Being a museum member is a wonderful way to explore the many cultural venues San Diego has to offer. Typically membership grants you free admission only to the museum you belong to, but this May museum members will receive a special perk. Thanks to the San Diego Museum Council’s annual Big Exchange Program you can use your membership to receive free reciprocal admission at 35 participating arts and culture destinations all month long. To receive free admission, members show their membership card at each participating museum’s visitor services desk.

October is a great month for kids and families to explore a new museum in San Diego or visit their favorite arts and culture destination. Thanks to the San Diego Museum Council’s Kids Free in October, kids 12 and under receive free admission at 40 museums all month long. Families will not want to miss some of the fun and educational exhibitions on view such as The Art of the Brick LEGO exhibit at the Ruben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park or The Wonder Sound at the New Children’s Museum. Below you will find a list of my top ten favorite kid-centric museums and what they have on view this month. Have fun taking advantage of this amazing promotion by visiting the San Diego Museum Council website and downloading the Kids Free coupon.

While I love going to the beach and the pool in the summer, sometimes I just want to stay clean and cool and embark on an indoor museum adventure. There are some exciting exhibitions currently on view, or that will be opening soon, at a variety of San Diego Museum Council member museums that I highly recommend visiting with your family this summer. Make a bucket list and try to visit at least half of these memorable and educational exhibitions, your kids will love you for it.

The list below is organized according to geographical region and closing date. If you are looking for a whole-day experience, then scroll to the end of the blog where you will find a list of curated day-trips that include a museum, restaurant for lunch, and a play destination. Have fun exploring museums this summer!

Spark a lifelong love of museums by signing your kids up for a Museum Summer Camp this year. With 12 San Diego museums offering summer camps in 2016, you are bound to find the perfect camp for your children. Summer camps provide the opportunity for your kids to learn something new and deepen their appreciation for and understanding of art, science, nature, history and more. If you are looking for the best age-appropriate summer camp for your little one then read below to learn more about what San Diego museums have to offer. From science and nature camps to art and discovery camps, these engaging programs will stimulate your child's imagination.

 

Being a museum member has many exciting benefits. Not only are you able to bring your family to a fun and educational venue, now you can use your membership to get into other museums for free during The Big Exchange, May 1-18, 2016. There are 33 San Diego Museums participating in this promotion including major museums such as the USS Midway Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, and Mingei International Museum thanks to the San Diego Museum Council. All you have to do is show that you are a member of one of the participating museums and you get free admission to all 33 museums.

While a typical date might include dinner and drinks, why not opt for a more creative and playful day at one of the engaging museums San Diego has to offer? February is the perfect month to explore museums since it is Museum Month. All month long, over 40 museums offer half-off admission with a Macy’s Museum Month pass. Pick up your Museum Month pass at any San Diego county Macy’s store and let your adventure begin! Enjoy this list I compiled featuring 10 museums that have a romantic edge, location or host a Valentine’s Day event.

Museum Gift Shops are the perfect place to find that one-of-a-kind gift for someone special. Instead of fighting crowds at the mall this holiday season head to a museum to explore their enlightening exhibitions and unique items in their museum gift store. Each year I discover beautiful handmade scarves, jewelry, interesting books and educational children’s toys at a variety of museums. I have compiled a list of 10 museums that feature engaging exhibitions and have a well-stocked museum gift store.

You don’t have to be in Balboa Park to feel the buzz of the Balboa Park Centennial celebration. 2015 marks the 100 year anniversary of the Panama-California Exposition of 1915-1916, an international fair presented in one of the nation’s largest urban parks, San Diego’s Balboa Park. Museums and cultural centers all around San Diego are presenting exhibitions throughout the year honoring not only Balboa Park but also, the people that helped develop the city, and the artifacts that provide tangible evidence to our collective history. Enjoy learning about the cultural and artistic heritage of San Diego through these exhibitions. For additional information on Centennial celebration happenings and more details on the following listings visit http://celebratebalboapark.org/.

Museum Summer Camps provide a wonderful opportunity for kids looking to learn something new or to deepen their appreciation for and understanding of art, science, nature, history and more. If you are looking for the best age-appropriate summer camp for your little one then read below to learn more about what San Diego museums have to offer. From science and nature camps to art and discovery camps, these engaging programs will spark your child's imagination.

With 14 different San Diego museums offering summer camp in 2015 it may be challenging to decide which camp to select. The camps are listed according to geographic region from the earliest to the latest dates: Balboa Park; Downtown San Diego; South County; La Jolla; North County

California has one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world from the beaches to the desert. Second best to traveling around the state to experience these various habitats is a new permanent exhibition at the San Diego Natural History Museum (theNAT). Coast to Cactus in Southern California highlights how humans share space with nature through a dynamic array of native plants and animals, interactive play spaces and learning tools for all ages.