| Name |
Image |
Town/City |
Type |
Summary |
|---|
| Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum | | Vista | Open air | Antique gas and steam engines, blacksmith shop, weaving house, farmhouse exhibits |
| Bancroft Ranch House Museum | | Spring Valley | Historic house | Operated by the Spring Valley Historical Society, late 19th-century adobe ranch house |
| Barona Cultural Center & Museum | | Lakeside | Native American | website, Native American culture and history of San Diego County |
| Bonita Museum & Cultural Center | | Bonita | Local history | website, operated by the Bonita Historical Society, history of the Rancho de la Nación, art and culture |
| Cabrillo National Monument |  | San Diego | History | Includes a museum and the Old Point Loma lighthouse |
| California Surf Museum |  | Oceanside | Sports | |
| Carrillo Ranch, LeoLeo Carrillo Ranch | | Carlsbad | Historic house | website, also known as Rancho de Los Kiotes, ranch and home of Leo Carrillo |
| Casa de Estudillo |  | San Diego | Historic house | Located in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, 19th century adobe house |
| Casa de Machado y Stewart |  | San Diego | Historic house | Located in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, 19th century adobe house |
| Centro Cultural de la Raza | | San Diego | Cultural | Located in Balboa Park, Mexican-American and Latino cultural arts center |
| Chula Vista Heritage Museum | | Chula Vista | Local history | Branch of the Chula Vista Public Library[1] |
| Craftsmanship Museum | | Carlsbad | Technology | Finely crafted models, engines, technology |
| Deer Park Winery & Auto Museum | | Escondido | Automobile | website, features hundreds of vintage vehicles and Americana collections, including Barbie dolls, Coca-Cola memorabilia, vintage radios, TVs, bicycles, household appliances |
| Encinitas Historical Society Schoolhouse | | Encinitas | School | website, restored 1883 schoolhouse |
| Escondido History Center | | Escondido | Open air | website, six building museum in Grape Day Park |
| Fallbrook Art Center | | Fallbrook | Art | website |
| Fallbrook Gem and Mineral Society Museum | | Fallbrook | Natural history | website, minerals and gems from around the world |
| Fallbrook Historical Society | | Fallbrook | Local history | website, includes main museum and Pittenger House |
| Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum |  | San Diego | Aviation | Aircraft, memorabilia and history of the United States Marine Corps Aviation |
| Gaskill Brothers' Stone Store Museum | | Campo | Local history | website, operated by the Mountain Empire Historical Society, area Native American, pioneer and military history |
| Guy B. Woodward Museum | | Ramona | Local history | website, operated by the Ramona Pioneer Historical Society, includes the Verlaque House, shops, antique exhibits and artifacts |
| Gaslamp Museum at the William Heath Davis House | | San Diego | Historic house | website, mid 19th-century Victorian period house of William Heath Davis, operated by the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation |
| Heritage County Park | | San Diego | Historic house | Park with 7 relocated buildings, Senlis Cottage open as late 19th-century working class cottage, Temple Beth Israel open for tours |
| Heritage of the Americas Museum | | Rancho San Diego | Multiple | website, part of Cuyamaca College, prehistoric and historic art, culture, and natural history of the Americas |
| Heritage Park Village Museum | | Oceanside | Open air | Historic and replica buildings including a general store, blacksmith shop and livery stables, jail, inn, school and newspaper building[2] |
| J.A. Cooley Automotive Museum | | San Diego | Commodity | Early automobiles, phonographs, clocks, electric trains, and 20 other types of collections[3][4][5] |
| John DeWitt Museum and Library | | Alpine | Historic house | website, operated by the Alpine Historical Society |
| Julian Pioneer Museum | | Julian | Local history | website, Native American artifacts, antique furniture, tools, clothing, cooking items, farm implements, photos, pioneer items |
| Junipero Serra Museum | | San Diego | History | History of the founding of the city, operated by the San Diego Historical Society in Presidio Park |
| Knox House Museum | | El Cajon | Historic house | Part of Cuyamaca College, operated by the El Cajon Historical Society[6] |
| Kruglak Gallery | | Oceanside | Art | website, contemporary art gallery of MiraCosta College |
| Lakeside Museum | | Lakeside | Local history | website, operated by the Lakeside Historical Society |
| Lawrence Welk Museum | | Escondido | Biographical | Part of the Lawrence Welk Resort, tribute to bandleader Lawrence Welk[7][8] |
| Lux Art Institute | | Encinitas | Art | website |
| Magee House Museum | | Carlsbad | Historic house | website, operated by the Carlsbad Historical Society, Victorian period house, displays of local history, agriculture |
| Maritime Museum of San Diego |  | San Diego | Maritime | Several museum ships including the Star of India, an 1863 iron bark |
| Marston House, George WGeorge W Marston House |  | San Diego | Historic house | Located in Balboa Park, operated by Save Our Heritage Organisation |
| Mason Street School |  | San Diego | School | Located in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, first public schoolhouse in the county |
| MCRD San Diego Command Museum | | San Diego | Military | History of the Marines in the 20th and 21st centuries, the Marines' presence in the Southern California region, and the history of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego |
| McKinney House and Museum | | La Mesa | Historic house | Operated by the La Mesa Historical Society, early 20th-century house[9] |
| Mingei International Museum | | San Diego | Art | Located in Balboa Park, folk art, craft and design from all eras and cultures of the world |
| Mission San Diego de Alcalá |  | San Diego | Religious | 1769 Franciscan mission church |
| Mission San Luis Rey de Francia |  | Oceanside | History | Historic Spanish mission and church |
| Mormon Battalion Historic Site |  | San Diego | Military | website, located in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, history of the Mormon Battalion |
| Motor Transport Museum | | Campo | Transportation | website, trucks, engines, quarry equipment and other equipment |
| Museum of American Treasures | | National City | Local history | [10] |
| Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego |  | San Diego | Art | Collection includes more than 4,000 works created after 1950 in all media and genres |
| Museum of Coronado History and Art | | Coronado | Multiple | website, island history and art, operated by the Coronado Historical Association |
| Museum of Creation and Earth History |  | Santee | Religious | |
| Museum of Making Music |  | Carlsbad | Music | History of American popular music, the manufacture and retail of musical instruments and the history of the music products industry |
| Museum of Photographic Arts | | San Diego | Art | Located in Balboa Park, photography, film and video |
| National City Depot | | National City | Railroad | Operated by the San Diego Electric Railway Association in a restored 1880s Santa Fe depot[11] |
| Oceanside Historical Museum | | Oceanside | Local history | website, operated by the Oceanside Historical Society |
| Oceanside Museum of Art | | Oceanside | Art | website, contemporary art from Southern California |
| Old Town San Diego State Historic Park |  | San Diego | Open air | Includes five original adobes and museums with exhibits including law enforcement, carriages and horse-drawn vehicles, a newspaper print shop, schoolhouse, general store, blacksmith shop |
| Pacific Southwest Railway Museum |  | Campo | Railroad | Includes 1916 railroad depot, historic railroad cars and steam and diesel locomotives on display, railroad equipment |
| Parsonage Museum | | Lemon Grove | Historic house | Operated by the Lemon Grove Historical Society, displays include the general store, fruit packing, period rooms[12] |
| Poway Historical Society Museum | | Poway | Local history | website, operated by the Poway Historical and Memorial Society |
| Rancho Buena Vista Adobe | | Vista | Historic house | website, mid 19th-century adobe house, history of Rancho Buena Vista (Felipe) |
| Rancho Guajome Adobe | | Vista | Historic house | Mid 19th century 20 room adobe house |
| Rancho Santa Maria de Los Peñasquitos | | San Diego | Historic house | Located in Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, historic 1823 adobe ranch home |
| Reuben H. Fleet Science Center |  | San Diego | Science | Located in Balboa Park |
| San Diego Air & Space Museum |  | San Diego | Aviation | Located in Balboa Park, aviation and space history |
| San Diego Archaeological Center | | Escondido | Archaeology | website, archaeology of the San Diego region from 10,000 years ago to present day |
| San Diego Art Institute Museum of the Living Artist | | San Diego | Art | Located in Balboa Park |
| San Diego Automotive Museum |  | San Diego | Transport | In Balboa Park |
| San Diego Children's Discovery Museum | | Escondido | Children's | website |
| San Diego Chinese Historical Museum |  | San Diego | Ethnic | website, Chinese American experience and Chinese history, culture and art |
| San Diego Firehouse Museum | | San Diego | Firefighting | website, firefighting memorabilia dating back 100 years, located in Little Italy |
| San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum | | San Diego | Sports | Located in Balboa Park |
| San Diego History Center | | San Diego | Local history | website, located in Balboa Park, operated by the San Diego Historical Society |
| San Diego Model Railroad Museum |  | San Diego | Railway | Indoor model railroad exhibits, located in Balboa Park |
| San Diego Museum of Art |  | San Diego | Art | Located in Balboa Park |
| San Diego Museum of Man |  | San Diego | Anthropology | Located in Balboa Park, pre-Columbian history of the western Americas and Native American art and culture |
| San Diego Natural History Museum |  | San Diego | Natural history | Located in Balboa Park |
| San Diego Sheriff's Museum and Educational Center | | San Diego | Law enforcement | website |
| San Dieguito Heritage Museum |  | Encinitas | Local history | Covers the history of the San Dieguto area |
| San Marcos Historical Museum | | San Marcos | Local history | website, operated by the San Marcos Historical Society |
| San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park | | Escondido | History | History of the 1846 Battle of San Pasqual, the bloodiest battle in California during the Mexican–American War |
| Santa Ysabel Asistencia | | Santa Ysabel | History | 19th century Spanish mission and church |
| Santee Historical Society Museum |  | Santee | Local history | Located in a historic former dairy barn |
| Stein Family Farm | | National City | Historic house | website, also known as the National City Living History Farm Preserve |
| Stuart Collection | | San Diego | Art | Part of University of California, San Diego |
| Timken Museum of Art |  | San Diego | Art | Located in Balboa Park, includes collection of European old master paintings, sculptures, and tapestries, American art and Russian icons |
| University of California, San Diego Art Galleries | | San Diego | Art | University Art Gallery, Visual Arts Gallery, Gallery@Calit2[13] |
| USS Midway Museum |  | San Diego | Aviation | Aircraft carrier and restored aircraft |
| Valley Center History Museum |  | Valley Center | Local history | Operated by the Valley Center Historical Society |
| Veterans Museum and Memorial Center |  | San Diego | Military | Located in historic Balboa Park, San Diego and U.S. military history of the Armed Forces |
| Vista Historical Society Museum | | Vista | Local history | website |
| Wells Fargo History Museum | | San Diego | History | Located in Colorado House in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, 1850s stage stop and telegraph office |
| Whaley House |  | San Diego | Historic house | Mid 19th century period house |
| Women's Museum of California | | San Diego | Women's | website, formerly the Women's History Museum |
| WWII/Korea LVT Museum |  | Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton | Military | Exhibits on Landing Vehicles Tracked (LVT)s from World War II and the Korean War |
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