Whether or not you reside within the metropolis or are simply visiting for the weekend and in search of enjoyable issues to do in San Diego, the San Diego Automotive Museum (SDAM) is a must-see. Automotive fanatic or not, there’s a lot to pique your curiosity right here.
The museum highlights the car’s contributions to our tradition by instructing guests in regards to the vehicle’s social and technological previous, current, and future. That is accomplished via numerous reveals, starting from historic barn automobiles to worldwide bikes.Â
The San Diego Automotive Museum additionally flaunts a formidable assortment of classic automobiles. Belief us once we say this assortment is a automotive fanatic’s dream come true and that you need to see it.
Highlights
Whereas there are cool automobiles and bikes to have a look at, what’s much more attention-grabbing is why they’re there. It’s additionally enjoyable to see the evolution of styling and horsepower through the years, however look out for these favorites.
- The museum’s sturdy assortment of bikes is a nice shock to most friends. Forty bikes sit on show, courting all the best way again to the early 1900s.Â
- Calling all Again to the Future followers—the museum has a DeLorean DMC-12 on their present ground. Visitors may even hop within the automotive for an image.
- A group of traditional automobiles is the focus of the San Diego Automotive Museum. Every one is full with a brief description and authentic value.Â
- Louie Mattar’s Cadillac alone is sufficient purpose to go to the museum. We gained’t spoil the story behind the automotive. Simply realize it’s price seeing in individual.Â
- Remaining true to southern California’s tradition, the SDAM boasts a set of classic lowriders which are enjoyable to peruse and be taught the historical past behind.
High 5 Issues To Know Concerning the San Diego Automotive Museum
The San Diego Automotive Museum is simple to navigate, however we’ll present a couple of additional ideas to make sure you profit from your expertise.Â
Admission Suggestions
If you happen to’re a San Diego resident, you possibly can go to without cost on the fourth Tuesday of each month. All it’s important to carry is your I.D.Â
If you happen to’re not a resident however are planning on visiting, you possibly can purchase your tickets prematurely on-line. Nonetheless, they’re solely good for one week from the acquisition date. Costs embody:
- Adults (18-64): $14.50
- Seniors (65+): $10
- Navy (With ID): $10
- Scholar (With ID): $10
- Youth (5-17): $8.50
- Ages 0-4: FREE
Two Sightseeing Move Selections
Bundle admission to SDMRM with different sights throughout San Diego or simply in Balboa Park.
Go San Diego Move
Each the All-Inclusive and Explorer sightseeing passes embody SDMRM and over 50 different San Diego sights.
Use promo code lajollamom for 10% off via December 31, 2022.
Balboa Park Explorer Move
This go contains 16 taking part Balboa Park Museums.
Select one in every of three go choices that embody a Parkwide Move good for seven consecutive days, an Annual Move (greatest for residents), or a Restricted Move that features any 4 taking part venues good for sooner or later.
You can too purchase a present certificates to the museum for any pals or members of the family planning on visiting San Diego quickly.
LocationÂ
The museum is conveniently 5 minutes from downtown San Diego, in Balboa Park’s Pan American Plaza. It’s straightforward to entry from main freeways, together with the I-5 and Freeway 163.Â
You’ll park without cost within the Pan American Plaza parking space (you possibly can’t miss it) and can simply be capable of stroll out of your automotive to the museum. If the lot is full, you possibly can search for free avenue parking.
If you happen to’re within the temper for a day of edutainment, you’re in luck — SDAM neighbors the San Diego Air and Area Museum and the Comedian-Con Museum. Different fashionable Balboa Park museums are a brief stroll away.
Automotive ExhibitsÂ
If you happen to can’t make it to the San Diego Automotive Museum however wish to see their automobiles, maintain an eye fixed out for exterior alternatives.
For instance, the museum participates within the Cajon Traditional Cruise Automotive Present in Downtown El Cajon, simply twenty minutes west of Balboa Park. The present options several types of automobiles each Wednesday. Test their calendar to discover a day that piques your curiosity. The SDAM workers might be on-site to speak and reply any questions you or your little ones might have.
Automobiles and Espresso Â
As you possibly can see, San Diego Automotive Museum is well-known for interacting with the neighborhood. One other manner they do that is via automobiles and low. On the third Sunday of each month, the museum invitations San Diego residents or guests to carry their traditional automobiles and chat with workers over espresso.Â
The occasion takes place at 7:30 a.m., and the museum opens early at 8 a.m. with a reduced ticket value till 10 a.m.Â
If you happen to’re not on the town for the automobiles and low occasion, they take part in related occasions, the place you possibly can speak to museum workers and examine the automobiles. The small print are under:Â
- Automobiles, espresso, and doughnuts: Month-to-month on the twenty fourth at 6755 Mira Mesa Blvd Suite 128, San Diego, California 92121 at 7 a.m.Â
- JBA Pace Store automobiles and low: On the second Sunday of every month at 5675 Kearny Villa Rd, San Diego, CA, 92123, at 5:30 a.m.Â
Rotating DisplaysÂ
The SDAM showcases a daily assortment of classic automobiles and bikes, however they maintain issues attention-grabbing via inventive, rotating reveals.Â
A couple of of their previous highlight exhibitions included Evel Knievel’s bike, steampunk creations, and automobiles with characters—an exhibit that includes cars from fashionable motion pictures, comparable to Automobiles and Scooby Doo.Â
If you happen to’re inquisitive about which exhibit you’ll get to expertise, examine their web site’s present exhibitions web page or join their e-newsletter to obtain notifications about upcoming exhibitions.Â
Why We Love the San Diego Automotive MuseumÂ
There’s a lot to adore in regards to the San Diego Automotive Museum.
Vocational Schooling AcademyÂ
The SDAM does a variety of good, however the vocational schooling academy is essentially the most noteworthy.Â
The museum companions with neighborhood faculties and automotive companies to offer under-resourced college students with post-secondary schooling within the automotive subject. The academy additionally teaches college students accountable fiscal abilities, comparable to budgeting.Â
Upon graduating from the academy, college students are ready with a portfolio of abilities and arrange with interviews at native automotive outlets, comparable to Low cost Tire and NAPA.Â
LibraryÂ
The San Diego Automotive Museum has a formidable collection of automotive literature, starting from restore manuals to classic magazines.Â
Over 65,000 items of literature make up the museum’s library. This huge assortment seemingly has the reply to any automotive-related query you’ve ever had.Â
Educated volunteers workers the library and are greater than in a position to level you in the appropriate path. Nonetheless, even when you don’t have any burning questions, the library is undoubtedly price perusing.Â
Educated EmployeesÂ
Along with educated teams of volunteers, the museum additionally has a well-versed and pleasant workers. Guests continuously rave about how a lot the workers improve the expertise.Â
They’re vessels of information ready to reply any of your questions or provide enjoyable info a few piece of their assortment you discover attention-grabbing.Â
When you have questions that come up earlier than or after your go to, you could find the workers’s contact data on the museum’s web site.Â
The Present StoreÂ
SDAM has the present store of youngsters’ goals. The superb present store accommodates enjoyable shirts, memorabilia, and a set of classic scorching wheels.
If you happen to can’t make it to the present store in individual, hop on-line. The museum’s present store is so good that they’ve posted some gadgets on eBay.Â
Even higher? Something you buy within the present store goes again to the automotive museum. That means your buy isn’t solely bettering SDAM however serving to alongside efforts just like the vocational schooling academy.Â
High photograph credit score: One other Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0, through Wikimedia Commons