Maritime Museum of San Diego
The Maritime Museum of San Diego is the region’s only waterfront maritime museum welcoming visitors to an historic fleet of national and state recognized historic vessels worthy of preservation and on-the-water adventure experiences. Visitors discover 500 years of seafaring history with walks from ship to ship and throughout dozens of below-deck exhibits. Guests can explore the world’s oldest active sailing ship, the iconic Star of India, the 1898 Victorian-era steam ferryboat Berkeley, the world’s deepest diving USS Dolphin submarine, and the naval frigate Rose replica, the H.M.S. Surprise, featured in the award-winning motion picture Master and Commander, just to name a few.
Star of India, retired from service in 1923, arrived in San Diego to begin the Maritime Museum of San Diego’s history as a component of the San Diego Zoological Society. Founded in 1948, the Maritime Museum of San Diego institution enjoys an international reputation for excellence in restoring, maintaining, and operating historic vessels.
Year-round the Museum invites the public to also leave the docks and set out on the water for educational and entertaining outdoor experiences such as the 45-minute narrated sightseeing 1914 Pilot boat Bay History tours or the weekend 75-minute Veteran Docent narrated PCF 816 Swift boat Naval History Bay tours. Looking for more time on the water and the thrill of tall ship sailing? The Museum offers 4-hour day sail adventures aboard the state of California official tall ship Gold-Rush era schooner, Californian, and replica of the 16th century galleon San Salvador, European explorer Cabrillo’s vessel that sailed into San Diego in 1542 (now America’s West Coast).
Rich maritime heritage and historic connections with the Pacific world are on display throughout the fleet. Visitors should make time for at least one to two hours, wear comfortable shoes, and prepare to walk the docks and gangways to each vessel. A splendid array of gallery spaces await within the ships covering topics such as the Age of Sail, Age of Steam, Charting the Sea Technology and Navigation, Model Gallery, Harvesting the Ocean Commercial Fishing, and San Diego’s Navy.
The non-profit 501c3 Maritime Museum of San Diego is located in downtown San Diego between Grape and Ash Street at 1492 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego, California 92101. The Museum is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and the last guest may enter and start their tour experience at 4:00 p.m. Visit www.sdmaritime.org for tickets and information.
