Centro Cultural de la Raza

This cultural arts center is dedicated to creating, promoting, preserving and raising awareness of Chicano, Mexican, Indigenous and Latino art and culture. Housed in a former water tower and painted with colorful murals, Centro features rotating exhibits and performances with theater, dance, music and film/video.

Fleet Science Center

With more than 100 interactive exhibits, the Fleet Science Center allows visitors of all ages to explore and investigate the wonders of science and innovation. The center is also home to the Eugene Heikoff and Marilyn Jacobs Heikoff Giant Dome Theater, providing an IMAX film adventure that shows the wonders of the planet — and beyond.

The Marston House

Built in 1905 for George W. Marston, who is considered the “Father of Balboa Park,” The Marston House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Designed by renowned architects Irving Gill and William Hebbard, the home sits on five acres of landscaped English and California-influenced gardens and is a starting point for several historical walking tours.

Museum of Photographic Arts

As one of only three independent museums in the nation dedicated solely to the lens-based medium, the Museum of Photographic Arts aims to inspire, educate and engage through the innovative collection and presentation of photography, film and video. Exhibitions are presented in English and Spanish, with work from the museum’s archive as well as from contemporary artists. The museum also stores a permanent collection of nearly 9,000 images. The Edmund L. and Nancy Dubois Library strengthens the permanent collection with more than 24,000 items, all related to photography.

San Diego Air & Space Museum

As one of only a handful of air and space museums in the country to be an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, the San Diego Air & Space Museum is home to a collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft illustrating the history of flight. The collection includes a flight-worthy replica of Charles Lindbergh’s “Spirit of St. Louis,” the actual Apollo 9 Command Module, and the only real GPS satellite display in the world. View artifacts from the Wright Brothers, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Wally Schirra and other aviation and space pioneers.

San Diego Automotive Museum

Featuring more than 80 historic autos and motorcycles, the San Diego Automotive Museum offers a unique look at some of the most prized and unique vehicles of the 20th century, including Louie Mattar’s one-of-a-kind 1947 Cadillac (which set a cross-country endurance record in 1952), as well as one of the finest motorcycle collections on the West Coast.

San Diego Model Railroad Museum

At 28,000 square feet, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum is the world's largest operating model railroad museum. Dedicated to preserving the heritage of railroading, the unique museum has a series of miniature representations of California railroads, including four enormous scale and model layouts of Southwest railroads. In addition, the museum features a Toy Train Gallery with an interactive Lionel layout for children, and state-of-the-art theater lighting.

San Diego Natural History Museum

Explore the natural history of Southern California — from past to present — at the San Diego Natural History Museum (aka The NAT). From rattlesnakes and flesh-eating beetles to dinosaurs and fossils, to a pendulum that proves the earth is spinning, there’s something for everyone at this Balboa Park favorite. The museum offers inventive, interactive exhibitions on five different floors, and features a giant-screen theater with daily showings of 2D and 3D films, as well as rotating exhibitions that bring nature to life.

Timken Museum of Art

Affectionately called San Diego’s jewel box of fine art, the Timken Museum of Art is home to the Putnam Foundation’s globally important collection of European old masters, 19th-century American art and Russian icons. Artists represented include Rubens, Fragonard, Bierstadt, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, John Singleton Copley and Eastman Johnson. The collection also includes the only Rembrandt painting on public display in San Diego. The Timken offers free admission and provides visitors with an accessible and enriching cultural experience.

WorldBeat Center

Housed in a colorfully painted former water tower, the WorldBeat Center opened in Balboa Park in 1996. The Center is dedicated to promoting and preserving African, African-American and other Indigenous cultures of the world through art, music, dance, education and technology. Classes in international dance and drumming are offered year-round, along with concerts and lectures.

Looking for more fun things to do? From where to shop, eat and play to what's happening around town, the Visitor Planning Guide is your roadmap to San Diego fun.