The Balboa Park Explorer Annual Pass gets you special access to San Diego's crown jewel with exclusiv Interested in purchasing an Explorer?
The Balboa Park Explorer Annual Pass gets you into amazing museums and more for 365 days! Enjoy exclusive perks, discounts, and invites to special events in addition to personalized staff recommendations and monthly tailored newsletters bringing you the latest in Park news, events, and programs! With your Annual Pass you have the opportunity to explore the rich cultural and artistic offerings of B
alboa Park in an easy and affordable way. Rather than pay different admission rates at each museum, you can choose from our convenient Annual Pass options, saving you time and money. Choose what you want to explore, when you want to explore it! Buy it on our website, through any Explorer kiosk in the lobby of all participating museums, or at the Balboa Park Visitors Center.
Operating as usual
It’s a week of fantastic festivities in Balboa Park! Between Forever Balboa Park’s sPARK awards and The San Diego Museum of Art’s Art Alive event, we have a lot to celebrate 🎉
For more info about each event, visit bit.ly/ThisWeek0327. Fore more info about the Balboa Park Explorer Pass, visit explorer.balboapark.org
Lawn Bowling in Balboa Park is alive and well! Swipe to see a throwback from 1960
“San Diego Lawn Bowling Club was established in 1932 and has produced numerous national and international lawn bowling singles, pairs and rinks (teams of four) champions. Club membership is open to anyone with an interest in the game.”
San Diego Lawn Bowling Club hosts games year-round. For more info, visit sandiegolawnbowling.org
Coming soon to the Mingei International Museum! “25 Million Stitches” is an epic project lead by guest curator and fiber artist Jennifer Kim Sohn.
This exhibition seeks “to make the unfathomable figure of refugees around our world more tangible by marking a displaced person with panels of hand-sewn stitches…Each panel is unique, some documenting personal narratives, others showing solidarity with the refugees. Sohn and her passionate team of volunteers crowd-sourced 2,300 stitchers from all 50 states and 37 countries worldwide.”
See “25 Million Stitches” with your Balboa Park Explorer Pass when it opens this Saturday, March 25th. For more info about the Balboa Park Explorer Pass, visit buymyexplorer.org. 🪡
Photo of Jennifer Kim Sohn by Aniko Kiezel. Following photos courtesy of Mingei International Museum.
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This month is march-ing right along! There are a few exhibits coming and going this week, alongside events celebrating music, art, and women’s history month. Let’s have a great week together! 💙
For more info about each event, visit bit.ly/ThisWeek0320. Fore more info about the Balboa Park Explorer Pass, visit explorer.balboapark.org
Throwback Thursday! Back in the day, the Balboa Park Club coffee shop and soda fountain was a great place to grab a quick snack and refreshment. Especially when you could get a hamburger and coffee for 60 cents! “It was first constructed for the 1915-16 Panama California Exposition to house the State of New Mexico's exhibits. It was later remodeled and enlarged for the 1935 exposition…It was renovated again in the 1990s.” - SD City Clerk Archives
Today, the Balboa Park Club is now a banquet hall and ballroom, available to host your next event! For more Balboa Park history, visit sandiegohistory.org
📷 San Diego City Clerk Archives
There’s a bench in Balboa Park that’s calling your name! Are you ready for another beautiful week? We sure are! What event are you looking forward to this week?
For more info about each event and the Balboa Park Explorer Pass, visit the link in our bio 🍀
Attention Explorers (and future Balboa Park Explorer Annual Passholders)! An exclusive newsletter is heading to your inbox next week, highlighting a set of exclusive deals offered to you in addition to your year-round Balboa Park Explorer Annual Pass perks.
The following events will be featured in the newsletter along with discount codes for you to apply at checkout:
🌳 sPARK Awards by Forever Balboa Park
🚂 Easter Eggspress at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum
🎭 Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical by San Diego Junior Theatre
☀️ Summer Camp Registration at ICA San Diego Central Campus
Plus a preview of our Art Alive 2023 ticket GIVEAWAY and April Explorer Experience! We’re excited to share these discounts with you and we’re grateful to our Balboa Park teams that make these events happen.
Not a Balboa Park Explorer Annual Passholder? Join in on the deals today at buymyexplorer.org!
Learn about three inspirational women in Balboa Park History! This Two Minute History lesson shares the stories of Kate Sessions, Marie Hitchcock, and Makeda Cheatom. SHARE this video with the history-lovers in your life, and follow along as we share more stories of inspiring women in Balboa Park!
📷 San Diego City Clerk Archives, Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theatre, WorldBeat Center
It’s a big week, Park lovers! Get ready to celebrate in Balboa Park this week with art lectures and workshops, the Cherry Blossom Festival, Fleet Science Center’s 50th Anniversary weekend festivities, and more exciting opportunties to party in Balboa Park.
For each event’s details, tickets, registrations, visit bit.ly/ThisWeek0306. For more info about the Balboa Park Explorer Pass, visit explorer.balboapark.org 🍀
Ready to bloom, Explorers? The Japanese Friendship Garden’s Cherry Blossom Festival is almost here! One of the most anticipated events of the year features craft food and drink vendors, performances, children's activities, and access to view gorgeous flowers throughout the Japanese Friendship Garden.
🌸 March 10, 11, & 12 from 10 AM - 7 PM | Visit niwa.org/cbw for more info 🌸
Explorer Perk! Admission is INCLUDED with your Balboa Park Explorer Pass. Not a Balboa Park Explorer passholder? For more info visit buymyexplorer.org
Visit Balboa Park with a One-Day, Multi-Day, or Annual Pass - giving you access to Balboa Park's spectacular museums. Become a Balboa Park Explorer!
What's your fondest Spreckels Organ Pavilion memory? The Spreckels Organ is a symphonic concert organ with stops that create illusions of brass, reeds, strings, percussion and other orchestral instruments not found on traditional church organs. It was built as a permanent structure at the 1915 Panama-California exposition, donated by brothers John and Adolph Spreckels – wealthy heirs of a sugar magnate.
Enjoy an organ concert at Spreckels every Sunday afternoon, and be on the lookout for upcoming entertainment hosted by the Spreckels Organ Society! 🎶
📷 M.E. Lewis, 1915, CIty of San Diego Archives
What are you excited for this week? We’re looking forward to live performances, educational conversations, and discovering art, history, science, and culture in our beloved Balboa Park!
For more info about each event, visit bit.ly/ThisWeek0227 and the Balboa Park Explorer Pass, visit explorer.balboapark.org ⛅️
Only two weeks away! The Japanese Friendship Garden's Annual Cherry Blossom Festival is a wonderful time to see the blossoms, participate in workshops, and enjoy treats at the Tea Pavilion. | March 10, 11, & 12 from 10 AM - 5:30 PM 🌸
VIP Tickets are available online now at niwa.org/cbw. Regular admission can be purchased at the entrance.
🌟 Explorer Perk! Admission is included with the Balboa Park Explorer Pass. For more info about the Balboa Park Explorer Pass, visit explorer.balboapark.org
Celebrate the return of cherry blossoms to San Diego during the month of March at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park!
Happy Thursday, Explorers! Forget about your worries and your strife with a virtual walk around the Alcazar Garden. Enjoy the music of the California Tower Carillon and the beauty of Balboa Park 💙
Time to relax! Join Museum of Us in Morning Mediation in the California Tower | Every Friday at 8 AM (Weather Permitting)
"The Museum will provide clean yoga mats and blankets for the meditation at the top of the Tower. We’ll climb the historic California Tower together and pause along the way to engage in moments of setting intentions and guided meditation. At the top, we’ll roll out yoga mats for some extended breathwork while enjoying spectacular 360-degree views of San Diego from the Tower’s eighth-floor viewing deck. Reflect on the week, set intentions for the weekend, or simply take a moment for yourself while taking in the beauty of Balboa Park." 🧘
Tickets are first come, first served! RSVP today at museumofus.org/blog/breathe-with-us
Join us on Friday mornings for a breath of fresh air!
Ahoy! Mark your calendar for the San Diego Junior Theatre's production of "How I Became A Pirate!" | March 3 - 19
"Sail off on a fantastic musical excursion when a band of comical pirates lands at North Beach looking for an expert digger to join their crew. Braid Beard and his mates enlist young Jeremy Jacob as they look for the perfect spot to bury their treasure. Jeremy finds that adventuring can be lots of fun, but also learns that love and home are treasures you can’t find on any map! The whole family will love this delightful and swashbuckling musical adventure."
For showtimes and ticket purchasing, visit
Sail off on a fantastic musical excursion when a band of comical pirates lands at North Beach looking for an expert digger to join their crew. Braid Beard and his mates enlist young Jeremy Jacob as they look for the perfect spot to bury their treasure. Jeremy finds that adventuring can be lots of fu...
Check this out!
Nat Talk: Secret World of Wildlife | Tuesday, February 28 at 7 PM
Animal candids as a tool for conservation? Absolutely! Join Mammalogist Scott Tremor as he shares how scientists use camera traps to study and help wildlife. This Nat Talk will take place in person at the San Diego Natural History Museum. 📷 🦝
To purchase tickets and discover more info about this event, visit sdnhm.org/calendar/nattalks-and-films/
Nat Talks are given by Museum scientists and outside experts from around the country who speak on a wide array of topics including the latest in scientific research, history, art, conservation, and the natural world. Lecture topics often coincide with the latest exhibitions at the Museum. Come enjoy...
Looking for ways to enjoy your long weekend? We know a place that’s full of fun opportunities! This week at Balboa Park, celebrate new heights and live music, discover workshops and lectures both in the Park and online, and explore exhibits before they transition to a new season.
For more info about each event, visit bit.ly/ThisWeek0220. Fore more info about the Balboa Park Explorer Pass, visit explorer.balboapark.org ☀️
Celebrating our first Explorer Experience of 2023 at the San Diego Air & Space Museum! Thank you so much to the wonderful docents and staff at the Air & Space for providing a group of Explorers a behind the scenes look at the Restoration Shop this week. ✈️
Looking to join the next Explorer Experience? Become an Balboa Park Explorer Annual Passholder to receive Park perks and updates about exclusive events! Visit buymyexplorer.com for more info
Psychedelic, funky fresh, neato, rad, cool science is on display at Fleet Science Center’s 50th Anniversary exhibit, Flashbacks! Celebrate 50 years of science in Balboa Park, San Diego, and beyond with interactive experiments based on the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, 00’s, and 10’s. 📀 🛼 🌼
Flashbacks in the perfect exhibit for the young and young at heart! Fleet Science Center is open every day from 10 AM - 5 PM. Admission is included with the Balboa Park Explorer Pass. For more info about the Pass, visit explorer.balboapark.org 🔬
📷🎥 Balboa Park Cultural Partnership, Fleet Science Center
Happy Valentine's Day to all of our Balboa Park Explorers! Your love for Balboa Park inspires us. Wishing you a day of love and discovery! 💖
Looking to become part of the Balboa Park Explorer Pass community? Visit buymyexplorer.org for more info about the Explorer Pass and discover the ways you can save up to 58% off general admission while supporting amazing Balboa Park museums and more!
Happy Valentine's Week! We have lots of date ideas this week at Balboa Park. Enjoy live music, hiking, culinary exploration, and more!
For more info about each event, visit bit.ly/ThisWeek0213. Fore more info about the Balboa Park Explorer Pass, visit explorer.balboapark.org 💌
Handmade beauties for the people you love are plentiful at the United Nations Gift Shop in Balboa Park!
Explorer Perk! Balboa Park Explorer Annual Passholders receive 10% off all year 'round at the UN Gift Shop. For more info, visit explorer.balboapark.org
The UN Gift Shop is open Tuesday - Sunday from 10 AM to 4:30 PM. For more info, visit ungiftshop.org
Valentine's Day is just around the corner! No need to worry about finding the perfect gift. We have what you're looking for!
The Balboa Park Explorer Pass is the best way to make the most of your Balboa Park experience. With three options for discovering art, science, history, and culture, the Explorer Pass is a great fit for all.
🗓 Annual Pass (Best Value!) - A full year of unlimited general admission at participating venues plus a variety of discounts in the park
🌳 Parkwide Pass - 7 consecutive days of single general admission at all participating venues
☀️ Limited Pass - 1 day pass of single general admission at up to 4 participating venues (perfect for a day time date!)
Visit buymyexplorer.com to gift an Explorer Pass today! 💌
So many opportunities for learning this week in Balboa Park! Join in for lectures and talks, new performances, and celebrations.
For more info about each event, visit bit.ly/ThisWeek0206. Fore more info about the Balboa Park Explorer Pass, visit explorer.balboapark.org ☀️
*Update: The Sky Tonight will not take place on Wednesday, 2/8.
Welcome to "This Is Our Story: American Vernacular Art from the Kaplan Collection" at the Mingei International Museum. "'This Is Our Story' features works by self-taught artists from various parts of the United States, with different levels of education and ethnic/cultural backgrounds. What all the artists have in common is that none of them practiced their creativity in the context of the academic art world. Instead, they created their work for personal use or for their families, for self-expression, self-representation, and to participate in the joy of making. Each work of art is deeply personal and invites us to connect to another human being and contemplate another’s story."
"This Is Our Story" is on view at Mingei International Museum until February 26. Gallery hours are Tuesday - Sunday from 10 AM - 5 PM (until 8 PM on Thursday & Friday). Admission to Mingei in included with the Balboa Park Explorer Pass. For more info, visit explorer.balboapark.org
The ornamental flowering pear trees are helping us wrap up January with blue skies! We'll be welcoming February in full bloom ☀️
We're welcoming February with visual and performing arts, cultural events at the Japanese Friendship Garden, and some new exhibits opening up! Join us in Balboa Park!
For more info about each event, visit https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g7cLLjmr4rTslCb4uzpPjL-Z1SKFiu0F/view?usp=drivesdk. For more info about the Balboa Park Explorer Pass, visit explorer.balboapark.org 🌤
For over 100 years, the Lily Pond has been a lovely place to take a break and spend time with a friend. In this westward view, the Food & Beverage building, known as the Casa del Prado today, can be seen between the pond and the spires of Casa del Prado Theatre. After its renovation it became home to the San Diego Horticulture Society, San Diego Civic Youth Ballet, the Senior Lounge, and more!
Looking for more fun facts? Take a tour at the Visitors Center! Free public tours are available every Tuesday at 11 AM. For more info, visit foreverbalboapark.org
Do you have a secret to tell? "For over a decade, millions of people from all over the world have been anonymously sharing their secrets with Frank Warren, founder of the community art project, PostSecret. Each postcard submission is a unique work of art handmade by people who needed to share and release their secret into the world."
Read more secrets and share your own at the Museum of Us, Wednesday - Sunday from 10 AM - 5 PM. For more info about the exhibit, visit museumofus.org. Admission is included with your Balboa Park Explorer Pass. For info about the Explorer Pass, visit explorer.balboapark.org
The rain has passed and we're ready for some sunny Balboa Park days! Join us around the Park for art events all week long. Music, paint, design, and movement are around every corner! 🌤
For more info about each event, visit bit.ly/ThisWeek0123
Curious about the Balboa Park Explorer Pass? Visit explorer.balboapark.org for more details
Back in 1915, the California Building was the home of the Expo's theme exhibit, an anthropological display called 'The Story of Man through the Ages.' If it seems familiar, that's because the California Building now hosts the Museum of Us! Their current exhibit in the rotunda, "Maya Peoples: Heart Of Sky, Heart Of Earth", features the same structures amongst expanded history and information about Maya culture that was developed in collaboration with Maya community consultants.
Learn more about "Maya Peoples: Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth" at the Museum of Us, open Wednesday - Sunday from 10 AM - 5 PM. For more info, visit museumofus.org
📷 San Diego City Clerk Archives & Museum of Us
The featured murals were created by muralist and Maya community consultant Alicia María Siu.
Check out this sneak peek of a new exhibit at the San Diego Automotive Museum! Unpopular Mechanics offers a look at some of history’s most controversial cars and their stories. Stop by to see automotive models like the 1975 AMC Levi's Gremlin X and the 2001 Pontiac Aztek (as seen on the TV series, Breaking Bad)! 🚙
The San Diego Automotive Museum is open Tuesday - Sunday, from 10 AM - 5 PM. Admission is included with the Balboa Park Explorer Pass! For more info, visit explorer.balboapark.org
"True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In remembrance of a powerful force of social justice, civil rights, and valiant leadership. As we are inspired by Dr. King's vision, may we continue to advocate for equity and justice within our communities.
Celebrate unity this afternoon with WorldBeat Cultural Center's 34th Annual Martin Luther King Day Celebration from 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM! Visit worldbeatcenter.org for more info
It's time for another great week at Balboa Park! Honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day with the WorldBeat Cultural Center's 34th Annual Martin Luther King Jr Day Celebration and ring in the Chinese New Year with the House of China, San Diego. In between weekends, experience a virtual tour with San Diego Natural History Museum, concerts at The San Diego Museum of Art and Mingei International Museum, and learning spaces for all throughout the Park.
Let's experience the beauty of Balboa Park together! For more info about each event, visit bit.ly/ThisWeek0116
"What's open? What's new? Where's the bathroom?" All these questions and more have been asked in the Balboa Park Visitors Center since the 1950s!
The room pictured here is located directly east of the current Visitors Center in the House of Hospitality, leased for $1 per day in 1950 as the Park's new "Information Center". This photo from 1963 showcases the information booth on the left and display cases with Balboa Park historical photography and artifacts on the right.
In 1982, the Information Center was expanded and renamed the Balboa Park Visitors Center. Ask a question, grab a snack, or buy an Explorer Pass! The Visitors Center is open every day from 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM. For more info, visit bit.ly/BPVisitorsCenter
Additional fun fact: The fireplace in this photo is one of four faux fireplaces in the House of Hospitality!
📷 Library of Congress & Nat Biendara, BPCP
See it before it's gone! The San Diego Museum of Art's Picasso: Drawings and Prints exhibit is heading back to the archives on Sunday, January 29. This collection of 18 works by Picasso highlights his work with lithography, ceramics, pencil sketches, and more works on paper.
Admission to this exhibit and The San Diego Museum of Art is included with the Balboa Park Explorer Pass. For more info, visit buymyexplorer.com!
It's another big weekend in Balboa Park! The Museum of Us has brought back the "With Us" series, the San Diego Junior Theatre is debuting, "Edgar Allan Poe's Gruesome Gallery of the Grotesquerie," and there are opportunities to build community through events like Tianguis de la Raza and Cars & Coffee. Let's have some fun in the Park together!
UPDATE 1/11 - Cars & Coffee on 1/15 has been cancelled due to rain.
For more information about each event, visit bit.ly/ThisWeek0109 to view our pdf.
1549 El Prado
San Diego, CA
92101
| Monday | 9am - 4:30pm |
| Tuesday | 9am - 4:30pm |
| Wednesday | 9:30am - 4:30pm |
| Thursday | 9am - 4:30pm |
| Friday | 9am - 4:30pm |
| Saturday | 9am - 4:30pm |
| Sunday | 9am - 4:30pm |
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Explore the enchanting Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden. This stunning display of approximately 1,600 roses includes more than 130 varieties. The Rose Garden is in bloom from March through December, with the roses usually at their peak in April and May. 🌹 Visit the Rose Garden along the east side of Park Blvd across the pedestrian bridge adjacent to the San Diego Natural History Museum. For more info, visit balboapark.org #balboapark #balboaparksandiego #rosegarden #inezgrantparker #roses #florals
Walk through SDMA's new thought-provoking "Chapel of the Rocks" installation by Justin Sterling. Be immersed in the structure of wood, glass, stone, and metal as you contemplate existentialist concepts. Sterling invites viewers to share their thoughts on good and bad faith. See this new exhibit at the San Diego Museum of Art until 2/12. Explorer Passes welcome! Not an Annual Explorer Passholder? Learn more and buy your pass today at explorer.balboapark.org #ExploreBalboaPark #BalboaPark #SDMA #chapeloftherocks #justinsterling
Ya like jazz? Every Wednesday, Panama 66 at The San Diego Museum of Art comes to life with the sounds of jazz. San Diego jazz hero Gilbert Castellanos showcases young music prodigies with The Young Lions Series (7 –7:50 PM) followed by the Wednesday Jazz Jam (8 – 10:30 PM) that transforms the James S. Copley Auditorium into a swinging speak-easy. Order a craft cocktail or draft beer, take in the view of the Museum’s Sculpture Court and Garden, and enjoy an evening of music from San Diego’s finest jazz musicians. 🎺🎶🎷 Wednesday Jazz nights at Panama 66 are free to attend. Delicious drinks and food are available for purchase. An evening of lively musical entertainment awaits! #ExploreBalboaPark #balbopark #allthingssd #getoutside #sdfun #sandiego #visitsandiego #jazznight #sdma #jazzsandiego
As we head into San Diego fall, take a virtual walk with us on the lookout for festive foliage. While you watch, listen to see if you can identify the song playing from the California Tower. Can you guess what it is? 🌿🍂
Art lovers rejoice! The Timken Museum of Art reopens to the public TODAY!! #balboapark #sandiego #allthingssd #mysandiego #sandiegogram #visitsandiego #sandiegobalboapark #socal #california #exploreSanDiego #museum #SanDiegoMuseum #SanDiegoMuseums #art #paintings #SanDiegoArt
This Saturday, May 21 is SPACE DAY at the San Diego Air and Space Museum! This 17th annual celebration is sure to be a blast with demonstrations, giveaways, and fun, hands-on activities. Local and national space industry experts will be there to answer all of your space questions. While you're at the museum, check out "SPACE: Our Greatest Adventure" and "Galileo: Space Visionary" exhibits to make your Space Day complete! Space Day is included with admission and with Explorer Pass access. Learn more at: sandiegoairandspace.org Video by Distill. #BalboaPark #sandiego #allthingssd #mysandiego #sandiegogram #socal #museum #SanDiegoMuseum #Museums #space #nasa #explore #stars
Oh, the weather outside is indeed frightful! Here's how it looked like earlier today. Stay safe and dry, Explorers! 🎥: Michael Warburton, Balboa Park Cultural Partnership
It's cold and cloudy in San Diego but the ducks don't care, they're having fun! Thanks to Daniel the Sax Player for making the mood right for duck watching at the lily pond.
The Balboa Park Explorer Pass gets you into amazing museums and more for 365 days.
With your Explorer Pass, you have the opportunity to explore the rich cultural and artistic offerings of Balboa Park in an easy and affordable way.
With the Balboa Park Explorer Annual Pass, enjoy exclusive perks, discounts, and invites to special events in addition to personalized recommendations and monthly tailored newsletters bringing you the latest in Park news, events, and programs!
And best of all, the Balboa Park Explorer Annual Pass enables you to give back to the arts and sciences all year long, since every Pass admission helps to fund the institutions you visit in the Park!
Choose what you want to explore when you want to explore it!
When will you Explore? Let us know! And be sure to share your memories with us on our Explorer Instagram & Explorer Facebook! For Pass information and sales, please call 619-232-7502, Option 2, or email us at [email protected].
San Diego Model Railroad Museum
El Prado
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
Prospect Street