Looking for details on San Diego Museum Month?
If you’re on the hunt for a perfect family-friendly outing this February, San Diego Museum Month is calling your name! With half-price admission to more than 70 San Diego museums and attractions, this is the perfect opportunity have fun and spark your kids’ curiosity while also saving a few bucks.
Whether your family loves dinosaurs, space, art, or hands-on science, Museum Month has something for everyone.
In this guide, we’ll share everything you need to know about Museum Month—from how to get your discount pass to the best kid-friendly museums to visit. Get ready to explore, learn, and have a blast without breaking the bank!
When is San Diego Museum Month
San Diego Museum Month takes place every year throughout the month of February. The event kicks off on February 1, with half-off admission to more than 70 museums, attractions, aquariums, nature and wildlife centers, historic sites, and more.
This year, San Diego Museum Month will run February 1-28, 2025.
Participating Museums & Attractions
If you are just looking for a quick list of all the places participating in San Diego Museum Month, here you go! The list is divided by neighborhood to best help you plan.
Worth noting – some of the museums on this list are free year-round, and half off $0 is still $0. (Although donations are always encouraged!) However, since they are included on the San Diego Museum Council’s official list of participating museums, I am including them here.
Balboa Park
- Centro Cultural de la Raza
- Fleet Science Center
- ICA Central
- Japanese Friendship Garden
- Marston House Museum & Gardens
- Mingei International Museum
- MOPA at SDMA
- Museum of Us
- San Diego Air & Space Museum
- San Diego Automotive Museum
- San Diego History Center
- San Diego Model Railroad Museum
- San Diego Museum of Art (Museum Pass must be printed)
- San Diego Natural History Museum (Museum Pass must be printed)
- Timken Museum of Art
- WorldBeat Cultural Center
- Comic-Con Museum (Only Mondays, Tuesdays & Fridays from Feb. 1-15)
San Diego
- Brain Observatory (Tickets must be purchased online in advance)
- Chicano Park Museum & Cultural Center
- Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House
- Maritime Museum of San Diego (Museum Pass must be printed)
- New Children’s Museum (Monday through Thursday only)
- San Diego Chinese Historical Museum
- USS Midway Museum
- Whaley House Museum
- WNDR Museum San Diego (Mondays and Thursdays only)
- MCRD Command Museum (Limited base access)
- Nautical History Gallery & Museum
- New Americans Museum
- Visions Museum of Textile Art
- Birch Aquarium (Must schedule in advance)
- La Jolla Historical Society
- RUTH: Remember Us The Holocaust
- JA Cooley Museum
- San Diego Police Museum
- Junípero Serra Museum
- Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
- San Diego International Airport Arts Program
- Whaley House Museum (Good for daytime self-guided tour only)
Coronado
- Coronado Historical Association
North County
- California Surf Museum
- Deer Park Winery & Auto Museum
- GIA (Gemological Institute of America) Museum (Must schedule in advance)
- ICA North
- LEGOLAND California (Advanced reservations required)
- Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum
- Mission San Luis Rey
- Museum of Making Music
- San Diego Archaeological Center
- San Diego Botanic Garden
- San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum
- Warner Carrillo Ranch
East County
- Barona Cultural Center and Museum
- California Wolf Center (Appointment only)
- Heritage of the Americas Museum
- Lemon Grove Parsonage Museum
- Pacific Southwest Railway Museum
- The Water Conservation Garden
South Bay
- Bonita Museum & Cultural Center
- Living Coast Discovery Center
- Tijuana Estuary
Traveling or Virtual Exhibits
- San Diego African American Museum of Fine Art
- Vanguard Culture
- We The People
Tijuana
- Tijuana Cultural Center (CECUT)
- Tijuana Aquarium / Acuario Centro Cultural Tijuana
- El Cubo (The Cube)
- Museum of the Californias / Museo de las Californias
- Tijuana History Museum / Museo de Historia de Tijuana
- Municipal Institute of Art and Culture / IMAC Instituto Municipal de Arte y Cultura
How It Works
To receive half-off admission, you’ll need to present a Museum Month pass, and there are two ways to get them.
Pick up a free printed Museum Month pass at any of more than 80 public libraries throughout San Diego County. Each pass can be used for up to four half-priced admissions at any of the participating museums or attractions. Use the pass as many times as you like throughout the month of February.
If you prefer, download a digital version of the Museum Month pass from the San Diego Museum Council website. The digital version is also free! Digital passes have links for each museum you can click to download passes to your phone.
► Travel Insight
Some museums and attractions only accept printed Museum Month passes, and others may require reservations. Be sure to check the Museum Month official website for any restrictions before visiting.
Top Family-Friendly Spots You Can See for Half Price
With more than 70 great spots to choose from, there is definitely something for everyone! But if you are planning to visit with kids, here are our top 10 picks.
1. LEGOLAND California Resort and SEA LIFE Aquarium
For a day filled with LEGO-themed adventures for little kids, head to LEGOLAND California. From fun rides and shows to LEGO building stations, this theme park is a thrill for younger kids. This in only the second year they have been participating in Museum Month, and it’s a great deal!
Located north of San Diego in Carlsbad, LEGOLAND offers more than 60 interactive play areas, shows, and kid-friendly rides. When my son was younger we visited often. The park’s emphasis on creativity and learning through play makes it an ideal destination for families with younger kids.
- One LEGOLAND Drive, Carlsbad
- legoland.com/california
2. California Wolf Center
Another new arrival to Museum Month is the California Wolf Center. Located in the Julian, the California Wolf Center is dedicated to the conservation efforts for the incredible wolf species. Take a tour, see the resident wolves, and learn about the importance of wolf conservation.
The California Wolf Center is located in the mountains east of San Diego. It’s a bit of a drive, but totally worth it if you make a day out of visiting Julian (apple pie!) as well as touring the Wolf Center.
- K Q Ranch Road & Tall Pine Road, Julian
- californiawolfcenter.org
3. USS Midway Museum
The USS Midway is America’s longest-serving aircraft carrier, now turned into a floating museum.
Kids will love exploring the flight deck, cockpits, and below-deck exhibits while learning about naval history. Visiting this museum is one of the best things to do in San Diego with teens and older kids, but young ones will enjoy it, too.
- 910 North Harbor Drive, San Diego
- midway.org
4. Maritime Museum of San Diego
The Maritime Museum of San Diego enjoys a worldwide reputation for excellence in restoring, maintaining, and operating historic vessels. It boasts one of the world’s finest collections of historic ships, including the Star of India.
The Maritime Museum is located on the waterfront near the USS Midway Museum and Seaport Village San Diego.
- 1492 North Harbor Drive, San Diego
- sdmaritime.org
5. New Children’s Museum
The New Children’s Museum in downtown San Diego and is one of the most family-friendly things to do in the Gaslamp District. The museum features interactive activities and installations, art workshops, sensory experiences for toddlers, and outdoor spaces ensure hours of fun and creativity.
- 200 West Island Avenue, San Diego
- thinkplaycreate.org
6. Birch Aquarium
The Birch Aquarium in La Jolla showcases a fascinating range of sea life. Kids will be captivated by the colorful fish, mesmerizing jellyfish, and playful turtles and sea otters that call this aquarium home.
Birch Aquarium is part of Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. It is located high on the cliffs, offering spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean.
- 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla
- aquarium.ucsd.edu
7. San Diego Model Railroad Museum
The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is a great little museum in Balboa Park. Kids will marvel at the intricate model train displays depicting different eras and landscapes; they are sure to delight model train enthusiasts of all ages.
- 1649 El Prado, San Diego
- sdmrm.org
8. San Diego Air & Space Museum
Ignite young minds with a journey through aviation history at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. Interactive exhibits and flight simulators offer an exciting glimpse into the world of aerospace.
- 2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego
- sandiegoairandspace.org
9. The Natural History Museum (The NAT)
The NAT is a fantastic museum and one of the best places to visit with kids in Balboa Park. It’s a huge building filled with everything you’d expect to find in a great natural history museum – dinosaurs, skulls, gems and geology, whales, fossils, and a Living Lab.
- 1788 El Prado, San Diego
- sdnhm.org
10. Fleet Science Center
I saved the best for last because this museum is our family’s favorite! My son even went to summer camp here when he was a bit younger.
The Fleet Science Center brings science to life with hands-on experiments that are sure to engage your child’s inquisitive mind. There is also an IMAX theater.
- 1875 El Prado, San Diego
- fleetscience.org
More About San Diego Museum Month
San Diego Museum Month was created in 1989 to promote the region’s diverse range of world-class cultural offerings during a traditionally slow period for most local museums.
The program has grown over the years to include a broader range of San Diego County museums and attractions. In 2020, 40 museums participated in Museum Month. In 2025, there will be more than 70 participating locations, including some in Tijuana.
Museum Month 2025 is also supported by First 5 San Diego, with additional funding provided by the California Arts Council, City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, and the County of San Diego.
► For more special events happening all throughout the year, be sure to read Seasonal Magic: San Diego’s Best Family Events.
Final Thoughts: Getting the Most Out of Museum Month
If your family loves visiting museums as much as mine, then you’re going to love taking advantage of these great money-saving deals during Museum Month. This year, there are more places than ever on the list!
And February happens to be the perfect time of year to visit a museum. Even though the weather is beautiful year-round, winter in San Diego can be chilly or rainy. What better way to spend the day?
Whether you are a San Diego local or happen to be visiting the city in February, Museum Month is an awesome opportunity to check out one of the many world-class museums and attractions.
It’s also a good time to explore some of the smaller and lesser-known attractions since the price is low and you can visit as many places as you wish throughout the month.
Save This Guide to Museum Month in San Diego for Later!
Planning a visit to San Diego in February? Pin the image below for future reference!
