If you don’t have a big budget and would like to visit some of San Diego’s best museums, art venues, and historical attractions, here’s a list of FREE days for a variety of spectacular places. Whether you’d like to take the kids to see something new or have a quiet day to yourself, there is something for everyone on this list of FREEBIES.
The city of San Diego is great about offering its residents opportunities to visit and enjoy the best of its art and culture. Residents with a valid ID are welcome to enjoy the following Balboa Park museums and attractions:
The First Tuesday of the month is FREE
- Centro Cultural de la Raza (closed Mondays)
- Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
- San Diego Botanic Garden (in Encinitas)
- San Diego Model Railroad Museum
- San Diego Natural History Museum
- Timken Museum of Art
The Second Tuesday of the month is FREE
- Museum of Photographic Arts (closed Mondays and admission is “pay what you wish”)
- San Diego History Center
- Timken Museum of Art
- The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park
The Third Tuesday of the month is FREE
- Japanese Friendship Garden
- Mingei International Museum
- San Diego Art Institute
- San Diego Museum of Art
- San Diego Museum of Man
- Timken Museum of Art
The Fourth Tuesday of the month is FREE
- San Diego Air and Space Museum
- San Diego Automotive Museum
- San Diego Hall of Champions
- House of Pacific Relations International Cottages If you love Epcot, you’ll want to visit the International cottages which are pay by donation. Open Saturdays & Sundays from noon to 5:00 pm. The Hall of Nations is open Sat/Sun and the 4th Tuesday of each month for FREE.
** Any fifth Tuesday of the month is regular admission for all venues.
The San Diego Botanical Building at Balboa Park is always FREE (closed Thursdays).
Other FREE Days in San Diego:
- Birch Aquarium at Scripps in La Jolla is FREE on the first full weekend of each month to Bank of America and Merrill Lynch cardholders.
- The New Children’s Museum is FREE the second Sunday of each month from 10:00 am-4:00 pm.
- Museum of Contemporary Art is FREE on the third Thursday of each month from 5:00-7:00 and always FREE for ages 25 and under.
- The Wells Fargo Museum in Old Town has an original Concord stagecoach and other vintage artifacts and is always FREE.
- San Diego County Sheriff’s Museum in Old Town has an old helicopter, jail cell, handcuffs and badges, among other cool things and is always FREE.
- The San Diego Union Museum is the site of San Diego’s original newspaper with old presses and other neat stuff and is always FREE.
- Estudillo House Museum in Old Town Historic Park is a national historic landmark. It’s one of the oldest early Spanish-Mexican style homes in California. Always FREE to visit.
- The California Surf Museum in Oceanside is FREE on the first Tuesday of the month.
- Carrillo Ranch in Carlsbad is an historic treasure listed with the Historic Landmark registry for California. It was the home of Leo Carrillo who is known primarily for his role as “Pancho” in the old Western TV show, Cisco Kid. The ranch is 27 acres of striking haciendas, courtyards, lanes, bridges, and windmills, including wandering peacocks and cactus gardens. Always FREE to walk the grounds and FREE tours on Saturdays at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. Sundays at noon and 2:00 pm.
- Palomar Observatory on Palomar Mountain is always FREE to visit.
- San Diego’s five historic missions are always FREE (or small donation) to visit. Each has its own remarkable personality and architecture. Some remain a home for friars and offer day and overnight retreats.
For other fun FREE things to see and do in San Diego, check out 25 FREE things to do in San Diego.
