As a fan of Banksy, I really enjoyed this pop-up gallery. It was thoughtfully put together and made…read moreit easy to follow his work over the years. There were many verified original works along with good recreation pieces, which is required to experience his art in a gallery setting. I gave it 4 stars mainly because of the cost. Tickets were pretty expensive, and it felt like that money was going straight to private companies and collectors. On top of that, parking at the fairgrounds was $20, which felt excessive. It would have been nice to see some of that money support humanitarian causes, which feels more in line with Banksy's message. There's also this constant feeling that Banksy himself would probably hate all of it. It goes against what he stands for. At the same time, it does give more people a chance to experience his work, which I think is a positive. Not trying to take a moral stance, just something I couldn't shake while I was there.

I did not want to leave a review on the other Yelp page as the reviewer was very negative and didnt…read moreoffer any useful information and just complained it was a fake exhibition. And maybe it is, but it was still worth it to see this exhibition which is temporary. This exhibition is showing until mid April 2026, so you have a limited amount of time to see it. If you're in Del Mar, and have a couple of hours, I'd highly recommend this show if you like graffiti art and like what this artist stands for. The exhibition goes thru his 25 years of work and its quite moving that a lot of his art is a commentary to what is going on in the world. The guy has heart and cares about the world and people. I can totally jive with that. I spent a lot of my career devoted to humanitarian aid work and there are moments during this exhibition where I got teary eyed. Seems Banksy was always there making a commentary when something was going terribly wrong in the world. I love what he stands for, because, a lot of what he stands for is what I believe in. He speaks out when there is injustice and also makes fun of the ridiculousness of the world especially when capitalism and bad people rule the world. His art is timeless and now more than ever, seems even more relevant. I really enjoyed this exhibition. His art spoke to my inner social activist deeply. I laughed, smirked, sighed in relief, got angry, got sad, but mostly reflected while going thru this exhibition. Make art, make love, not war. Go see this show if whats going in the world is too heavy and you need an outlet. I promise you you will learn something very powerful after this show. Thanks Banksy for always being there when its truly important. And maybe this wasnt put on by the artist himself but it still stands for something meaningful. "What you do in life echoes in Eternity..."

Free art museum in Balboa Park! It's small, but I really enjoyed the artwork! We had just come…read morefrom the Botanical Building and had some time to kill. This worked out perfect!

Such a lovely, well-curated museum!…read more The Christmas decorations as we walked in are beautiful and welcoming. The rooms are small but thoughtfully laid out. It wasn't crowded so we were able to take our time in admiring the details and history of each wonderfully preserved art piece. It's definitely worth the stop and time to appreciate the Timken Museum!

Wry disappointed in the customer service. We wanted to do a tour and take photos outside and the…read morevibe was light up until a staff member came out rudely and told us to keep it down as there were doing tours. We can understand that we might have been giggling loudly but there were so many better ways to ask us to tone it down since we were OUTSIDE. We never made it inside due to such rude behavior. If you don't want loud people then put a sign asking for c

Was so excited to go to this museum and see the inside of this fantastic building, we got there…read moreafter 1pm said it was open it wasn't figured it's Sunday there was a number to call or text no answer so I texted and we waited a good 30 min and no one responded, I was very disappointed They should really fix there hours or do better at responding quickly I finally got a text hours later I was already gone I'm not from this area so I needed to head back to LA Hopefully one day I'll see the inside

The Marston House is 8,500 sqft and is on 5 acres of property. The home was built in 1905 and it is…read moreconsidered to be a home designed in the architecture from the Arts and Crafts Movement. It is considered to be #40 on the San Diego Historic Landmark list. It is also on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It was home to George White Marston and his wife Anna Gunn Marston. The family of George and Anna donated the house to the City of San Diego and it was converted into a museum in 1987. We kind of stumbled onto the Marston House. The majority of us wanted to explore other parts of San Diego while we were killing time before our check-in at our Vrbo, but my mother insisted on us staying at Balboa Park after already spending half a day there. We were all tired and ready to go somewhere else, but nobody says No to my Mother. LOL. We decided to wonder down to the George W. Marston House. I will say I'm glad we did. We didn't go inside, but we wandered the grounds. We explored the garden and checked out the different flowers. We took in the architecture of the Marston House. Mom, you were right this time! It was worth the visit! I wish we took a tour inside. Next time!

Surrounded by five acres of rolling lawns, manicured formal gardens, and rustic canyon gardens,…read morethis 8,500 square-foot home became a house museum in 1987 after the Marston family gifted it to the City of San Diego for the enjoyment of the public. Marston House was constructed in 1905 for George W. Marston and his wife, Anna Gunn Marston. George Marston is noted for many things but most prominently as a civic leader whose interest and work in historic preservation and conservation. The house is a craftsman style and has been maintained as a museum exhibit for the public. About 45 minutes long and an interesting narration by the tour guide provides historical facts about the Marston family as well as details of the house and gardens. Tickets ($10) for the house tour may be purchased from the gift shop carriage house. Noteworthy house tours open only on weekends! While in the area, my furbaby Fendi and I stroll through the outdoor grounds and rose garden. The collection of roses are spectacular and fragrant. Many seasonal blooming plants to see and appreciate. Recommend.

What an amazing gallery, all of the pieces were unique. I just could not believe what some of the…read moreart was made of...things such as knives, forks, nuts, bolts, wrenches you name it it went into the artwork. There was even art made from old bullet casings. In addition there were carvings from various types of wood and paintings. The artwork consisted of anything and everything there was something for everyone. Definitely a neat little spot to visit whenever you're at Coronado.

There were so many amazing, interesting pieces here! I could stay there forever…read more The person there was very nice and we had good conversation. He told us about the artists, pointed out pieces he thought we would like, and was a pleasure to be around. There are prominent signs out front saying no food, drink, or cellphone use inside. I'm not sure why anyone would be surprised when asked to leave when ignoring those rules. It's pretty standard for most galleries. I will definitely be back when looking to redecorate. There are so many things I would love to showcase.

This is a lovely little library and music venue, hosting free mini concerts on Mondays at noon. We…read moreattended yesterday and enjoyed early music by Courtly Noyse (renaissance & medieval tunes). The seating is first come first serve and it seems to fill up early, but the back rows are fine if you're mainly interested in hearing the music despite not having the best view. The group of musicians were talented and kept the crowd engaged and educated about the history behind each song played and the instruments they were using. And they used a LOT, including some unique ones. Gemshorns, harp, guitar, hurdy gurdy, tambourine, vocals, and recorders galore, to name a few. They took guests through Europe with sounds from Germany, England, Spain, and Italy. The setting was pretty basic on the inside with a bit of art and decor creating an inviting space, like a bust statue of Beethoven and similar structures displayed on the shelves, along with a plethora of books of course. The event lasted a little over an hour, and we left in good spirits. The only downside was the lack of parking in the area.

This is a beautiful place -- the library is exceptionally gorgeous and peaceful. It's a wonderful…read moreplace to work in. Their collection of books on art and music is superb. They host amazing concerts, and they have wonderful art classes. Their sales of used art and music books are the best I've ever seen. Extremely high quality all around. But predictably, it all comes with a price tag. I was a member once, for a year, and I really miss it. But my student loans and dental bills have to get paid first -- and that means I can't afford to be a member. It breaks my heart. People like me -- people who want to engage with the arts -- literally can't afford to access them, and I think that's eventually going to hurt them too. They're killing their audience off, and pretty soon, they might have no audience left. When not enough people can access a place, it becomes irrelevant -- or relevant only to the wealthy. I believe the people at the Athenaeum do what they do because they love the arts and want to keep sharing them with people. But pricing people like me out works against their mission. I'm not mad at them -- they have to pay for their incredible offerings, and that takes money. I know that. It just breaks my heart -- both that I can't be part of it, and that the world is forcing them into a spot where they have to jeopardize their own future. I'd give them 6 stars for the quality of their offerings, but 2 stars because of people being priced out. That averages out to 4 stars, which I think is about right.

Pictures don't do this place justice. It's so unassuming from the outside, but they have one of the…read morebest old car collections in the US. They even have two of the original Mercedes-Benz cars. They also have an incredible collection of cameras, gramophones, other miscellaneous items, and model railroad. $10 for adults $2 for children you will absolutely get your money's worth here.

Fascinating stuff! I really enjoyed my visit, and the entrance fee is pretty reasonable. Definitely…read morerecommend checking it out if you have an hour or two. Just make sure you bring cash to pay

I've been here several times and they always have interesting art pieces in rotation. But besides…read morethe artwork, the place it self is a great space for any art enthusiast. With its two-story open concept and brick walls, it has an urban yet elevated industrial vibe. I came here recently during Comic Con week and in addition to the modern pop art downstairs, I geeked out on the Marvel pieces upstairs. They featured the original comic books, time stone, orb, and a few life-sized Marvel super heroes. It was a treat and appropriate for Comic Con, of course! Can't wait to see which talented artists they'll feature at the gallery next.

Sparks Gallery is my favorite woman owned art gallery in San Diego. I'm an art lover...an…read moreaesthete...an artist at heart. I've been there a few times and finally decided to share my lovely experience with this art treasure located in Gaslamp. The beautiful gallery is inside an historic building featuring unique contemporary painting, sculpture, photography, and much more by a variety of local artists. We're often told great art speaks for itself...well, the art will speak for itself. You'll see a spectacular art selection being displayed on both levels (upper level is the solo exhibition) - the artwork captivating. The owner, Sonya Sparks, and staff are always welcoming and very helpful. Therefore, I highly recommend checking out Sparks Gallery.