1. Model Railroad Museum
City: Casa De Balboa, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (619) 696-0199
Address: 1649 El Prado
Description: Check out the largest operating model-railroad exhibit in America. More than 24,000 square feet of model train exhibits await your delighted observation. It’s a toss-up which attraction kids love more: the train exhibits or the interactive Toy Train Gallery, where they (and you, too) can play engineer.Along with the impressive scale and model trains is an in-depth exhibit that details the colorful history of railroads in the American Southwest. The museum is open Tuesday through Friday 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is $5.00 for adults, $4.00 for seniors, $3.00 for students, and $2.50 for military. Children younger than age 15 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. The first Tuesday of the month is free admission day for the Model Railroad Museum.
2. Museum Of Photographic Arts (Mopa)
City: Casa De Balboa, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (619) 238-7559
Address: 1649 El Prado
Description: If you’re like many Insiders, your photo treasures are limited to snapshots of family, friends, and favorite vacations. But we all appreciate those who have the talent to create spellbinding works of art with the camera. Some of the best are on display at the Museum of Photographic Arts, one of the country’s finest. Changing exhibits display critically acclaimed historical and contemporary works by some of the world’s most celebrated photographers. In addition to its exhibits, the museum offers lectures and workshops. If you’d like more insight into exhibits, docents are on hand between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. When the museum was completely remodeled in 2000, a new 238-seat theater was added; art films in a variety of formats are screened here Thursday evenings and for special screenings. General admission price is $10. The museum is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday until 9:00 p.m. Admission is $6.00 for adults and $4.00 for students, seniors, and military; children younger than age 12 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Admission is free to all on the second Tuesday of every month.
3. Museum Of San Diego History
City: Casa De Balboa, CA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (619) 232-6203
Address: 1649 El Prado
Description: San Diego’s history is rich with tales of townspeople determined to turn a town into a city. Despite numerous obstacles and bumps in the road, our founders persevered. This museum traces the city’s development from 1850 to the present with permanent and changing displays of historical photos, costumes, and artifacts. The museum is operated by the San Diego Historical Society, which also makes its research archives available to the public. History buffs spend hours in the archives, poring over photos and documents from the early days of San Diego. Research archives are open Thursday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the fee for using the archives is $5.00; $2.00 for juniors age 6 to 17. The museum is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is $5.00 for adults; $4.00 for seniors, students, and military; and $2.00 for children ages 6 to 17. Children younger than age 6 are admitted free. Admission is free to all on the second Tuesday of each month.