List of museums in San Diego County, California facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This is a list of museums in San Diego County, California, defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Also included are non-profit and university art galleries. Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e., virtual museums) are not included.

To use the sortable tables: click on the icons at the top of each column to sort that column in alphabetical order; click again for reverse alphabetical order.

Museums

Name	Town/City	Type	Summary
Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum	Vista	Open air	Antique gas and steam engines, blacksmith shop, weaving house, farmhouse exhibits
Bancroft Ranch House Museum	Spring Valley	Historic house	Operated by the Spring Valley Historical Society, late 19th-century adobe ranch house
Barona Cultural Center & Museum	Lakeside	Native American	website, Native American culture and history of San Diego County
Bonita Museum & Cultural Center	Bonita	Local history	website, operated by the Bonita Historical Society, history of the Rancho de la Nación, art and culture
Cabrillo National Monument	San Diego	History	Includes a museum and the Old Point Loma lighthouse
California Surf Museum	Oceanside	Sports
Carrillo Ranch Historic Park	Carlsbad	Historic house	website, also known as Rancho de Los Kiotes, ranch and home of Leo Carrillo
Casa de Estudillo	San Diego	Historic house	Located in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, 19th century adobe house
Casa de Machado y Stewart	San Diego	Historic house	Located in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, 19th century adobe house
Centro Cultural de la Raza	San Diego	Cultural	Located in Balboa Park, Mexican-American and Latino cultural arts center
Chula Vista Heritage Museum	Chula Vista	Local history	Branch of the Chula Vista Public Library
Craftsmanship Museum	Carlsbad	Technology	Finely crafted models, engines, technology
Deer Park Winery & Auto Museum	Escondido	Automobile	website, features vintage vehicles and Americana collections, including Barbie dolls, Coca-Cola memorabilia, vintage radios, TVs, bicycles, household appliances
Encinitas Historical Society Schoolhouse	Encinitas	School	website, restored 1883 schoolhouse
Escondido History Center	Escondido	Open air	website, six building museum in Grape Day Park
Fallbrook Art Center	Fallbrook	Art	website
Fallbrook Gem and Mineral Society Museum	Fallbrook	Natural history	website, minerals and gems from around the world
Fallbrook Historical Society	Fallbrook	Local history	website, includes main museum and Pittenger House
Fleet Science Center	San Diego	Science	Located in Balboa Park
Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum	San Diego	Aviation	Aircraft, memorabilia and history of the United States Marine Corps Aviation
Gaskill Brothers' Stone Store Museum	Campo	Local history	website, operated by the Mountain Empire Historical Society, area Native American, pioneer and military history
Guy B. Woodward Museum	Ramona	Local history	website, operated by the Ramona Pioneer Historical Society, includes the Verlaque House, shops, antique exhibits and artifacts
Gaslamp Museum at the William Heath Davis House	San Diego	Historic house	website, mid 19th-century Victorian period house of William Heath Davis, operated by the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation
Heritage County Park	San Diego	Historic house	Park with 7 relocated buildings, Senlis Cottage open as late 19th-century working class cottage, Temple Beth Israel open for tours
Heritage of the Americas Museum	Rancho San Diego	Multiple	website, part of Cuyamaca College, prehistoric and historic art, culture, and natural history of the Americas
Heritage Park Village Museum	Oceanside	Open air	Historic and replica buildings including a general store, blacksmith shop and livery stables, jail, inn, school and newspaper building
J.A. Cooley Automotive Museum	San Diego	Commodity	Early automobiles, phonographs, clocks, electric trains, and 20 other types of collections
John DeWitt Museum and Library	Alpine	Historic house	website, operated by the Alpine Historical Society
Julian Pioneer Museum	Julian	Local history	website, Native American artifacts, antique furniture, tools, clothing, cooking items, farm implements, photos, pioneer items
Junipero Serra Museum	San Diego	History	History of the founding of the city, operated by the San Diego Historical Society in Presidio Park
Knox House Museum	El Cajon	Historic house	Part of Cuyamaca College, operated by the El Cajon Historical Society
Kruglak Art Gallery	Oceanside	Art	website, contemporary art gallery of MiraCosta College
Lakeside Museum	Lakeside	Local history	website, operated by the Lakeside Historical Society
Lawrence Welk Museum	Escondido	Biographical	Part of the Lawrence Welk Resort, tribute to bandleader Lawrence Welk
Lux Art Institute	Encinitas	Art	website
Magee House Museum	Carlsbad	Historic house	website, operated by the Carlsbad Historical Society, Victorian period house, displays of local history, agriculture
Maritime Museum of San Diego	San Diego	Maritime	Several museum ships including the Star of India, an 1863 iron bark
Marston House, George WGeorge W Marston House	San Diego	Historic house	Located in Balboa Park, operated by Save Our Heritage Organisation
Mason Street School	San Diego	School	Located in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, first public schoolhouse in the county
MCRD San Diego Command Museum	San Diego	Military	History of the Marines in the 20th and 21st centuries, the Marines' presence in the Southern California region, and the history of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego
McKinney House and Museum	La Mesa	Historic house	Operated by the La Mesa Historical Society, early 20th-century house
Mingei International Museum	San Diego	Art	Located in Balboa Park, folk art, craft and design from all eras and cultures of the world
Mission San Diego de Alcalá	San Diego	Religious	1769 Franciscan mission church
Mission San Luis Rey de Francia	Oceanside	History	Historic Spanish mission and church
Mormon Battalion Historic Site	San Diego	Military	website, located in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, history of the Mormon Battalion
Motor Transport Museum	Campo	Transportation	website, trucks, engines, quarry equipment and other equipment
Museum of American Treasures	National City	Local history
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego	San Diego	Art	Collection includes more than 4,000 works created after 1950 in all media and genres
Museum of Coronado History and Art	Coronado	Multiple	website, island history and art, operated by the Coronado Historical Association
Museum of Creation and Earth History	Santee	Religious
Museum of Making Music	Carlsbad	Music	History of American popular music, the manufacture and retail of musical instruments and the history of the music products industry
Museum of Photographic Arts	San Diego	Art	Located in Balboa Park, photography, film and video
Museum of Us	San Diego	Anthropology	Located in Balboa Park, pre-Columbian history of the western Americas and Native American art and culture
National City Depot	National City	Railroad	Operated by the San Diego Electric Railway Association in a restored 1880s Santa Fe depot
Oceanside Historical Museum	Oceanside	Local history	website, operated by the Oceanside Historical Society
Oceanside Museum of Art	Oceanside	Art	website, contemporary art from Southern California
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park	San Diego	Open air	Includes five original adobes and museums with exhibits including law enforcement, carriages and horse-drawn vehicles, a newspaper print shop, schoolhouse, general store, blacksmith shop
Pacific Southwest Railway Museum	Campo	Railroad	Includes 1916 railroad depot, historic railroad cars and steam and diesel locomotives on display, railroad equipment
Parsonage Museum	Lemon Grove	Historic house	website, operated by the Lemon Grove Historical Society, displays include the general store, fruit packing, period rooms
Poway Historical Society Museum	Poway	Local history	website, operated by the Poway Historical and Memorial Society
Rancho Buena Vista Adobe	Vista	Historic house	website, mid 19th-century adobe house, history of Rancho Buena Vista (Felipe)
Rancho Guajome Adobe	Vista	Historic house	Mid 19th century 20-room adobe house
Rancho Santa Maria de Los Peñasquitos	San Diego	Historic house	Located in Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, historic 1823 adobe ranch home
Roynon Museum of Earth Science & Paleontology	Escondido	Science	website, established in 2000 to educate students, scouts, and the general public in paleontology and earth sciences
San Diego Air & Space Museum	San Diego	Aviation	Located in Balboa Park, aviation and space history
San Diego Archaeological Center	Escondido	Archaeology	website, archaeology of the San Diego region from 10,000 years ago to present day
San Diego Art Institute Museum of the Living Artist	San Diego	Art	Located in Balboa Park
San Diego Automotive Museum	San Diego	Transport	In Balboa Park
San Diego Children's Discovery Museum	Escondido	Children's	website
San Diego Chinese Historical Museum	San Diego	Ethnic	website, Chinese American experience and Chinese history, culture and art
San Diego Firehouse Museum	San Diego	Firefighting	website, firefighting memorabilia dating back 100 years, located in Little Italy
San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum	San Diego	Sports	Located in Balboa Park
San Diego History Center	San Diego	Local history	website, located in Balboa Park, operated by the San Diego Historical Society
San Diego Model Railroad Museum	San Diego	Railway	Indoor model railroad exhibits, located in Balboa Park
San Diego Museum of Art	San Diego	Art	Located in Balboa Park
San Diego Natural History Museum	San Diego	Natural history	Located in Balboa Park
San Diego Sheriff's Museum and Educational Center	San Diego	Law enforcement	website
San Dieguito Heritage Museum	Encinitas	Local history	Covers the history of the San Dieguto area
San Marcos Historical Museum	San Marcos	Local history	website, operated by the San Marcos Historical Society
San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park	Escondido	History	History of the 1846 Battle of San Pasqual, the bloodiest battle in California during the Mexican–American War
Santa Ysabel Asistencia	Santa Ysabel	History	19th century Spanish mission and church
Santee Historical Society Museum	Santee	Local history	Located in a historic former dairy barn
Stein Family Farm	National City	Historic house	website, also known as the National City Living History Farm Preserve
Stuart Collection	San Diego	Art	Part of University of California, San Diego
Timken Museum of Art	San Diego	Art	Located in Balboa Park, includes collection of European old master paintings, sculptures, and tapestries, American art and Russian icons
The New Children's Museum	San Diego	Children's Museum	Located in Downtown San Diego, includes permanent and temporary interactive art installations for children and families.
University of California, San Diego Art Galleries	San Diego	Art	University Art Gallery, Visual Arts Gallery, Gallery@Calit2
USS Midway Museum	San Diego	Aviation	Aircraft carrier and restored aircraft
Valley Center History Museum	Valley Center	Local history	Operated by the Valley Center Historical Society
Veterans Museum and Memorial Center	San Diego	Military	Located in historic Balboa Park, San Diego and U.S. military history of the Armed Forces
Vista Historical Society Museum	Vista	Local history	website
Wells Fargo History Museum	San Diego	History	Located in Colorado House in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, 1850s stage stop and telegraph office
Whaley House	San Diego	Historic house	Mid 19th century period house
Women's Museum of California	San Diego	Women's	website, formerly the Women's History Museum
WWII/Korea LVT Museum	Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton	Military	Exhibits on Landing Vehicles Tracked (LVT)s from World War II and the Korean War