logo
ic_menu

San Diego Museum of Art

1450 El Prado, San Diego, California

Description

The San Diego Museum of Art houses a collection of mostly old Italian and Spanish masters paintings from artists such as Zurbarán, El Greco, Velázquez and Veronese as well as some Rubens and van Dyck (to name only a few). There are also works (paintings, sculptures, prints, photography) from later period and locations: 18-19th century (e.g. Goya), Impressionist and post-Impressionists, modern & contemporary, Buddhist, South and Southeast Asian and East Asia. The building is located in Balboa Park and was designed in Plateresque style, inspired by Spanish structures such as the University of Salamanca and the Cathedral of Valladolid.

Access & Transport

The museum is in the central part of Balboa Park to the northeast of downtown San Diego and off the I-5 exit 15. Bus 7 goes through the park along Park Blvd and the 'City College" light rail station (Blue, Orange, Silver) is 1.9km (25mins walk) from the garden.

Instructions & Recommendations

We suggest combining this activity with an exploration of the park and one or several of the attractions located there such as the Japanese Friendship Garden or the Natural History Museum.

Meta review

Mixed comments for the museum; visitors acknowledge there are quitte a few pieces by famous artists, but quality is uneven, layout doesn't follow a thread and the art identification system isn't user friendly. In addition, whilst the building is enjoyable, the entire collection is actually quite small and online reviewers feel the current price is not justified.

Environmental & Social

Minor environmental impact to run the museum (mostly electricity). Positive from a social perspective as it helps spread culture and the arts

Conclusion

A good 'regional' museum with plenty of household names but don't expect world famous masterpieces. If not for the price, we would recommend it to anybody, but since the collection isn't very large by international standards we think it is only good value for art lovers and a worthy attraction for regional residents.

Key positive

Eclectic collection spanning several genres

Artwork by several famous artists

Key negative

Expensive entrance fee considering content

Suitability

Suitable for all ages even though younger kids may get bored quickly. Accessible for visitors with mobility issues

About this Rating

TYPE

Desktop

RESEARCHED IN

August 2024

PROVIDER

Koreval

Included Items
None
Timing
Duration of visit

av. transport time:0h 25m

est. visit time:1h 20m

Regulated hours

Monday10:00 - 17:00

Tuesday10:00 - 17:00

Wednesday -

Thursday10:00 - 17:00

Friday10:00 - 17:00

Saturday10:00 - 17:00

Sunday12:00 - 17:00

Pricing
Age band
Age band
Regular price / pers.
Senior
65 - 99
US$15
Adult
18 - 64
US$20
Child
3 - 17
US$0
Infant
0 - 2
US$0

We use cookies on this site to enhance your user experience. For a complete overview of all cookies used, please see MORE INFORMATION.