The SD museums of art is at the balboa park amongst other museums and beautiful outdoor flowers,…read moresceneries, etc. there were many tourists out that day including school field trips, groups, etc. I used the gocity pass to check in at the front desk and then I was able to enjoy the museum. It is two stories big offering stairs and elevators. They have security on each art room/ theme area. I was able to observe many paintings that were diverse and unique. Some are antiques kept there for everyone to admire. They have clean restrooms available as well. Bring comfortable shoes because there is pretty to walk around. Staff were very nice and checking went smoothly as well. The sticker you are given can be used all day long to come back to the same Museum. Most museums open at 10AM but plenty of people arrive earlier. I took public transportation to get up there and that was easy.

It had been a minute since I was here last. There were some new exhibits I thoroughly enjoyed:…read more Cafes and Cabarets: the spectacular Art of Toulouse-Lautrec known for his beguiling portraits of Paris nightlife and immortalizing the cabaret culture of Belle Époque Paris. Chanell Stone: Undulation of a Rupture during a journey through the Mississippi Delta. Black and white photographs invite reflection on the Mississippi River as both a natural force and a historical passageway. The museum created an atmosphere of this exhibit with a deeply emotional connection and experience. Graciela Iturbide, arguably Latin America's best-known living photographer from Mexico. This exhibition surveys her most iconic photographs, primarily captured in Mexico, but also worldwide. Also, Dutch Paintings on loan from Boston Museum of Fine Arts. I came during the Great Exchange and it was free if you have membership with a participating museum. It's also free for San Diego residents on the third Tuesday of the month. Two things that surprised me: The first being half of upstairs was closed to prepare for new exhibits. Secondly, several Gallery Attendants behaved very strangely and were definitely not friendly or welcoming. There were two different exhibits where I was viewing the museum app on my phone and witnessed the attendants walking around in circles quickly. It was distracting and odd. I got the impression they didn't want me to linger but I ignored them and they finally stopped. I asked a question to another attendant and he seemed annoyed like I was disturbing him. The friendly women security guards were absolutely wonderful! Lastly, free parking was available for several hours as long as you previously registered with the city. Check out the map online for the different locations.

Amazing museum! I learned a lot and really got to take time to read a lot of history…read more I love reading about DeVinci and his pursuit of aviation. I love reading about the space shuttle program. Great place for all aerospace enthusiasts.

Whenever we visit a new city, we always try to check three things off our list: visit a museum, do…read moresomething on the water (if applicable) & catch a sports game. The San Diego Air & Space Museum was our museum pick for this trip & it was a fun, educational morning! My husband is a retired Army veteran & enjoys planes, aviation history & anything military-related, so this museum was right up his alley. We could have spent hours exploring all of the exhibits, aircraft, artifacts & historical displays. One of the highlights of our visit was meeting a super outgoing docent shortly after we walked in. Somehow, he kept magically popping up throughout the museum during our visit, sharing fascinating tidbits & fun facts about whatever exhibit we happened to be looking at. You could tell he genuinely loved being there & his enthusiasm made the entire experience even more engaging & personal. (My apologies for not remembering his name. He was an Air Force B-52 pilot & bonded with hubby over their shared military service.) Another really cool aspect of the museum is its location directly in the flight path of the airport. Planes were flying overhead every couple of minutes, which honestly added so much atmosphere to the visit. Hearing & seeing aircraft constantly overhead while walking through the exhibits made the whole experience feel extra immersive. The vintage Pacific Southwest Airlines stewardess uniforms on display were awesome! The museum does a great job balancing serious aviation history with quirky, interesting pieces of airline culture & design history. This was definitely a worthwhile visit - whether you are an aviation buff or just looking for an interesting & interactive museum experience. We both had a great time!

Looking for a museum that covers all levels of kids. Fleet Science Center is a perfect fit…read more Inspire your children's steam skills. The building is broken up into various rooms and it is multi levels. Each area is different and equally fun. From the under 5 yr old play area to the builder area designed for older kids, this museum is a must. Oh and did I mention there is a giant ball pit! Pro tip buy the San Diego museum card if you plan to visit more than one museum will save your in the long run as the museum admission fees can add up

The Fleet Science Center is a nice science museum with a handful of exhibits that spindle children…read morewould enjoy. We were attending a Girl Scout sleepover, and the Fleet staff was horrid to us. The man in charge was not amicable in any way and was continously rude to us throughout the night and following morning. They gave us a set schedule and constantly deviated from it - to the point that they told my 4th graders if they didn't stop eating breakfast they would be barred from attending the movie that was included in our paid program. He was attempting to be intimidating and one of my girls was extremely uncomfortable. For context, breakfast was scheduled for 8am and the movie scheduled for 845am per our written schedule. The man was forcing us to the theater or to miss the movie - at 824am. We had been so mistreated from arrival through the night that when a morning shift employee offered to open the door and help me carry something, I became overwhelmed with appreciation and thanked him for being kind. I let him know he was the first employee to show us any kindness and that we appreciated him. The experience we have had has left us completely floored, and we do not plan to return to a business that chooses to employ such a rude, non-inclusive, unprofessional staff with zero customer service skills.

loved seeing how humanity is connected. it's an interesting museum that shows cultures that never…read morecrossed paths still played similar games. The exhibits show that smiles are universal and timeless. Really enjoyed reading all the stories

One of my favorite museums I've been to in SoCal. The two…read moremost outstanding exhibits in my opinion are the one regarding border crossing in Arizona and the one about secrets. Both exhibits stand out in different ways-- The border crossing exhibit sheds light on how many lives were lost in one small area in Arizona while the secret exhibit is interactive and elicits all sorts of emotions from the reader. Definitely recommend this museum and will be returning within the year as tickets are good for a year

What a gem in National City! Christopher gave us a fabulous tour of the farm animals and was so…read morekind to let our little toddler feed the goats and admire all the creatures that live here. She loved hearing the chickens and turkeys and watching the goats, emu, pig and lamb. A highlight was picking some delicious tomatoes right off the vine. We are grateful for the experience and welcoming volunteers. If you visit, be sure to bring a cash donation to help this special place continue to run.

Cute place ! A hidden little gem ! Had no idea this place even existed !…read more Went here for a children's Bday party ! They had a cute little set up and even had a jumper ! I'm assuming you have to rent one your self ! I did see a few animals , not as many as I had hoped for ! But I did enjoy checking out the fruit trees ! The trees are beautifully maintained . The bathrooms are in the back decently kept and good size !!

I learned so much about the local history. This is a great place for local artists to show their…read morework!

Small, but charming and informative civic museum discussing the history of the town and the valley…read more Helpful and friendly staff. Easy parking.

A beautiful conservatory that houses over 2,000 plants. It's humid and feels like you have just…read morestepped into a mini jungle. It's very photogenic and the best part is that it's free to everyone. Weekday mornings are the best time to visit because this place is popular and gets very crowded. I always leave wanting to purchase more plants for my home.

What do you mean no lilies in the lily pond?…read more Zero. Also, pay parking is awful. I can forgive the no lilies, but the parking situation - abhorrent.

Ok so I will split this into two reviews:…read more 1: the ships and actual adventure 2: the reservation process and customer service 1: booked a trip for the Spanish replica ship adventure the San Salvador and really loved it. The ticket also got you access to the other ships to walk around which was cool. But the coolest part was that San Salvador was sailed like they would have sailed it waaay back when. We got to see real rigging masts sails steering all being done by a crew and it was a totally amazing experience and such a perfect day. Bonus: we saw dolphins and it was a perfect day. Drawback: the gentlemen speaking throughout didn't talk into his mic often so missed a lot but oh well - who's really going for history?! such a good time!!. 2. I had a good with my tickets and called and tried to talk to folks in person and could never get someone. The tickets were cancelled but not refunded which was a bummer and staff in the kiosk even said they phone lines were messed up. A bummer. :(

The Maritime Museum of San Diego is honestly one of the most impressive history museums I've…read morevisited because the artifacts are the museum. You aren't just looking at history -- you're surrounded by ships that actually survived it. The Star of India, launched in 1863, survived mutiny, violent storms, collisions at sea, and decades carrying immigrants across dangerous oceans. Some sailors believed the ship was cursed after captains died during early voyages, yet somehow she survived long enough to become the oldest active sailing ship in the world. HMS Surprise shows the brutal reality of naval warfare during the Age of Sail. Ships like this once carried enough cannon firepower to destroy enemy vessels while sailors lived packed below deck surrounded by gunpowder, disease, and fear of battle. The Berkeley steam ferry even helped evacuate survivors during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake while much of the city burned. One of the most fascinating exhibits is the Soviet B-39 submarine from the Cold War. The inside is unbelievably cramped and gives you a real sense of what life was like beneath the ocean during one of the most dangerous periods in modern history. The USS Dolphin may have been my favorite. This experimental deep-diving U.S. Navy submarine helped test advanced underwater technology and launched the deepest-fired torpedo in naval history. The museum also includes the San Salvador, recreating the ship that explored California's coastline in 1542 -- long before America existed as a country. What makes this place incredible is the timeline it creates: 1500s exploration... 1800s global sailing... steam-powered industry... world wars... Cold War submarines... All sitting together in one harbor. This place doesn't just teach maritime history -- it shows how ships shaped exploration, immigration, trade, warfare, and entire empires.