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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 1200 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.
Balboa Park Museums
If you like art, both traditional and modern, go explore these 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 Water's Fine Catering and features healthy salads, soups, and sandwiches at a reasonable price.
Closed Mondays except September 6, December 27 and February 21.
-Family Drop in Day: Recommended for families with children, this program encourages participants to explore and learn about the art on view through interactive games, child-friendly tours and art making. Family Drop-In Days takes places at 1 p.m. the third Sunday of every month and are FREE with Museum admission.
Target Free Family Day & Festival: Held every Sunday from 12:00-4:00 p.m. Families and visitors to Balboa Park are invited to the Museum to participate in a free day of outdoor and indoor art-making activities, performances, artist demonstrations and docent-led tours inspired by a chosen featured exhibition/ Three to four art-making stations offer insights into artist techniques and ideas about making art.
Screen on the Green: This free film series takes place at sunset in the heart of Balboa Park. Viewers are invited to pack a picnic, grab a blanket, and bring their friends to enjoy a leisurely evening on the east lawn. Upcoming films are The King of Masks on August 6 and Moulin Rouge on August 20.
ARTivities: Hand's on activities relating to what's on view in the Museum's galleries. ARTivities takes place Tuesday-Friday (not offered on the third Tuesday of each month, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Recommended for families with children 6-12 years of age. For more information, please contact Brian Patterson at (619) 231-7650.
Art Explorations: Free with Museum admission, families are invited to explore the Museum through art activities designed for children. Activities offered are supported by the California Visual and Performing Arts Standards and are a great opportunity for homeschooling families. For more information, please contact Amy Briere at (619) 696-1952 or abriere@sdmart.org.
- 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.
