Location: Balboa Park (3 Miles Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open: Sundays 12PM – 4PM
Cost: Free
Features: Visit the Cottages of 21 Countries (+11 more on a rotating basis) to learn their cultures through food, music, dance, and more.
‘Ethnic Culture’ Theme
Harlem of the West Tours
Location: Downtown San Diego (Gaslamp Quarter)
Guided Tours: 11AM on Saturdays. (Reservations Required)
Cost: $5 (Free for Kids 16 and Under)
Features: Visit the West Coast Hangout for Legendary Jazz and Blues Musicians, including Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and Nat King Cole.
Black History Museum & Tours
Location: Downtown San Diego (East Village)
Open Daily: 10AM – 6PM
Cost: $5
Features: African American History in San Diego; See Slave Papers, Learn about Buffalo Soldiers, Take Black Historical Tours of San Diego.
San Diego Museum of Man
Location: Balboa Park (3 Miles Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 10AM – 4:30PM. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day
Cost: $10 ($5 for Kids ages 3 – 12, $7.50 for Seniors and Students)
Features: Anthropology Museum Famous for its Galleries covering 4 Million Years of Human Evolution; a Children’s Discovery Center; Ancient Egyptian Exhibition; Extensive Collection of Pre-Columbian Artifacts.
San Diego Museum of Art
Location: Balboa Park (3 Miles Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 10AM – 5PM. (Opens at 12PM on Sundays; Stays Open Until 9PM on Thursdays through Labor Day.) Closed on Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
Cost: $12 ($4.50 for Kids ages 6-17 and $9 for Seniors 65+)
Features: Paintings from Old World Masters; Popular Works from French Impressionists; Largest Collection of South Asian Art in America; Numerous Exhibitions available at the Museum and Online.
Mingei International Museum
Location: Balboa Park (3 Miles Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 10AM – 4PM. Closed on Mondays and National Holidays.
Cost: $7 ($4 for Kids ages 6-17 and $5 for Seniors)
Features: Art of the People. Look at art made by man from 3rd Century BCE to current times.
Japanese Friendship Garden
Location: Balboa Park (3 Miles Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 10AM – 4PM (must enter by 3:30); Closed Mondays. (During Summer, the Gardens are Open Mondays and until 5PM during Weekdays.)
Cost: $4 ($2.50 for Students and Seniors 55+)
Features: Quaint Japanese Zen Garden, Koi Pond, and Visiting Exhibits
Museum of San Diego History
Location: Balboa Park (3 Miles Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 10AM – 5PM. Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
Cost: $5 ($2 for Kids under 18, $4 for Seniors 65+)
Features: Great Stories and Photos of San Diego’s History; Learn about the Changes in Power from Kumeyaay Indians to Spanish Colony, followed by Mexican Independence and then American Statehood.
Museum of Photographic Arts
Location: Balboa Park (3 Miles Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 10AM – 5PM. Closed on Mondays and some Major Holidays.
Cost: $6 ($4 for Students, Seniors, and Military)
Features: Home to one of the World’s Largest Collections of Photographs
WorldBeat Cultural Center
Location: Balboa Park (3 Miles Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Hours vary
Cost: Varies
Features: African Artifacts; Music Events and Classes that promote the understanding of Indigenous Americans, African-Americans, and other African Heritage
Centro Cultural de la Raza
Location: Balboa Park (3 Miles Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 12PM – 4PM. Closed on Mondays.
Cost: Varies
Features: Visiting Exhibitions and Events that promote the understanding of Chicano, Mexican, Latino, and Indigenous Cultures.
Museum Honoring Buffalo Soldiers, US Cavalry, and The American Frontier
Location: Campo (51 Miles / 1.25 Hours East of Downtown San Diego)
Hours: 11AM – 5PM on Saturdays and Sundays
Cost: $2 (Free for Kids).
Features: History of Early Life in the American West Frontier, Buffalo Soldiers, and the U.S. Cavalry at Camp Lockett.
Black Historical Tour of Julian
Location: Julian (62 Miles / 1.25 Hours Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Guided Tours: 2PM on Saturdays and Sundays.
Cost: $5
Features: History of Black Slaves who Succeeded as Business Owners; National Register of Historic Places; Gold Rush; Oldest Continually Operating Hotel in Southern California
Cupa Cultural Indian Center
Location: Pala (52 Miles / 55 Minutes North of Downtown San Diego)
Hours: 9:30AM – 4:30PM, Monday through Friday
Cost: Free
Features: Displays of artifacts, photographs, arts & crafts, and history of the Pala Indians, including the Cupeno Trail of Tears
