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Museum Events and Free Days

25 confirmed dates are listed: MOPA@SDMA exhibitions, Museum of Us free Tuesdays (computed from the stated rule), Campo Railroad Museum holiday trains and hours, and December events at Rancho Guajome, Fallbrook and Vista. Organizer pages are the source.Checked October 23, 2026.

25confirmed dates ahead
0marked family-friendly by the organizer
Free to $$see each organizer page for prices
Organizerpages are the source for every date

July 2026

  1. Cecil Beaton's Fashionable World exhibition

    Jul 11 to Jan 10, 2027 · Thu-Sun 11am-5pm · MOPA@SDMA, 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park

    Price: See Betsabeé Romero row · Organizer page

    On now

September 2026

  1. Betsabeé Romero: Tejiendo Redes (Weaving Nets) exhibition

    Sep 5 to Jan 3, 2027 · Thu-Sun 11am-5pm · MOPA@SDMA, 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park

    Price: MOPA@SDMA only: adults $10, seniors 65+ with ID $7; free for members, youth 17 and under, students and military with ID · Organizer page

    On now

October 2026

  1. Museum of Us Residents Free Day (fourth Tuesday)

    Tue, Oct 27, 2026 · Museum open daily 10am-5pm · Museum of Us, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park

    Price: Free admission for City and County of San Diego residents and active military with dependents; photo ID or proof of residency; California Tower tours and membership not included · Organizer page

November 2026

  1. Campo Railroad Museum regular hours ending for the year

    Sun, Nov 1, 2026 · 9am-5pm · Campo Railroad Museum, 750 Depot St

    Price: Museum only: adults $10, seniors 65+ $9, active military $9 with ID, ages 1-17 $5, under 1 free · Organizer page

  2. Museum of Us Residents Free Day (fourth Tuesday)

    Tue, Nov 24, 2026 · Museum open daily 10am-5pm · Museum of Us, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park

    Price: Free admission for City and County of San Diego residents and active military with dependents; photo ID or proof of residency; California Tower tours and membership not included · Organizer page

  3. North Pole Limited (museum open for passengers only)

    Nov 27 to Nov 29, 2026 · Fri-Sat 3pm-9pm, Sun 1pm-7pm · Campo Railroad Museum, 750 Depot St

    Price: See official site · Organizer page

December 2026

  1. North Pole Limited (museum open for passengers only)

    Dec 4 to Dec 6, 2026 · Fri-Sat 3pm-9pm, Sun 1pm-7pm · Campo Railroad Museum, 750 Depot St

    Price: See official site · Organizer page

  2. North Pole Limited (museum open for passengers only)

    Dec 11 to Dec 13, 2026 · Fri-Sat 3pm-9pm, Sun 1pm-7pm · Campo Railroad Museum, 750 Depot St

    Price: See official site · Organizer page

  3. Fallbrook Historical Society Christmas Open House

    Sat, Dec 12, 2026 · 1pm-3pm · Fallbrook Historical Society Heritage Center

    Price: See official site · Organizer page

  4. Rancho Christmas

    Sat, Dec 12, 2026 · See official site · Rancho Guajome Adobe, 2210 N. Santa Fe Ave

    Price: Ticketed; price not read (tickets via givebutter link on county page) · Organizer page

  5. Holiday Fest

    Sun, Dec 13, 2026 · See official site · Vista Historical Society and Museum, 2317 Old Foothill Dr

    Price: See official site · Organizer page

  6. North Pole Limited (museum open for passengers only)

    Dec 18 to Dec 20, 2026 · Fri-Sat 3pm-9pm, Sun 1pm-7pm · Campo Railroad Museum, 750 Depot St

    Price: See official site · Organizer page

January 2027

  1. Golden State train returns

    Sat, Jan 9, 2027 · See official site · Campo Railroad Museum, 750 Depot St

    Price: See official site · Organizer page

  2. Udo Nöger: Chasing the Light, Dancing in the Shadows exhibition

    Jan 23 to May 23, 2027 · Thu-Sun 11am-5pm · MOPA@SDMA, 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park

    Price: See Betsabeé Romero row · Organizer page

  3. Museum of Us Residents Free Day (fourth Tuesday)

    Tue, Jan 26, 2027 · Museum open daily 10am-5pm · Museum of Us, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park

    Price: Free admission for City and County of San Diego residents and active military with dependents; photo ID or proof of residency; California Tower tours and membership not included · Organizer page

February 2027

  1. Museum of Us Residents Free Day (fourth Tuesday)

    Tue, Feb 23, 2027 · Museum open daily 10am-5pm · Museum of Us, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park

    Price: Free admission for City and County of San Diego residents and active military with dependents; photo ID or proof of residency; California Tower tours and membership not included · Organizer page

March 2027

  1. Meghann Riepenhoff: Waters of the Americas exhibition

    Mar 6 to Sep 6, 2027 · Thu-Sun 11am-5pm · MOPA@SDMA, 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park

    Price: See Betsabeé Romero row · Organizer page

  2. Museum of Us Residents Free Day (fourth Tuesday)

    Tue, Mar 23, 2027 · Museum open daily 10am-5pm · Museum of Us, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park

    Price: Free admission for City and County of San Diego residents and active military with dependents; photo ID or proof of residency; California Tower tours and membership not included · Organizer page

April 2027

  1. Museum of Us Residents Free Day (fourth Tuesday)

    Tue, Apr 27, 2027 · Museum open daily 10am-5pm · Museum of Us, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park

    Price: Free admission for City and County of San Diego residents and active military with dependents; photo ID or proof of residency; California Tower tours and membership not included · Organizer page

May 2027

  1. Museum of Us Residents Free Day (fourth Tuesday)

    Tue, May 25, 2027 · Museum open daily 10am-5pm · Museum of Us, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park

    Price: Free admission for City and County of San Diego residents and active military with dependents; photo ID or proof of residency; California Tower tours and membership not included · Organizer page

June 2027

  1. Museum of Us Residents Free Day (fourth Tuesday)

    Tue, Jun 22, 2027 · Museum open daily 10am-5pm · Museum of Us, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park

    Price: Free admission for City and County of San Diego residents and active military with dependents; photo ID or proof of residency; California Tower tours and membership not included · Organizer page

July 2027

  1. Museum of Us Residents Free Day (fourth Tuesday)

    Tue, Jul 27, 2027 · Museum open daily 10am-5pm · Museum of Us, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park

    Price: Free admission for City and County of San Diego residents and active military with dependents; photo ID or proof of residency; California Tower tours and membership not included · Organizer page

August 2027

  1. Museum of Us Residents Free Day (fourth Tuesday)

    Tue, Aug 24, 2027 · Museum open daily 10am-5pm · Museum of Us, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park

    Price: Free admission for City and County of San Diego residents and active military with dependents; photo ID or proof of residency; California Tower tours and membership not included · Organizer page

September 2027

  1. Museum of Us Residents Free Day (fourth Tuesday)

    Tue, Sep 28, 2027 · Museum open daily 10am-5pm · Museum of Us, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park

    Price: Free admission for City and County of San Diego residents and active military with dependents; photo ID or proof of residency; California Tower tours and membership not included · Organizer page

October 2027

  1. Museum of Us Residents Free Day (fourth Tuesday)

    Tue, Oct 26, 2027 · Museum open daily 10am-5pm · Museum of Us, 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park

    Price: Free admission for City and County of San Diego residents and active military with dependents; photo ID or proof of residency; California Tower tours and membership not included · Organizer page

What We Could Not Verify

  • Museum of Us free-day dates are computed from the stated rule (fourth Tuesday, not December); the museum calendar was not read.
  • MOPA@SDMA exhibition dates are as posted; which building hosts each is not confirmed.
  • Fallbrook Historical Society’s Christmas Open House line does not print a year; 2026 is inferred.
  • The Vista Historical Society’s Holiday Fest is listed on its site, but its museum is listed temporarily closed; hours and prices are not confirmed.
  • Rancho Christmas ticket price is not confirmed. Dates for other annual train events are not given yet.

Places to Visit in Museums

Anthropology Museum

Museum of Us

Anthropology museum on El Prado, open daily, with a tower tour and monthly resident free Tuesdays.

Pop Culture Museum

Comic-Con Museum

Comics and popular arts museum in Balboa Park. Closed Wednesdays; adults $30.

Photography Museum

MOPA@SDMA Photography Museum

Photography museum at 1649 El Prado, open Thursday to Sunday. Adults $10; youth 17 and under free.

Military History Museum

San Diego Veterans Museum

Veterans museum near Balboa Park. Fees posted; hours not confirmed, so call first.

Aquarium

Birch Aquarium at Scripps

UC San Diego aquarium in La Jolla with penguins, seadragons and tide pools. Open daily from 9 a.m.

Music Museum

Museum of Making Music

Hands-on instrument museum in Carlsbad. Open Tuesday to Sunday; adults $15; free parking.

Historic Adobe

Rancho Guajome Adobe

1850s adobe hacienda and 112-acre county park in Vista. Museum open Wednesday to Sunday.

History Museum

Fallbrook Historical Society Heritage Center

Local history museum in Fallbrook, open Saturday and Sunday afternoons, 1 to 4 p.m.

History Museum

Chula Vista Museum and History Center

Free, volunteer-run history museum in Chula Vista, open Friday and Sunday afternoons.

Railroad Museum

Campo Railroad Museum

Pacific Southwest Railway Museum yard in Campo with weekend hours, train rides and holiday trains.

State Historic Park

San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park

State park for the December 6, 1846 battle. Visitor center closed for renovation; check restrictions.

FAQ

When is the next Museum of Us free day?

The fourth Tuesday of the month, except December. The next one is October 27, 2026, computed from the rule on the museum’s page.

Are the Campo rows events?

Some are the museum’s posted hours around holiday trains, not one-off events.

Sources

  1. Museum of Us
  2. San Diego Museum of Art (MOPA@SDMA)
  3. Pacific Southwest Railway Museum
  4. San Diego County Parks: Rancho Guajome Adobe
  5. Fallbrook Historical Society
  6. Vista Historical Society

Checked October 23, 2026 by It’s San Diego. Cite this page: It’s San Diego (itssandiego.com), checked October 23, 2026. Free to quote with a link to this page; tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.