What This Page Is For
- Use it to: plan which museum to visit free, by day of the month.
- Where the facts come from: Balboa Park’s own Resident Free Days page.
- Read carefully: dates and hours are subject to change without notice, says the park. Free admission can exclude films, special exhibitions and tours. Check the museum before you go.
Short answer: Balboa Park lists 12 museum free-day slots on the 1st to 4th Tuesdays and the second Thursday of the month for City and County of San Diego residents and active military and their dependents (photo ID with address). A fifth Tuesday has regular prices. Read October 23, 2026.
12museum free-day slots
5free-day groups
Photo IDwith address, per Balboa Park
0free days on a fifth Tuesday
| Museum | Free Day | Limits Listed By The Park |
|---|---|---|
| Fleet Science Center | First Tuesday | Not valid for films |
| San Diego Natural History Museum | First Tuesday | Not valid for films |
| San Diego Air & Space Museum | Second Tuesday | Not valid for special exhibitions; excluded December (December Nights) and January (museum closed to the public) |
| The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park | Second Tuesday | None listed |
| Comic-Con Museum | Second Tuesday | Excluded November and December |
| San Diego Museum of Art | Third Tuesday | Not valid for special exhibitions |
| Japanese Friendship Garden and Museum | Third Tuesday | Excluded December; March moves to the first Tuesday |
| Mingei International Museum | Third Tuesday | Entry level is open to the public every day |
| The Old Globe | Third Tuesday | Free one-hour Behind-the-Scenes Tours most months; registration needed; ages 8 and up |
| San Diego Automotive Museum | Fourth Tuesday | Excluded September and December |
| Museum of Us | Fourth Tuesday | Excluded December; California Tower tours are $10 per person |
| San Diego Model Railroad Museum | Second Thursday | Excluded December |
Download the CSV (12 rows).
Source: Balboa Park Resident Free Days, read October 23, 2026.
How We Built It
We copied each museum, day and limit from the park’s page on October 23, 2026. We did not add any date ourselves. Our own Balboa Park Free Days page explains the program in words.
Related
Cite as: It’s San Diego, “Balboa Park Resident Free Days by Museum”, read October 23, 2026. Free to reuse with a link back.