Expectation management is key here: the Comic‑Con Museum is *not* a museum filled with rare comic book artifacts or original golden‑age issues behind glass. Instead, it's a lively tribute to San Diego Comic‑Con itself--its history, its fandoms, and the creative worlds it celebrates. The bottom floor had three exhibits during my visit. The San Diego Comic‑Con history exhibit was surprisingly charming, with official programs, sketches, and memorabilia from each convention over the years. There was also a Luann exhibit (not a strip I'm familiar with, but fans will appreciate it), and a cosplay exhibit featuring some impressive costumes. The standout for me was the Warhammer 40K armor--incredible craftsmanship. The second floor is entirely dedicated to Doctor Who, and it's a treat for fans. Lots of interactive elements, costumes, figures, props, and of course, a full lineup of sonic screwdrivers. I also appreciated the educational videos that break down the real science behind the show's concepts. It's playful and surprisingly informative. The top floor shifts gears with a Lucha Libre exhibit, showcasing vibrant costumes and posters. There's also an education center and a kids' activity room, which makes the museum feel family‑friendly and accessible. But the absolute highlight for me was right at the entrance: the Batman #423 statue. It's a stunning piece, and the story behind how it ended up on loan to the museum made it even better. Overall, this museum shines when you approach it as a celebration of fandom rather than a traditional artifact‑driven museum. If you love Comic‑Con culture, cosplay, or specific fandoms like Doctor Who, you'll have a great time. read more

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Solid exhibition that has good coverage for Dr Who fans, which seemed like a temporary show, so check what's on before you visit. Decent size museum, and the staff were truly amazing. Recommended. read more

Check which exhibits are there before you go! At the time of my visit, the bottom floor was closed, so it was just the Doctor Who exhibit and the Lucha Libre exhibit on the top floor, which was disappointing to say the least. It consisted of couple of masks, figurines, and a room with coloring pages and crayons. It also seemed like there was maybe an education center that focused on STEAM activities or possibly a maker space, but it was all closed so I don't fully know what's going on up there. The Doctor Who exhibit seemed pretty well planned and thought out. Lots of costumes and props and masks. A couple of interactive touchscreens and some cool photo opportunities. If you're a fan of the show, this gives you an opportunity to get up close and personal with the world of Doctor Who. However, if you're not a fan, it's *kinda* cool to check out, but without an established connection through being a fan and watching the series it's kind of just meh. Not worth the $30 in my opinion. read more

Comic-Con Museum - Lucha Libre Coloring Activity Room - Cultural Center Near Me - San Diego, California

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!! read more

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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! read more

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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. read more

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The admissions price is not cheap ($30 adult, $20 seniors). But we came for the Betty Boop exhibit and had a terrific time. We learned a ton & they also had a program of Boop cartoons before and after the adoption of the Hayes Code screening in their auditorium, and it was interesting to see how Betty got covered up & changed from a strong, modern, sexy woman to a covered up domesticated woman doing more traditionally feminine things. They also have a nice gift shop, and each guest can take one free comic home from the comic stand. We had a great time and enjoyed the exhibit. read more

So some pros and cons based on visiting July 8 Pros - went on second Tuesday so it was free -was in and out in 15 minutes Cons - 80 people were in line ahead of me -the lower level didn't have any marvel items - it seemed to be anime items, hello kitty stuff, and a room devoted to a comic called Luann -the main level was closed off except if you had a ticket for Dr Who -the upper level had all luche wrestling. - I guess I missed out on Betty Boop? So for this particular day- I wasn't impressed. And am super glad I didn't spend 30 bucks read more

The museum has little variety in what is on display. It is essentially a good Doctor Who museum with no information on most other comics or Comic-Con. Save your $30 and go to another museum. There is a large Doctor Who exhibit on the 2nd (ground) floor with tie ins to space. The 3rd floor is currently (July 2025) an exhibit on Lucha Libre. The 1st (basement) floor currently has a collection of Tokidoki figurines, an exhibit on the Luann comic strip by Greg Evans, and about a dozen cosplay costumes on display. I was only familiar with Luann, so while the Doctor Who exhibit was extensive and cool, a lot of it went over my head. We breezed through the museum as we didn't care to read each plaque in depth. The costumes for lucha libre and Doctor Who were the most interesting to me. read more

Not much to see here for the price. For a museum you can get through in about an hour, they could charge less. I was expecting to see some cool DC and Marvel inspired exhibits, but there really weren't any. There are only 4 or 5 rotating exhibits, and they're pretty interest-specific. If you don't know the Dr. Who story, the exhibit is hard to follow. I did like the Luann comic strip exhibit, though. Tokidoki was fun to see, but I could tell the docents who were into Dr. Who were less into Tokidoki. To each his own! read more

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. read more

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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. read more

Comic-Con Museum - Cultural Center Near Me - San Diego, California

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! read more

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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. read more

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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! read more

Comic-Con Museum - These are about the most impressive things to see, not much else, very bland, boring - Cultural Center Near Me - San Diego, California

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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. read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

Comic-Con Museum - Cultural Center Near Me - San Diego, California

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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. read more

Comic-Con Museum - Create your own claymation was very cool. - Cultural Center Near Me - San Diego, California

Like so many people writing reviews for this place, I am a longtime fan of Comic-Con. There isn't an event like it that represents some of the best of San Diego. I thought, when the museum first opened, that it would grow, smooth out the rough edges, and become another gem in the crown that is Balboa Park. Yeah. Not so much. I just want to know: Is there a curator at this museum? I mean, someone with a degree in museum studies or art design or art history or, really, any expertise in anything? The museum has nothing of any substance. It has a sad Lucha Libre exhibit on the top floor. The bottom floor (as of July 2025) has a Tokidoki exhibit that looks like it escaped from the Hall of Hobbies at the county fair. Just a bunch of figures and shoes on the walls. The Luanne exhibit was interesting, but one of the signs was peeling away from the wall. Not a lot of attention to detail, apparently. There is no sense of topical or chronological order. Right next to the Luanne exhibit is a set-up of some costumes from the Con. Okay...care to go further into the masquerade? Any photos of some of the other winners? When did it start? How has it grown? The Doctor Who exhibit was really good, but it's a traveling exhibit so its quality exists because other people not affiliated with the museum designed it. I applaud the effort to acquire it by the museum, but it actually made the other exhibits look sadder by comparison. As this museum is advertised on the Comic-Con site, it can be assumed that there must be access to CC's records and archives. Do an exhibit on the history of CC with early pictures, especially before Hollywood got involved and it focused primarily on artists. Do a timeline of the various venues, from the old El Cortez Hotel to the Concourse to the Convention Center. How about some of the famous artists who have attended? Have an exhibit on, you know, comics. You don't have to display the first Superman cover. There are hundreds of panels that have been presented at CC through the years. How about working with the people who organized them for display material? For example, what about a display about social justice and graphic novels? How about the perception of disabilities in comics? What about something about the history of producing comics? What I'm saying is that if you are a fan of pop culture, comics, and/or Comic-Con, don't bother. You'll pay about two bucks a minute because after 15 minutes you'll be ready to leave. read more

Should've read the reviews before we got here. There were two exhibits which were Betty Boop and doctor who. They were cool if you're a fan but I was expecting the comic con museum to be an actual museum of EVERYTHING comic con, so paying full price was a tad disappointing. Don't recommend until you see which exhibits are available read more

We visited on a field trip and my littles had an amazing time. They fully enjoyed the scavenger hunt throughout the museum and the interactive stations as well. read more

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As a Comic-Con fan, I had high expectations, perhaps too high. I enjoyed it but it definitely was not what I expected - would have been cool to learn a little bit more about the history of how the con actually started. The costumes were cool. I love Betty boop so that was a nice surprise. Some of the technology was interesting. The set up was a little confusing, I left with mixed feelings , still enjoyable, and a little overpriced for what it was. read more

Disappointed! I wish they would tell us that an entire floor is closed before we paid full price. The luchador exhibit was cool and the doctor who exhibit was nice too but I was hoping to see traditional comic stuff and we couldn't. Yet you pay full price read more

Comic-Con Museum - Artwork and real masks used from some luchadores - Cultural Center Near Me - San Diego, California

Sadly this was extremely underwhelming - I should have read up on some of the reviews before we went. Not worth the time or money. There is very little to look at - the building is huge for what they have on display. I'd have to say the mini theatre playing original Betty boop movies was the best part. I'm not sure this should be called a museum, let alone have their own building. Total waste of money and time. Very underwhelming for the hype. Heck, the Japanese Friendship garden was more entertaining than this read more

The museum is small and you can tour through it within 30 minutes which is not worth the price of admission $25. They do offer discount to students. Gift shop located at entrance. Betty Boop exhibit was my overall pick. read more

Comic-Con Museum - Gift shop - Cultural Center Near Me - San Diego, California

This place was a little lackluster. Unfortunately while I was there, the entire bottom floor was closed because they were getting ready for a new exhibit. Perhaps that would've made the price of entry worth it. I visited here on Friday afternoon with some friends. We wandered around the main floor, and it was very engaging. There is a whole area devoted to space exploration. There were games, and other little placards to read. It was fun. Then in another area, there was a large exhibit devoted to Science Fiction and technology breakthroughs. It was wonderful! There was a full size DeLorean, a whole lot of placards with great information around different movies, and quotes of people from over the years. All revolving around technology, and relating to Science Fiction. This area was outstanding, engaging, and I spent a lot of time just reading everything. Unfortunately, that was the extent of the museum. When I went upstairs, there is a room devoted to kids drawing comics, which is really more of a hands-on activity instead of a museum piece. And then there was an area where kids have taken cardboard and created superhero replicas. It could've been really cool, but instead it seemed just like a space filler. When compared to what was on the main floor, all of this seemed dull. When I go back, probably not. I think I was just expecting more and I'm not sure if it's worth the price. read more

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I must say I am a total Nerd, Geek, fan, whatever you want to call me... just know that's me. If you love pop culture and art with a lot of Comic Con thrown in, then this is your place, too! This museum opened a year ago, and they have been working on it and making it better and better! The Spider man exhibit was amazing. This new exhibit titled Animation Academy is outstanding! It's very interactive, so plan on staying several hours to really get to see and touch everything. They also have been working hard on Cover Story, the art from 50 years of the Comic Con. Pretty amazing stuff! Parking is behind and in front of the museum. Get there early as it's easier to park then. It is right next to the Air n Space museum in historic Balboa Park. Call and see if the Cardboard Superheroes or a guest artist will be at the museum. You never know what you will find. You may even see me there. If you do say hello! read more

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6 people - 2 seniors 3 adults 1 young adult $126. (Trying to be transparent) The Comic-Con Museum at Balboa Park is a vibrant celebration of pop culture that's a must for any fan of comics, movies, TV, and gaming. The museum offers a deep dive into the history and impact of these mediums with immersive exhibits, rare memorabilia, and interactive displays. You'll find everything from classic comic books to iconic film props, with special exhibits celebrating fan-favorite franchises. Whether you're a lifelong geek or just looking for some fun, this spot offers a perfect blend of nostalgia and discovery! This was extremely fun for my 8 year old they were having crafts upstairs 1-3pm Spider-Man cut outs and 2025 for the new year they had enough staff that were interactive with the kids and explained everything in detail with answers to any questions you may have had. The artwork alone was so much fun to look at! Enjoyed spending time with family here and getting to dig deeper into the comics I grew up reading. read more

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Dont spend any money on this place. Nothing in this is worth seeing. Many comic exhibits are replicas. A complete waste of our money and time. Museum is very small with barely anything in it. Customs are cosplay and not cinematic originals. The dumbest space in Balboa Park. I am a comic collector and big fan of comic book movies. Please run away from this place. Its so embarrassing. read more

I agree with the recent reviews. It was not a good museum. Save your money. We were very disappointed. The entrance to the museum also smells bad. Actually- if you like Mexican wrestling or Dr. Who, then you will enjoy. Otherwise, stay away until they fix it. read more

This was a fun museum in Balboa Park. We weren't sure about what we should expect and aren't huge comic book fans, but still found it interesting and enjoyable. There was an exhibit around Dr. Who, which we weren't familiar with. There was a docent-led tour of the exhibit that was free and left us wanting to watch Dr. Who when we got home. There were also a Lucha Libre, Tokidoki, Luann comic, and cosplay costume exhibits. We weren't sure hoping that there'd be something around Anime, but unfortunately they didn't have anything (they might have Anime exhibits periodically so check their website if that's what you're interested in). Overall fun and different! read more

While the Spider-Man exhibition was cool and very well setup, I didn't see anything else that would be worth visiting for. There wasn't any information on the history of Comic-Con itself, aside from art work and souvenir books from past conventions. The Hemmingway exhibit was kinda cool, but I don't see that drawing in crowds. The pac-man room had arcade games and info from when it was being made, and how it grew in popularity, but still wouldn't strike me as worth the money to visit. It gave me and my bf something to do, and after we explored Balboa Park. The location is awesome, but honestly, especially after the Spider-Man exhibit is gone, you wouldn't be missing anything. read more

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This place was not at all what it seems to advertise, $30 for a 5-10 min experience the bottom part of the exhibit was closed which is half of the already small museum and no one even informed us before purshasing the tickets. Was very excited for this just to be a very big let down, do not waste your time there is so much better things to do in SD. read more

5/4/24 - went with a group of 10 persons. My first time here. It was larger than I thought and a few in my group thought it was smaller than they were expecting. They had sci-fi, hero props and comic books. Also, a Stan "The Man" Lee are. I loved it all. It took about 45 minutes to tour the building. They have a souvenir store as well. Also, lots of original artwork and a some cool booths. A scavenger hunt as well for a free prize. I would go here at least once. I'm not sure how often they switch items out. Enjoy. read more

Comic-Con Museum - Prices to get in. - Cultural Center Near Me - San Diego, California

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This is the most misleading museum I've ever been to. How are you gonna call this a "Comic con museum" but have a total of 3 fandoms in this whole place??? And it's very like random ones too. There's a statue of Batman but no superhero's at all in the museum?? Expensive as hell too to just see some cosplay outfits. $30 a person, hell nah. Don't go here read more

The Comic-Con Museum was a last minute addition to my recent San Diego trip due to the relatively newly added Spiderman exhibit. I mean, who doesn't love ole Spidey!? It was a beautiful day in San Diego, per usual, so we grabbed a couple of scooters and zoomed around the area. There is a scooter parking area right outside of the museum, as well as a standard free parking lot. The Comic-Con Museum sits among the Space and Car Museums, and immediately next to the local gym/basketball court complex. The building is beautiful from the outside with the old school architecture details and colors, and then transformed into a modern day museum on the inside. The museum itself is three levels with the main exhibit being on the second/main level. This level also includes a Pacman area where you can play all the varieties of the iconic little orb muncher! The upper level features artwork from many different artists along with a few office spaces and a classroom...this is the least exciting floor. The lower level has life size models of a few characters, a theater with a looped video and a photo booth, which may be the coolest thing from my visit...It takes the pics and lets you create a comic book cover or comic strip. It really does a great job of transforming the pics you take into an amazing keepsake from your visit! The Spiderman exhibit, which is about 70% of the museum is great! It has the full life cycle, details and intricacies of the superhero, the people who created him and the characters that are also part of the Spidey-verse. I do wish there were more opportunities to be interactive with the exhibit. Overall, I am glad I visited and my pal, who is a lover of Comic books absolutely enjoyed himself! I will say, if you just have a slight interest or are a surface fan of the comics, spending $30 may not be worth it. I have followed Spidey for close to 30 years now, reading the comic books and seeing all the movies and I was honestly borderline on if it was worth it... read more

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I've been wanting to go to the comic-con museum for quite some time as I'm a huge DC & Marvel fan. I overlooked/ did not do my research on the temporary items that the museum has. They are currently featuring the "animation academy." As a 90s kid, it was super nostalgic! They had old videos playing, walk through of claymation, picture-book style movie creations. And it was super inactive too; alot of activities and opportunities to make your own art. I had a lot of fun that I didn't expect! I went with one of my friends, but this museum is super family friendly. Your kids, or yourself will be entertained for hours. They have three floors, each exhibiting a different area/genre. I reserved our tickets for 4p, I did not realize that the museum closes at 5p; I will definitely arrive sooner as 1 hour is not enough! We didn't even get to spend much time in the pacman exhibit; which included a lot of pacman machines that you could play! Friendly tip - select balboa museums are free to resistances on Tuesdays! Definitely check out the website so you can get in for free. There's a parking lot right in front of the museum, mid-week there was plenty of parking. But weekends at Balboa get pretty packed, so I'd keep that in mind if you plan to attend on a weekend. read more

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Perhaps expecting a museum about comic-con and comics is too high of a bar, but this place is not worth the money. I'm not sure it should be called a museum. It's basically one main exhibit on the central floor and then Betty boop downstairs with some random costumes. It's not worth your time or money. Whoever is running this needs to be fired. read more

Came here on a Tuesday when some of the other museums were having resident free day. The Spider-Man exhibit had just opened the previous Friday and took up most of the main floor. That was really the bulk of the museum. While this main attraction exhibit was very well done (and I did enjoy it), the rest of the museum was lacking significantly. The bottom floor had a small theater, which was showing induction ceremonies and some costumes from previous comic con costume contests. The upper floor had a room dedicated to Archie comics and rocketman, which were mainly pages from the comic books. They also had a small Pac-Man exhibit in the lobby, but it was nothing special and most of the games did not work. I think this museum has so much more potential and they could make much better use of the space. They could also do so much more with the theater by simply showing more interesting videos. I would also have liked to see more memorabilia or costumes from the convention. It seems like they change out the exhibits every so often, and I didn't understand why they just don't move items from the main exhibit to the other floors and keep expanding. I know it is fairly new, but in its current state it is not worth the price to me. It cost our family of four over $100 and we were in the museum for only about 40 minutes. It is also unfortunate that they have resident free days, but they do not include the main exhibit (in this case Spider-Man). The spider man exhibit is cool, but a visit here could break the bank for a small family and leave you wondering what to do for the rest of your day. read more

Comic-Con Museum - Main lobby - Cultural Center Near Me - San Diego, California

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