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    Comic-Con Museum

    2.9 (148 reviews)
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    Updated over 3 months ago

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    Mark S.

    Fantastic museum for kids! My wife and I took our 8 year old son to check out his museum out in Balboa Park. It's a fun, interactive experience - one of the things that kept us engaged was the scavenger hunt with a prize at the end. There were 3 exhibits that were available at the time of this review: Doctor Who, Luchador and Betty Boop. All of them were equally enjoyable! Both exhibits had fun drawing areas--one for designing our own Luchador, and one with easy steps to draw Betty Boop! It's definitely worth it if you're going with family and friends. There's even a gift shop with items from pop culture like Pokemon, Godzilla, Disney and more! Highly recommend!!

    Deanne L.

    Visited during their Free Admission Tuesdays for residents this past November 2025. I'm glad it was free because I would not personally pay $30 to visit. There was a long line to get in, but only waited about 5 min. I was in and out in about 25 minutes and I took my sweet time looking at everything. I don't regret it though because had a fun time looking at the Tokidoki and Lucha Libre exhibits; got some great pics. Glad I came but don't think I'll be back!

    Sylvia A.

    I went to visit this museum because my husband is a fan of Dr.Who. I am a Betty Boop fan so I agreed to attend. It was an ok museum. A little on the expensive side. $30 for adults and $20 for seniors 65 and older but still ok If you're a fan of some sort. I'm not a Dr. Who fan but I found it interesting. I loved all the Betty Boop pictures and memorandums. Also love the free movie theater films of her. On the lower level. You also get one free comic book per person. Also stopped in the gift shop. They had $5 comic con tee shirts available. I purchased two. They also have several parking lots available. So no issues with parking. Just don't expect a whole lot or you may be disappointed.

    Becoming Betty Boop exhibit (museum theatre)
    Annabelle R.

    I must have come at the right time, cuz this unique museum in Balboa Park was 5 stars all the way (except for the parking situation, which was extremely difficult on a busy Sunday afternoon, but at least it was free). The amazing "Becoming Betty Boop" exhibit presented Betty Boop's history, starting from the 1930's, in a unique and appealing way, with collectible items set up, the actresses behind the changing voices, and the evolution of the beloved character over time. There were even classic cartoons and clips of the music behind the series with Cab Calloway and an orchestra of musicians, showing in black and white in the museum's theatre downstairs, and an interactive station where visitors could attempt to draw Betty Boop. The "Myth of Superheroes" exhibit described the connection between greek/roman mythology and modern-day superheroes, for instance Poseidon/Neptune and Aquaman, or Hermes/Mercury and the Flash. The history of comic heroes was also illustrated in detail, an extraordinary visual display of the complex timeline. And I was wowed by the room full of collectible figures, more characters than I can name, in the worlds of Marvel, DC, and beyond! I enjoyed finding Rogue and Groot of course (as my bunnies are named after these superheroes). The museum also showcased the work of Chuck Jones, particularly Looney Tunes artwork including Bugs Bunny, Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, John Jennings collaborations, and a room full of cosplay costumes. There was more than this, but I can't name everything. For sure the presentation of items in the museum included both depictions of actual comics and unique displays related to the different characters and themes, to keep it interesting, which I appreciated. In the end, we checked out the gift shop, which had a variety of books, apparel, toys, and souvenirs for sale, including Thomas Kinkade artworks of DC/Marvel scenes. I'm definitely a fan. With rotating exhibits at this museum, I'd gladly return to explore something new.

    Michael L.

    This is not included in the Balboa explore pass, however we decided to do it anyway. This is the first stop for the Dr Who exhibit, this was great, lots of screen used props and costumes. It was interactive and well put together. Beyond that, a complete waste of money. Upper level is taken up my Lucha Libre items ?????? Lower lever was almost entirely made up of little toys and things from a variety of Asian shows. There was a small corner with cos play items. No marvel, DC, dark horse or any sci Fi items. Being and extra $30 each to get in beyond the pass we had already paid for was a waste of money.

    Batman!
    Ken C.

    The comic con museum, located in Balboa Park, opened a few years ago. I had a lot of fun coming here! Aside from having lots of cool things to look at, I really appreciated how they broke down the history of comics from greek mythology to Marvel/DC. They had great insight regarding how comics and their heroes are a reflection of the times they represent. In the past, I think that yelpers griped about the $25 admission fee. I do think that they've expanded their offerings since it first came out. I appreciated that this wasn't solely a Marvel/DC love fest. They referenced Japanese anime, the work of Chuck Jones, and Betty Boop as well. I hear that they regularly change their exhibits, so I look forward what they come up with in the future! If they have a really compelling new exhibit, then it will pull me back!

    Current Betty Boop Exhibit
    Liz K.

    What a great Museum you almost don't need to go to Comic Con! Haha Seriously, there is something for everyone here although the exhibits focus mainly on Superheroes. Not much of other comic related things like cartoons: Snoopy, Archie, etc). My first time here so maybe other visiting exhibits come through like the current Betty Boop collection! I'm not much into superheroes but I found this Museum quite fun and interesting. Found a lot of my childhood favorites and current favorites of Greek Mythology, where the inspiration for modern day superheroes came from!! The little theater inside also plays Classic cartoons which is really cool! There is also an interactive area for the kids (or anyone) to create your own piece to hang in the room! Great pieces from across the Border which is on display now! There are a few interactive picture taking areas where you can be a superhero and the volunteers are so helpful and friendly to take your pictures! Overall this is a great place for anyone regardless of your interest in comics or not.

    These are about the most impressive things to see, not much else, very bland, boring

    TOTAL waste of time! At least it was a free Tuesday, cause I would've asked for a refund had I paid. If you are even CONSIDERING paying to come here, save your money. This is the absolute lamest 'museum' I've ever been to. You walk in and immediately notice there's nothing really to look at, very underwhelming upon arrival. So I think "everything must be upstairs". I climb them, reach the top, and see...."Luanniverse"?!? WTF??? Its a room filled with that OOH SO POPULAR Luann cartoon we ALL love sooooo much! LOL Who's even HEARD of 'Luanne? I think its a Sunday newspaper type of cartoon. Verrrryyyyy lame! Then you walk to the other areas upstairs and are even more disappointed to see a whole lot of lucha Libre (Mexican professional wrestling) costumes, most of which look like they were sewn by 10th graders. When I think of comic books, I dont think Mexican wrestling. A room before the down stairs has a couple of small tables with copies of a wrestlers head to color.....whoopdedoo! Heading downstairs leads you to a room with a dozen or so unrecognizable costumes from very random, generic looking animes (I guess), nothing impressive AT ALL. The other half of the floor is under construction awaiting the next incredibly boring display. Walking through this waste of space made me think, "Is it a licensing issue? Are they not ALLOWED to put up interesting stuff?". I was waiting to see actual comic books, rare and one-off kinds of things. Maybe some cool artwork, drafts by some of the legendary comic book artists. Maybe a display showing tools of the trade. Maybe, at LEAST, a wall of padt comic-con backpack bags, those are cool! The MOST impressive thing you'll see there, and its not much, is a simple 6 foot Batman statue by the stairs, nothing to write home about. I was warned by someone before I came here that its disappointing.....they were right! Its a waste of space, DEFINITELY not worth paying for, and just, like, lazy, uninspired, LAME! Many other visitors had similar things to say while I was there, most sounded disappointed. For San Diego to be the home of the actual Comic-Con, and only be able to showcase THIS...is really sad. Change the name of the museum, change the concept, or change the people in charge of setting it up, cause IT AINT WORKING!

    Betty Boop
    Alexis A.

    Umm... yeah we were disappointed coming here. When I saw this online I was expecting so much more and especially being that San Diego is know for Comic Con! We kept looking at each other like uh... is this really it? And we kept thinking no no maybe they have a section that is the big wow factor. Nope! So, that being said, it's was okay? Showed from action figures, some art, also random art that has nothing to do with comics? Best part was Betty Boop and we colored. Won't be coming back.

    Time Machine
    Gavin C.

    Great scott! This is a tough review. It's called the Comic-Con museum. This would lead one to believe that there would be exhibits about Comic-Con. Alas no. But maybe exhibits about Comics? There was one area that went into the history of the Hays Code. That was interesting but about 5 minutes of reading. Aside from that, there was about a dozen comics on display with very few of note. I guess you could say the cosplay display was related? Cool, homemade costumes. I suppose people wear those at Comic Con. The main exhibit during my visit was called "Popnology" which explored the present as predicted by the pop culture of the past. The featured display was a replica Time Machine from Back to the Future. Nice to see, even if not a real screen-used prop. The bulk of the artifacts were also either recreations or ephemera from the 70's and 80's. A reminder that I'm old enough or to see my toys in a museum? Thankfully I don't subtract penalty stars for dragging my own mortality into view. This seems like a ton of criticism attached to a four star review. The reality is that I had fun for what it was. An hour soaked in nostalgia. I spent $25 for one ticket. Had I paid for a group, I would have been irritated at the price. But since I was there solo, it was not an issue. My advice is fairly simple ... don't go if you're not into geek, comic or sci-fi culture. Also don't drag anyone along if they are not. It's a steep price to pay for anyone other than those who dig the subject of whatever is being featured. Expect to spend an hour at most. Don't plan a day around it. Consider it a side quest to a longer day in Balboa Park.

    Karen M.

    Should've taken more pictures but we were just experiencing the moment! The exhibits on the entry level were great! It dives into technology old and new, as well as all things comics. The upper level is full of art, the exhibit rooms were closed so we didn't get a chance to check those out The lower level had less to look at, though there were some awesome cosplay displays. They had a scavenger hunt and you get a poster for it, pretty cool overall, I'd say a good hour to walk through the entire thing, maybe a bit more if you're really reading absolutely everything. They had a little gift shop right by the entrance that left a bit to be desired, neither of my little yelpers cared to purchase anything.

    Create your own claymation was very cool.
    C C.

    As others have said, it was a bit underwhelming considering the reputation of Comic-Con. Brought a 12 year old and the only part that held his attention was the create your own claymation story. And that was very cool.

    Coloring stations

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    Ask the Community - Comic-Con Museum

    Where do you park for museum? Online it just says limited parking. please help

    You can park in any of the balboa park parking lots (free).

    If we got tickets for the spider man exhibit does that mean we can see the whole museum?

    Yes !! You definitely can check out the rest of the museum and gift shop.

    Does anyone know if this museum participates in a discount on admission tickets if someone in your party has a SNAP/EBT card? Also, if you know what the discounted ticket price goes down to, let me know too. Thanks!

    I don't know about SNAP/EBT but they do offer military, senior, and student discounts. They only ask to see an ID for the military discount.

    If backpacks aren't allowed.. are diaper bags?

    Just went there this week with my 2 kids, age 14 and 8. We had a regular sized backpack with us and they didn't say anything about it nor did they stop us. I'm sure a diaper… Read more

    Can you buy tickets in person?

    yes, inside at the left, pay counter..

    Is the museum open to public yet?

    Yes

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Comic-Con Museum

    And, right next to the Star Trek exhibit are the huge Marvel characters made out of paper mache.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    San Diego Natural History Museum - 150 Birthday Bash Sep 27, 2024

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    3.7(544 reviews)
    0.4 miBalboa Park

    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.

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    Centro Cultural de La Raza - El Centro's stage

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    3.7(20 reviews)
    0.2 miBalboa Park
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    Centro Cultural de la Raza is one of my absolute favorite places in San Diego. I love it so much…read morethat I always bring anyone visiting from out of town here because there is always something happening. From art exhibits and pottery showcases to live performances and community events, this space is constantly alive with culture. Every third Sunday they host a tianguis that is truly special, sound baths, massage therapy, card readings, and small business vendors all in one place. It feels grounding, healing, and deeply rooted in community. With a diverse selection of dance classes, Centro truly welcomes everyone. Whether you arrive to uplift local artists, expand your creativity, or simply exist in a space filled with culture, you will always leave inspired. Centro Cultural de la Raza continues to pour into the community, offering a space rooted in expression, healing, and belonging. They also offer opportunities to volunteer, making it easy to get involved and truly connect with the space and the community around it. From helping in their garden to assisting with exhibit setup and events, there are so many ways to be part of what Centro offers.

    This is a great place. I was able to see art from local artists. They have a cute store inside too…read more Would definitely recommend this place to anyone. This place is located in balboa park which has more museums.

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    Part of San Diego Museum month

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    The Old Globe - Walking into the show

    The Old Globe

    4.4(366 reviews)
    0.3 miBalboa Park

    The Old Globe in Balboa Park is a must-do for lovers of live theater. Its exterior architecture…read morewas inspired by Shakespeare's original Globe Theatre in England. The size and shape of the orchestra and balcony brings the audience close to the actors for a great experience. Acoustics are excellent. Earlier this month, we saw Ibsen's "Hedda Gabler" here with Katie Holmes starring in the title roll. She was terrific. Our seats in the 4th row were We arrived early with friends and enjoyed the outdoor patio area before the doors opened. Every staff member we encountered -- from ticket office to ticketed to usher -- was personable and helpful . The Old Globe sits behind the Museum of Us. There's valet parking, but self-parking is a 5-10 minute walk away. Restrooms in the theater are on the lower level

    I had the pleasure of attending August Wilson's "Fences" Theatrical Production here on 05/02/2026…read morefor the 2p matinee showing. Our 4 person group was super excited about the show. I arrived at 1:15p and it took me 35 min to find parking. As a SD Resident, I had to go online to apply and purchase a $5 Residential Parking permit. It took about 5-6 mins on the website from my phone. In the meantime, while waiting on approval for my residential permit. I had to pay $16 for parking for 2 hrs and 10mins. The show was awesome. The seats were comfortable and we were seated right in the middle of the theatre. The sound, temperature, lighting, and ambiance great here. The only issue that I have is that the 2p show attendees are not allowed to order food at intermission. Food orders must be made on a mobile app prior to going into the theatre for the show, then they are able to pick up their orders at intermission. Overall, the show was wonderful and we were able to meet the cast afterwards as they had to come out for their dinner. We tried not to hold them up, so we just sort of made sure that we let them get going after about 5-7mins. We were able to take photos. I took a star off because of the long stairwell and slow elevator to get to the downstairs restroom. Also, the food situation is a bit disappointing. Luckily, we made reservations at The Prado restaurant after the show.

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    The Old Globe - Exterior

    Exterior

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    Comic-Con Museum - culturalcenter - Updated June 2026

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