San Diego Museums

California Surf Museum - presents standing displays of surfing equipment and photographs. Every six months it introduces a new feature exhibit highlighting one of the pioneering legends of the surfing world. The museum also retails surfing-related merchandise. 20,000 people visit the museum annually. Surfing has inspired its own subculture throughout the years. It has its own highly specialized equipment and paraphernalia, music, clothing, art, film, and language. It is a lifestyle at the very heart of the Southern California beach culture. It is the museum's commitment to gather and display this treasured memorabilia for future generations to enjoy.

The Firehouse Museum - Dedicated to all Firefighters, the Firehouse Museum displays a large collection of fire-fighting equipment and memorabilia from across the country and around the world. This amazing story of fire-fighting is displayed in memorabilia, photographs and equipment. Come see what our fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers had to use when it came to fighting fires.

San Diego Aerospace Museum - Learn about the extraordinary accomplishments achieved by the world's leading aviation pioneers, pilots, engineers and industrialists in the museum's International Aerospace Hall of Fame where you will rub shoulders with Wilber Wright, Amelia Earhart, Wally Schirra and General Chuck Yeager. The museum also includes our International Aerospace Hall of Fame, which honors engineers, pilots, and industrialists.

San Diego Hall of Champions - The new San Diego Hall of Champions, scheduled to open in the renovated Federal Building in Balboa Park in 1999, will be as exciting, entertaining and enthralling as the athletic accomplishments and hometown heroes it celebrates. More than a museum and archives of San Diego sports, this 70,000-square-foot facility on three levels will be a dynamic activity center that encourages visitors to be participants as well as observers. The new Hall will extend the tradition of honoring excellence and commitment, and will expand the mission of youth and community outreach into the new millennium. There will be emphasis on new hands-on, interactive exhibits, participatory programs that highlight current events as well as historical milestones, and bringing timely, topical programming and traveling exhibits to this spectacular new facility.

San Diego Maritime Museum - In 1927 the Star of India was donated to a group of San Diego historians who had a dream of restoring the sailing ship. Despite their good intentions, they lacked the money to adequately maintain the Star. It was not until 1957, when Captain Alan Villiers, a famous skipper and author, came to San Diego on a tour and saw the dilapidation of the old ship, that things began to change. Villiers so reprimanded the city for their lack of responsibility that people began to donate money, even if only to relieve the burden on their consciences. By 1976 the ship's restoration was complete and she was sailing off the coast near San Diego. The San Diego Maritime Museum was founded in 1948. Prior to this official beginning, committee members had been involved with the Maritime Research Society, a branch of the Zoological Society. By 1958 the group broke away and became completely responsible for managing the Star. The museum expanded in 1973 with the acquisition of the ferryboat Berkeley and the steam yacht Medea. After six decades of carrying passengers across San Francisco Bay, the Berkeley came to rest at the San Diego waterfront acting as headquarters for the museum, housing workshops, offices, the maritime library and the gift shop.