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The Central Park of San Diego or as it is known "The Jewel of the City".
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Balboa Park has been consistently ranked as one of the best urban parks in the country. This is the place that both locals and visitors flock to year 'round and especially when the sun is out and shining. Balboa Park is the largest urban cultural park in the United States.
Balboa Park consists of 1,200 acres, and features 15,000 trees with over 350 varieties of trees. Rumor has it that Balboa Park is actually larger in area than Central Park in Manhattan! You may be surprised to know that it is a taxpayer and hotel visitor supported recreation and cultural center with seventeen museums, four theaters, one art center, and one 'village' of international cottages. There is something for everyone at San Diego's Balboa Park.
Additionally, many of San Diego's special events take place in and around the park including: the Saint Patrick's Day Parade, December Nights (formerly called Christmas on the Prado), and countless charity walks. This is an urban public park that gets a lot of use every day of the year, rain or shine.
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Balboa Park Museums
ART MUSEUMS
Museum of Photographic Art
Museum of Photographic Arts (MoPA) - This museum does its best to bring traveling exhibits of photography and film to San Diego. It is San Diego's ONLY photographic arts museum.
Hours: Daily from 10am - 5pm. (until 9pm on Thursdays) This museum is free on the Second Tuesday of the month.
San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) - The SDMA is the traditional and modern art museum in the Park. It is actually known for its very fine Asian art collection which is usually permanently displayed in the western wing of the building. They feature major exhibits from their permanent collection as well as nationally reknowned traveling exhibitions. The SDMA has a very nice cafe which looks out onto its grasssy sculpture garden. It is operated by Guiseppe's and features healthy salads, soups, and sandwiches.
Hours: Tuesday - Sunday from 10: a.m. -5:00 p.m. This museum is free on the third Tuesday of the month.
- This little museum brings out the best in folk art from its own collection and from other sources. The Mingei (pronounced Min-gay) sets itself apart from other museums by making a point of bringing natural sunlight into its exhibit space. Before or after visiting the Mingei, be sure to check out the two Nikki de St. Phalle public art sculptures, the "Poet and the Muse" by the entrance and "Nikkigator" directly southeast of the building.
Hours: Tuesday - Sunday from 10am -4pm. This museum is free on the third Tuesday of the month.
- Don't miss stopping by this very interesting local artist complex. It is located conveniently between the San Diego Zoo and the Museums of Balboa Park. Local artists lease these Spanish style buildings from the City and host a number of arts festivals within the complex. There is no admission fee so purchasing art from these charming shops helps support their continued operation.
Hours: Daily from 11am - 5pm.
Timken Museum - The Timken always offers free admission to the public. The building is not Spanish style and that is what makes it stand out from the others. The Timken features very traditional art and is known for its restorations of old works. The nice elderly gentlemen who guard the door and the exhibits space can probably tell you which paintings are worth an extra good look.
San Diego Air & Space Museum - This museum is located on the southern edge of Balboa Park. Full-size military airplanes stand guard in front of the museum and welcome all those who appreciate aviation, aerospace, and its history in San Diego. Experienced and enthusiastic docents are available to guide visitors through the many interactive exhibits. Because San Diego is home to numerous municipal and military airports, local interest in aviation and this museum is very high.
Hours: Daily from 10am - 4:30pm. This museum is free on the fourth Tuesdays of the month.
Museum of Natural History - This William Templeton Johnson-designed building has undergone a significant renovation which has enlarged the facility and added new amenities including a giant film screen. The entrance is located on the north side of the building adjacent to the enormous fig tree (the tree is more than 70 feet tall, with a canopy spread of 125 feet and a trunk diameter of 13 feet). This museum focuses on exploring the natural wonders of the San Diego-Baja California region. The Natural History Museum does its best to take the museum outside by offering docent led hikes and whale watching on a seasonal basis.
Hours: Daily from 10am - 5pm. This museum is free on the first Tuesdays of the month.
Museum of Man Tower
Museum of Man - If anthropology melts your butter, then this is the place for you. The museum is dedicated to showing the history of people that are not often covered in traditional history books. They are known for selecting exhibits that can sometimes be considered offbeat such as their highly successful exhibit on torture! Mummies are also usually on display somewhere in the museum. Even if you don't plan on stepping into the museum, DO make a visit to see the beauty of the California Tower, one of the Park's most beautiful Spanish Baroque buildings.
Hours: Daily from 10am - 5pm This museum is free on the third Tuesdays of the month.
Ruben H. Fleet Space Center - This is the location of San Diego's only IMAX theatre. Two different IMAX films are usually in rotation so plan on seeing both of them during your visit. The Science Center also features more than 100 interactive science exhibits in five galleries that are great for children of all ages. A local's tip is to visit the Science Center after 1pm - children on field trips usually go back to school after lunch. The fountain area in front of the Science Center is THE location for special stargazing evenings during astronomical events, like eclipses.
Hours:Open daily at 9:30am. Closing times vary by the season. This museum is free on the first Tuesdays of the month.
HISTORY MUSEUMS
San Diego History Center - Tucked away in the dark Casa de Balboa Building, this museum has to display banners of its current exhibitions outside the building so people know they exist. Take a glance at the banners and see if there is something worthwhile for you to see. Because this museum is San Diego-specific, visitors with no connection to San Diego might not be as interested. The museum's main purpose is to provide residents and scholars with a local archive of San Diego's history.
Hours: Open daily from 10am - 5pm.
The Research Library is open Wednesday to Saturday from 10am- 5pm. The museum is free on the second Tuesdays of the month.
San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum - San Diego local sports fanatics flock to this museum to see the history of San Diego from a sports perspective. Aside from the permanent collection, this facility features usually one sports-related exhibit at a time. Like the Mingei Museum, this facility has its own Nikki de St. Phalle public art sculpture - look for it!
Hours: Open daily from 10am - 4:30pm. The museum is free on the fourth Tuesdays of the month.
San Diego Automotive Museum - The Auto Museum does a great job of putting together really interesting exhibits for car-loving patrons. Volunteers renovate many of the cars that are part of the museum's collection and most of the times, you can see them hard at work.
Hours: Open daily from 10am to 5pm. The museum is free on the fourth Tuesdays of the month.
San Diego Model Railroad Museum - If you are a train aficionado then this is the place for you. It is located in the same building as the Museum of Photographic Arts and the San Diego Historical Museum.
Hours: Open Tuesday through Friday from 11am - 4pm.; Saturday - Sunday from 11am - 5pm. The museum is free on the first Tuesdays of the month.
Marston House Museum and Garden - This is so local that many locals have never known about this arts and crafts gem! The Marston House Museum is one of San Diego's finest examples of the Arts and Crafts movement and 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, conservation and history is renowned.
The property was designed and built by the internationally renowned architects William Sterling Hebbard and Irving Gill. Surrounded by five acres of rolling lawns, manicured formal gardens, and rustic canyon gardens, this 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.
Spend some time exploring the grounds, formal gardens and canyon pathways in the shade of towering pine, eucalyptus and oak trees. Learn about one of San Diego's most prominent families and the master architects and renowned landscape designers who worked with the family to create one of the region's most important estates.
The Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO), currently operates the Marston House Museum and Gardens and they invite you to come take a look at the property as well as the rare Irving Gill furniture currently on display.
Open Friday, Saturday & Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
Guided Tours start every half hour and are 40-45 minutes in length.
Please note: The last tour of the day begins at 4:30 p.m.
Admission is $8 for adults/$5 for seniors (65 & older)/$4 for children (ages 6-12) and free for children 5 and under.
Note: Save Our Heritage Organisation Members receive unlimited free admission.
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theatre - Got little children with you? Then, head over to the Puppet Theatre located on the south side of the park near the Auto Museum. The Puppeteers work their magic to bring fairy tales to life using their remarkable talent.
Hours: Performances on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 10am and 11:30am and Saturday and Sunday at 11am, 1pm and 2:30pm.
The Globe Theater
The Old Globe Theatre - This venerable compound of theatres, the Globe, the Cassius Carter, and the Lowell Davies amphitheatre, showcases top notch dramatic performances. One of the Globe's most popular shows is the annual 2-month run of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." In the day time, feel free to walk around the premises (there is even a little private dog park called 'Punky's Park' located behind the Box Office building).
Hours: Performances on Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 7pm; Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8pm; Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2pm. (except Shakespeare Festival productions in the outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, which are Tuesday-Sunday at 8pm)
Box Office hours: Monday - Noon - 6:00pm/Tuesday - Sunday - Noon - 8:30pm.
Starlight Bowl - Locals of many generations know all about the fun of taking in a Starlight musical comedy during the warm summer nights under the stars and under the flight path! An elaborate freeze frame of all the performers occurs when a plane goes by - really. The actors stop, the music stops, and the audience usually laughs when the freeze is really good. One of the best parts of Starlight is before the performance when folks have their picnics on the lawn near the Bowl.
Performances: SUMMER! Thursday - Sunday at 8pm.
Junior Theatre - The Junior Theatre is the oldest continuing children's' theatre program in the country. Their productions have entertained well over a million theatre goers since their beginning 59 years ago. Alumni of Junior Theatre include Annette Benning and Raquel Welch.
Hours: Performances on Friday at 7pm. Saturday and Sunday at 2pm.
