEL RAILROAD MUSEUM
Hours: Thu-Sun 11-4
Cost: $13.50 for ages 18+, $9 for ages 65+, $6 for kids ages 4-11, free for kids 3 and under, $9 for military and students
📍 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park 📞 619-696-0199 💻 website
🦕 SAN DIEGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
Hours: Fri-Tue 10-4 (closed Wed/Thu)
Cost: $19.95 for ages 18+, $16.95 for ages 62+, $11.95 for kids ages 3-17, free for kids 2 and under, $16.95 for military and students
📍 1788 El Prado, Balboa Park 📞 619-232-3821 💻 website
🤸🏻♂️ THE NEW CHILDREN'S MUSEUM
Hours: Thu-Mon 9-12 & 1-4 (closed Tue/Wed)
Cost: $15 for general admission ages 1+, $10 for seniors, free for kids under 1, $10 for military, $2 museums for all (EBT,SNAP,WIC)
📍 200 W Island Ave., San Diego (downtown) 📞 619-233-8792 💻 website
⚓️ USS MIDWAY MUSEUM
Hours: daily 10-5
Cost: $26 for ages 13+, $18 for kids ages 6-12 and for veterans
📍 910 N Harbor Dr., San Diego (Embarcadero) 📞 619-544-9600 💻 website
HERE ARE THE REST OF THE PARTICIPATING MUSEUMS
Your family may be interested in these museums as well, so check them out and go explore a new place.
Barona Cultural Center & Museum
Bonita Museum & Cultural Center
California Center for the Arts, Escondido
California Surf Museum, Oceanside
Coronado Historical Association
Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House
Heritage of the Americas Museum
Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) North
JA Cooley Museum
Junipero Serra Museum (closed for renovations until late Feb 2022)
La Jolla Historical Society
Lemon Grove Parsonage Museum
Marston House Museum and Gardens
MCRD Command Museum
Mingei International Museum
Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum
Mission San Luis Rey
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, downtown
Museum of Photographic Arts
New Americans Museum
San Diego African American Museum of Fine Arts
San Diego History Center
San Diego Chinese Historical Museum
San Diego Museum of Art
Santa Ysabel General Store
SOHO's Adobe Chapel Museum
Timken Museum of Art
Vanguard Culture
Visions Art Museum
Warner-Carrillo Ranch House
Women's Museum of California
HAVE FUN! 🤗
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