Thanks to Museum Month, San Diegans can get introduced to Renaissance-era flying inventions, 1980s supercars or local surfing legacies – all for 50% off.
San Diego Museum Month begins February 1, with visitors getting discount access to more than 70 San Diego museums and cultural centers.
“We try to make museums more accessible by having programs that cut the price in half,” San Diego Museum Council Executive Director Bob Lehman says. “It makes it more affordable for families to be able to attend.”
Lehman says more than 100,000 people participated last year and he expects that number to grow in 2025. Affiliate locations have doubled over the past three years.
“Museum” may be in the event’s title, but there’s a variety of participating venues, including San Diego gardens, historic sites and aquariums.
There are 17 locations in Balboa Park and nine in downtown San Diego offering discounts, including the Chicano Park Museum & Cultural Center, the Brain Observatory and the USS Midway Museum.
To get the half-price rate, visitors must pick up passes at any San Diego County Library, or download them directly to your phone.
Note: Not every museum accepts digital passes, including the San Diego Museum of Art and the Natural History Museum.
Lehman says that the decision to get people into libraries for physical passes is intentional, and the digital pass is an option that boosts accessibility.
One pass allows half-priced museum entry for groups up to four.
“We want people to go out and have fun,” Lehman says. “It’s been shown that for your mental health, it’s good to get out and experience exhibits…and it’s a lot better than sitting on the couch at home or in front of a computer.”
Brand new exhibits this month include the San Diego Air & Space Museum’s “Da Vinci’s First Flight,” (February 1) and the San Diego Automotive Museum’s “Decades of Trifectas” (February 4).
This year’s title sponsor is the San Diego Foundation.
In 2024, the Museum Council expanded to Tijuana, and will again offer a handful of institutions in the Baja California region.
For updated information, go to: San Diego Museum Month. SDSun
