NBC 7’s Audra Stafford is at the San Diego Automotive Museum where this month is half off for museum month.
Dozens of San Diego County museums will be discounting admission fees this February, offering Inquisitive locals a gluttony of ways to learn something new whether you're drawn to dinosaurs, curious about the comic arts or tantalized by textiles.
San Diego Museum Month encourages locals to explore museums, gardens, zoos, cultural centers and more by offering half-off entry fees. The annual event that started in 1989 is growing this year with now more than 70 locations across San Diego County and in Tijuana participating.
Here are some things you should know:
- To get the discounted rate, you'll need a free Museum Pass, which can be picked up at any library in San Diego County. Starting Feb. 1, the pass can be downloaded to your phone. (Restrictions apply).
- Each Museum Pass can be used to get up to four half-price tickets at any of the participating museums, historic sites, gardens and cultural centers.
- Once you've secured a pass, present at any participating museum to receive 50% off admission prices on up to four tickets. You can use the pass as many times as you want during the Museum Month's 29-day run.
- The event is a good opportunity to check out a new museum you've had on your bucket list, but it's also a good time to explore lesser-known exhibits since you can explore an unlimited number of centers with one museum pass throughout the month.
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Our top Museum Month picks
We know there is a lot to choose from, so here are 10 suggestions to kick off your Museum Month exploration.
(Scroll down for a full list of all participating museums so you can plan your own fun.)
1. California Wolf Center (Julian)
In San Diego's backyard, a conservation center is dedicated to the conservation efforts for the incredible wolf species. For the month of February, guests can get half-off admission to a variety of tours, which must be booked in advance. Tickets are redeemable for only specific tours, so be sure to check the Museum Month website before you go.
Local
2. WNDR (San Diego)
This interactive and immersive experience invites guests to step into art. Guests can get 50% off on visits Mondays and Thursdays this month. Use code "SDMuseumMonth" and be sure to show your Museum Pass at the door.
3. Whaley House Museum (Old Town, San Diego)
With Museum Month's 50% discount, entrance to this infamously haunted house is discounted to less than $7. With a ticket, you'll get access to a daytime self-guided tour through the historic landmark, which was a home built in 1857 for the Whaley family. It was designated the most haunted house in America by the television show 'America's Most Haunted.' If you're faint of heart, don't worry; the daytime tour is rated PG.
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4. San Diego Botanic Garden (Encinitas)
This sprawling garden oasis is a must-see for any anthophile. The San Diego Botanic Garden's 37 acres of grounds boast plant species from about 30 regions -- from the native plants of California to flora from the rainforest. Even if you've been before, a return visit to the botanic garden is sure to sprout something new.
5. Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum (Carlsbad)
While the items at this museum may be miniature, their power is larger than life. Several miniature engineering marvels are on display at this Carlsbad museum, like a miniature replica of a wooden roller coaster to a 1/12th scale Porsche. Technically, the miniature museum is always free, but Museum Month is also an opportunity to experience something new.
6. California Surf Museum
Oceanside is a magnet for surfers looking for that perfect set, so it's only fitting there's a place nearby to celebrate the history of surf culture. The California Surf Museum has had many homes since its inception in 1986, but its permanent location at 312 Pier View Way in 2009. Museum Month visitors can trace the evolution of the boogie board (its creator, Tom Morey, died in 2021); can see the surfboard Bethany Hamilton was riding when a shark attacked her; and can learn the science behind that perfect wave.
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7. Heritage of the Americas Museum (El Cajon)
A step into the Heritage of the Americas Museum on Cuyamaca College's campus is like a step back in time. With hundreds of cultural artifacts from throughout American History, you can journey through centuries of time in one afternoon. The museum houses four different wings -- natural history, archaeology, anthropology and fine art -- with unique artifacts like fossils from the Paleozoic age, items from Native American daily life and Asian fine art. There is even a garden with exotic plants.
8. Deer Park Winery and Auto Museum (Escondido)
Vintage car lovers have several automobile options in San Diego County, but how many of them offer wine and cheese next door? This sprawling winery in North County San Diego has more than 100 automobiles and convertibles on display. A $14 admission ticket is half-off this month, leaving more $$ in your pocket for your next glass.
9. Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center (Barrio Logan, San Diego)
Chicano Park, the area underneath the Coronado Bridge in Barrio Logan, has been a landmark for San Diego's Hispanic and Latino communities since the 1970s, when residents protested a CHP patrol station on their long-promised land to finally secure their park. More than 50 years later, a museum was established to honor its cultural significance. The museum has only been open a year, so if you haven't been here yet, add it to your list this Museum Month.
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10. Pacific Southwest Railway Museum (Campo and La Mesa)
Take a drive out east for an experience like no other in San Diego County. The Pacific Southwest Railway Museum lets guests take a step back into a time period when train was the means of travel. The museum offers a scenic ride in a refurbished train car through the mountains and deserts of San Diego. If Campo is too far, you can check out railroad relics at the museum's second facility in La Mesa.
11. Living Coast Discovery Center (Chula Vista)
From desert to coast, San Diego's different microclimates means there's a lot of nature to discover. This aquarium within the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge gives guests a way to connect directly with wildlife. Kids are encouraged to get up close with endangered sea turtles, raptors, birds, bees and bats. Typically, admission is $20 to the Living Coast, so this is one Museum Month Deal worth capitalizing on.
12. Museum of Making Music (Carlsbad)
If sound is your art form, this museum in Carlsbad is the choice for you. The Museum of Making Music celebrates every step of the musical process, from an exhibit about what makes "good" music to the countless instruments on display and the people who produced some of the most popular tunes.
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13. Museum of Contemporary Art (La Jolla and Downtown, San Diego)
This renowned museum, established in 1941, has two locations filled with pieces of modern art and you can't go wrong with either but the location in La Jolla also boasts fabulous ocean views. The museum has been acquiring 20th-century art since the late 60s and their collection of works is currently on display at their downtown location.
Here are all of the locations participating in San Diego Museum Month:
Note: Restrictions apply for some museums. Please check the San Diego Museum Month website or individual museums for specific details.
San Diego - 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 (Always free)
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