9 Best Art Museums and Galleries in San Diego

The San Diego Museum of Art is the go-to for art in the city’s 1,200-acre Balboa Park. Even if you aren’t into art, you might be surprised by all the happenings behind its striking plateresque-style façade. The museum holds 2 major exhibitions each year and about a dozen smaller showcases and various artworks that rotate continually. Don’t miss out on the Asian art collections, which are among the best in the US.

The museum isn’t all about art, either. Local dining hot spot Panama 66 helps make it a living and dynamic art space with live jazz bands performing in a sculpture garden. There’s also a non-profit jazz conservatory for kids that regularly rehearses every Wednesday when the museum’s closed. The Museum Store is worth a look for artwork you can take home.

The Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) is where photography enthusiasts and budding filmmakers should explore at least once during their time in San Diego. Housed in an ornate 1915 building, the museum’s permanent collection houses thousands of photographs from 850 artists. It also features exhibits that span the early use of camera obscura, photosensitive plates, and motion picture.

You’ll be able to learn about the interesting history of lenses and the first illusion of motion created by successive photos of a galloping horse which then gave birth to cinema as we know it. The Joan and Irwin Jacobs Theater at the museum is a regular host during film festivals. Admission to MOPA is free or you can pay as you wish to support the museum.

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCASD) is the second location of San Diego’s museum focused on the preservation of artworks from the ‘50s to the present day. You can find the downtown contemporary art museum at the northern section of the San Diego Santa Fe Depot on Kettner Boulevard. It’s the main location after the first in La Jolla closed for renovations in ‘96.

MCASD’s collection comprises over 4,700 artworks covering paintings, sculptures, lithography, photography, video, and installation art. A strong style feature throughout its collection are minimalism and Pop Art that emerged throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s – some are outright quirky while others are eye-catching, like the huge sphere hanging above the lobby. You’ll also find art from Latin America as well as the California and Tijuana regions.

Mingei International Museum is one of the art museums within San Diego’s expansive Balboa Park, which features a collection of ethnic art and craft from around the globe. It carries “celebrating human creativity” as its mission, as seen through its 26,000 colourful objects from 141 countries in its permanent collection.

You’ll come across a selection of African art which reflects the amazing biodiversity of the continent, ranging from Congolese masks to a tribal chief’s elaborately carved stool from Cameroon. There’s also an exhibit dedicated to Japanese art forms, as well as one for beads featuring all sorts of beads from different world cultures. For a different kind of fashion, check out the textiles exhibit and the handsewn Tarahumara dresses from Chihuahua, Mexico on display.

The Chuck Jones Gallery is a cartoon art gallery in San Diego that’ll bring sweet nostalgia to fans of Looney Tunes, especially its beloved star, Bugs Bunny. Chuck Jones’ work that spans over 6 decades is well-deserving of such a gallery as the honorary Oscar Lifetime Achievement recipient has created over 300 animated films.

But besides sketches, panels, and memorabilia featuring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Road Runner, and Wile E. Coyote, you’ll also find colourful art by other talented artists. These range from DC Comics’ most famous superheroes to well-known cartoons and pop-culture icons such as The Simpsons, Star Wars, and Peanuts. True fans will find something to bring home from the gift store.

The San Diego Watercolor Society is an art gallery that showcases a beautiful selection of watercolour art and serves as an education and reference centre for artists of all ages. The Society was formed back in ’65 and has grown ever since with a dedicated volunteer-based team.

You’ll find a different exhibition held every month, meaning there’s always a new set of expressionistic or abstract paintings or a highly detailed watercolour portrait to admire among the variety. You can visit the gallery to enjoy the latest artwork and vote for your favourite. You can find the gallery in the Arts District Liberty Station in the Point Loma area. Admission is free.

The National Gallery of Fine Art La Jolla is where you can admire large prints or the amazing photographic artwork that has graced the pages of National Geographic Magazine. You can find the elegant gallery in the heart of the La Jolla shopping district in San Diego.

Among its collection are fine selections of the most beautifully composited and timed nature, landscape, and wildlife shots captured by award-winning photographers. Limited-edition prints of fine art photography are available for purchase for true collectors. Behind every mesmerising alpine landscape or polar bear portrait lies an amazing story.