San Diego Museum Month is back for February 1–28, 2026, offering locals and visitors a chance to explore the region’s cultural treasures for half price.
This year, the program is bigger than ever, with over 70 participating museums, aquariums, and historic sites. The 2026 theme, ‘Museums Without Walls,’ continues the cross-border legacy of the World Design Capital, expanding your discount options from Oceanside to Tijuana.
Crucial Update for 2026: While digital passes are available, major Balboa Park museums now require a printed pass for entry. Here is everything you need to know to maximize your savings.
See also: Your Guide to San Diego’s Best Museums
How San Diego Museum Month Works
San Diego Museum Month allows patrons to discover what’s new at more than 70 San Diego museums, historic sites, zoos, gardens, aquariums, and other destinations – with savings only seen once a year. It seems to get bigger and better every year, and 2026 is no exception.
Starting February 1, participants can pick up a free San Diego Museum Month Pass that entitles them to half-off admission at all participating museums throughout the entire month of February. You don’t have to be a resident — anyone can use this pass!
Digital passes are available for download, but please note that printed passes are strictly required for some of the most popular museums, including the San Diego Museum of Art and the San Diego Natural History Museum. See details below on specific listings.
Check Before You Go
Always check the Museum Month official website for the listing of the attraction you plan to visit to double-check the requirements before you visit to make sure you have the required pass. Some require only a digital pass, and some only a printed pass.
You can also pick up your free printed Museum Month pass at one of over 80 public libraries in San Diego County. Some of those participating include:
- San Diego County Library
- San Diego Public Library
- Carlsbad Public Library
- Chula Vista Public Library
- Coronado Public Library
- Escondido Public Library
- National City Public Library
- Oceanside Public Library
- New for 2026: UC San Diego Libraries (Geisel & WongAvery) and San Diego City College Library
Guests with a Museum Month pass may bring up to four people to participating museums to receive half-off admission for the entire party.
There are a few restrictions, such as some museums may only allow you to use the pass a certain number of times in the month or on certain days. Additional fees may apply for special exhibitions at participating museums.
This Year’s Participating Museums & Attractions
Your Museum Month discount pass gets you half-price admission at these fantastic San Diego County museums and various attractions.
From hands-on to interactive displays, museum fun can be found all month long. Pick one of the region’s museums or cultural attractions in the complete list below, and get ready to explore! Deals go live in February.
Balboa Park
- Centro Cultural de la Raza
- Comic-Con Museum: Half-off admission on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays from Feb. 1–15 only. The discount applies to 2 adult and 2 child tickets.
- Fleet Science Center: (IMAX not included).
- Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) Central
- Japanese Friendship Garden
- Marston House Museum and Gardens (SOHO)
- Mingei International Museum
- Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA at SDMA)
- Museum of Us: Museum Month admission does not include California Tower tours or the Membership On Us enrollment.
- San Diego Air and Space Museum
- San Diego Automotive Museum
- San Diego History Center
- San Diego Model Railroad Museum
- San Diego Museum of Art: Half-off museum admission is available only with an official Printed Pass from a library. No Museum Month Digital Passes will be accepted at the door. Discount is limited to 4 tickets.
- San Diego Natural History Museum: Only printed Museum Month passes (no digital passes) will be accepted at the door. This coupon cannot be used for specially ticketed events, Nat at Night, or special exhibitions.
- Timken Museum of Art
- WorldBeat Cultural Center
Downtown & Waterfront
- Brain Observatory: Get your digital pass and book tickets online.
- Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House
- Maritime Museum of San Diego: Printed Pass Required. No digital passes will be accepted at the ticket booth.
- Navy SEAL Museum San Diego: New for 2026! Located downtown, this museum opened in late 2025.
- New Children’s Museum: Museum Month discount valid weekdays (Mon-Thurs) — they are closed Tuesdays.
- San Diego Chinese Historical Museum
- USS Midway Museum
- WNDR Museum: 50% off on Mondays and Thursdays only. Show your digital pass at the door.
La Jolla
- Birch Aquarium at Scripps: Discounted Museum Month admissions MUST be reserved online in advance for a specific date and time. Visit aquarium.ucsd.edu and use code MuseumMonth25 at checkout for up to 4 discounted tickets.
- La Jolla Historical Society
- Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD)
North County (Coastal & Inland)
- California Center for the Arts, Escondido Museum
- California Surf Museum (Oceanside)
- Deer Park Winery & Auto Museum: 50% off admission to the museum in February.
- Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) North (Encinitas)
- LEGOLAND California: reservations are required. During Museum Month, visitors can get 50% off full-gate-price tickets valid for either a LEGOLAND + SEA LIFE Aquarium Hopper Ticket or a Resort Hopper Ticket that includes LEGOLAND + Water Park + SEA LIFE. Tickets are good through December 31, 2026. The link isn’t available yet. You’ll want to compare it with other ways to save on LEGOLAND tickets.
- Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum (Carlsbad)
- Mission San Luis Rey: May exclude some special events.
- Museum of Making Music (Carlsbad)
- San Diego Archaeological Center (Escondido)
- San Diego Botanic Garden: Walk-up admission only. Present your printed or digital pass at the window. Online reservations are not available for the Museum Month discount in 2026.
- San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum (Escondido): Passes may be used only once and do not include special events.
- Warner-Carrillo Ranch House
Old Town & Mission Valley
- Junipero Serra Museum: (Open Saturday and Sunday).
- Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
- Whaley House Museum: Museum Month passes are only good for the Daytime Self-Guided Tour (10 a.m.-4 p.m.), not Evening Guided Tours.
Liberty Station & Point Loma
- Cabrillo National Monument
- Marine Corps Recruit Depot Command Museum (MCRD)
- Nautical History Gallery & Museum
- New Americans Museum
- Visions Museum of Textile Art
- Women’s Museum of California
East County & South Bay
- Barona Cultural Center & Museum: Admission is always free, and pass holders can enjoy 20% off their store purchase.
- Bonita Museum & Cultural Center
- California Wolf Center: Tours by appointment only.
- Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center
- Heritage of the Americas Museum
- JA Cooley Museum
- La Mesa Depot Museum
- Lemon Grove Parsonage Museum
- Living Coast Discovery Center
- Pacific Southwest Railway Museum
- San Diego Police Museum
- Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center
- Water Conservation Garden
Tijuana (Museums Without Walls)
- Tijuana Cultural Center (CECUT)
- Tijuana Aquarium
- El Cubo (The Cube)
- Museum of the Californias
- Tijuana History Museum
- MULLME (Museo de Lucha Libre Mexicana)
- Municipal Institute of Art and Culture / IMAC
Sample Museum Month Itineraries
The digital pass will be available for download on February 1.
The Ultimate Family Weekend
Best for: Families with kids who want the biggest savings with the least friction.
I like this because it clusters expensive attractions that are already near each other. I never recommend zig-zagging across the county, especially with kids in tow.
Saturday: North County (Big Savings Day)
Morning
Pick up your Museum Month pass at the Carlsbad City Library before heading out if you don’t have a digital one.
Late Morning–Afternoon
Spend the day at LEGOLAND California using the Museum Month 50% discount.
This is a high-value pass item since ticket prices are high, and families can easily save hundreds.
Insider tip: You don’t have to go in February. Museum Month tickets are valid later in the year, which is perfect if you’d rather visit during spring break or summer. And also, check LEGOLAND’s direct promotions to be sure this is the way to go.
Late Afternoon (Optional, Low-Energy Add-On)
If the kids still have energy, stop by the Museum of Making Music, just a few minutes away.
Kids love trying instruments in the instrument room, and it’s a low-key way to end an afternoon.
Sunday: Balboa Park (Hands-On Science Day)
Morning
Start at the Fleet Science Center. Even during renovations, the interactive kid zones are a hit, giving kids a chance to move, touch, and experiment.
Tip: This is the parking lot I usually use anyway. Get there about 20-30 minutes before the museum opens and walk around to ensure you get a parking spot.
Lunch
You have many options! Grab sandwiches and picnic near the Moreton Bay Fig Tree, which has plenty of space for kids to decompress before another museum. The Fleet’s Craveology cafe has lots of kid-friendly menu items like chicken tenders and PBJ. You can eat at their tables or take it elsewhere in the park, perhaps to the Botanical Building’s grassy area.
Afternoon
Head to the San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat).
This and the Fleet are the two most kid-friendly museums in Balboa Park. theNat focuses on immersive and some hands-on exhibits about dinosaurs, wildlife, and the region’s natural world.
Reminder: Printed Museum Month pass required here.
Itinerary B: The Culture & History Route
Best for: Adults, teens, or families with older kids who enjoy slower pacing and storytelling. (No theme parks on this one.)
Start:
Pick up your Museum Month pass at your local library.
Day 1: Waterfront & Downtown
Morning
Start aboard the USS Midway Museum. The aircraft carrier is now a floating museum and a San Diego must-do. Plan at least three hours.
Early Afternoon
Walk over to the new Navy SEAL Museum San Diego.
It’s a natural follow-up after Midway.
Late Afternoon
Finish the day at the Maritime Museum of San Diego.
Head back to the Embarcadero for late afternoon and step onto the deck of the Star of India to enjoy the museum and Golden hour.
Reminder: Printed Museum Month pass required.
Your Dining Plan
There’s a cafe at the Midway, but if you can wait to eat, Little Italy is walkable (can do grab and go meatball subs at Mona Lisa or other spots), and there’s also the bayside Portside Pier sit-down restaurants like Ketch. Either would be good for lunch or dinner, but it’s ideal to catch the sunset on the bay.
Day 2: Balboa Park (Classic Museums)
Morning
Begin at the San Diego Museum of Art. Go early to secure parking and to appreciate the art before it gets busy.
Reminder: Printed Museum Month pass required.
Lunch
Reserve a table at The Prado or grab something casual nearby. We like Panama 66, which is attached to the Museum of Art’s sculpture garden.
Afternoon
Walk to the other side of the plaza from SDMA to the Mingei International Museum.
It’s smaller, a perfect contrast to SDMA, focused on human creativity and folk art from around the globe.
Itinerary C: The Smart Saver
Best for: Locals, couples, or budget-minded visitors who want value without overcommitting. This is about pairing the pass with places that are already free or low-cost.
Balboa Park Focus (One Easy Loop)
Start:
Pick up your Museum Month pass at your local library.
Stop 1: Art Pairing
- Timken Museum of Art (always free)
- San Diego Museum of Art (50% off with Museum Month)
You get two very different experiences without paying full price for either.
Stop 2: Gardens & Architecture
- Botanical Building (reopened December 2025 and is free)
- Japanese Friendship Garden (50% off with Museum Month)
This stretch is beautiful, low-key, and doesn’t feel like “museum hopping.”
Learn More About Museum Month From the San Diego Museum Council
Tune into social media to learn more about the best San Diego museums, historical sites, gardens, zoos, aquariums, and cultural offerings, which will undoubtedly include information and fun activities that you might not already be familiar with.
Follow the San Diego Museum Council on these accounts and check them daily throughout February.
Or, follow the hashtag #SDMuseumMonth.
Fun Fact: In April 2015, San Diego was recognized by the National Geographic Channel documentary “World’s Smart Cities: San Diego,” which praised the region for its lifestyle rich in art, cultural diversity, and natural beauty.
Explore a New-To-You Neighborhood While You’re at It
Why not visit a museum that is in a neighborhood you don’t get to very often? I have highlighted plenty of things to do in San Diego, but you can also check my neighborhood guides.
Which San Diego museums are you looking forward to learning more about during San Diego Museum Month?
*Photo credits: San Diego Air and Space Museum/Peter Carney for Balboa Park
Katie Dillon
Leave a Reply