“I personally like the Mingei International Museum”

San Diego is steeped in history. We have museums of every nature to help us preserve, understand & appreciate all aspects of it – from archeology to air & space travel, the great masters of European painting to contemporary art & photography.

February is Museum Month!  Enrich your mind & preserve your wallet  with 1/2 price admission to 39 world famous museums!

Members of the San Diego Museum Council invite you inside for a glimpse at what makes us all special.  To take advantage of this once a year windfall, you can pick up a free Museum Month Pass at participating Macy’s store locations throughout the county.  With the pass, you and up to three friends can enter any participating museum at half price.

Revisit your favorite museum or local landmark, like the Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Maritime Museum of San Diego, Museum of Making Music, San Diego Museum of Man, or the Tijuana Estuary Visitors Center.

Some institutions have limited participation, so check before you go.

For example, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego’s Downtown location offers discounted admission all month, whereas their sister museum  The La Jolla MCASD is participating only during the week of February 21 – 28.

Museums in San Diego have been extending this special offer every year since 1989, in an effort to promote awareness of the region’s museums, historical sites, educational institutions and cultural offerings.  Last year more than 19,000 people took advantage of this great opportunity.  To see a list of all participating museums and landmarks, go to the Museum Month website.

FREE behind the scenes tours!

Did you know that we have a historic working Maritime Museum on the bay?

Looking for more ways to enjoy our fair city without overstretching your wallet?  The Port of San Diego and the Maritime Museum invite you to come down to San Diego’s big blue bay for a visit you won’t soon forget!

For the third year, the Port of San Diego is offering tours of our working waterfront.  It’s absolutely free for those eager to get a first hand look at the economic engine of the San Diego bay.  Depending on the season, you can climb onto a bus or a boat and take a look at the terminals where cargo is processed.  You might even see what comes in on those massive floating ‘boxes’ (container ships) that lumber in and out of the bay.

Bus tours are almost finished for the season, with the last run taking place February 17th.  The final buses are at capacity, so follow the Port on Twitter for updates on possible stand-by boarding.  But don’t despair! After the bus season, boats take their place from March though June. Boat tour members exchange driving through warehouses for cruising past the great military ships for an up-close view that most civilians never see.  By land or sea, the tour provides a behind-the-scenes look at our bay and harbors that will amaze you!

For a historical perspective of the San Diego Bay, check out the Maritime Museum’s Historic Walking Tours along the North Embarcadero.  Launched in conjunction with the Big Bay Whale Days Festival, the tours are on a ‘first come’ basis on Saturdays & Sundays through June 30th.  They begin in front of the USS San Diego Memorial and cover approximately one mile of our waterfront.  Tour members will have the opportunity to see Seaport Village, the USS Midway Museum, public art on display in the Port of San Diego’s Urban Trees program, and pay a visit to Tuna Harbor Park for a look at our military history on display. Contact the Maritime Museum for tour length and particulars. Reminder: Comfortable shoes & camera!

Thirsting for more? For about $14 each (less for seniors, military and children) you can spend the day exploring one-of-a-kind vessels unique to San Diego and to the world. Trust us, they are incredibly fascinating and you won’t get sea-sick! Pay an additional $3 for a bay tour on their historic 1914 Pilot vessel, space permitting. Tip: This popular add-on fills up fast, so get there  early during the summer months.

What’s the big deal?

• Star of India – Built in 1863, she’s the oldest active sailing ship in the world. She’s over 212′ feet (sparred length of 280′) and has an unbelievable history…
• HMS Surprise – Roam the same decks Russell Crowe did in the movie “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” An exacting replica of a 1700’s frigate
• The California – The Official Tall ship of California is a replica of an 1847 revenue cutter. She has cannons…
• Russian B-39 submarine – Yes it’s real. It used to stalk our ships. Seriously.
• USS Dolphin submarine – The worlds deepest diving manned submarine. Explored depths to more than 3000 feet. The actual number is classified.
• The Berkley – An authentic steam ferryboat looking much like it did in 1898
• The Medea Yacht -  From an ancient castle in Scotland, a look at 1904 high society
• America (visiting ship) – A 1800’s replica of the vessel that won the 1st America’s Cup in 1851, and the best place to see Humpback & California whales journey past our shores

NOTE: Waterfront tours are subject to weather and may only be offered for a limited time!