Mordern, Free, Best Art Museums in Mount Soledad

"An almost overwhelming medley of Spanish Renaissance and Baroque painting awaits at this museum in Balboa Park. El Greco, Murillo, Goya and Zurbarán are all here, together with Italian and Dutch Masters like Veronese, Canaletto, van Dyck, Rubens and Frans Hals. In the last few years, the museum was donated a raft of paintings from the Symbolist, Expressionist and New Objectivity movements, by Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Robert Delaunay, Otto Dix and Alexej von Jawlensky."

"Balboa Park is home to several San Diegan museums, and the Museum of Art is another magnificence you can visit here. With hosting over half a million visitors every year, this oldest and largest art museum in the region is noted as one of the best museums in San Diego. It has been in operations from the year 1926, exhibiting the most comprehensive art collection anywhere in San Diego."

"Located in Balboa Park, the San Diego Museum of Art is a must-see attraction when visiting the city. The exterior itself is a masterpiece, with an ornamented doorway consisting of life-sized sculptures of Spanish painters and heraldry. Inside you’ll find Spanish and Italian old masters, Asian paintings and sculptures, and a range of touring exhibits."

"This one, you guessed it, is the epicenter of best activities for kids in San Diego. Balboa Park in Gaslamp Quarter has 17 museums that alone will keep the whole family busy for a whole day, at least. Activities like Sketch Aquarium and Reconnecting to Home have age restrictions."

"This unique museum collaborates with contemporary artists to create one-of-a-kind art installations. The exhibits include playhouses, clubhouses, and climbable towers. Kids can interact with the exhibits and engage in active play as they would at home."

"A new model of children’s museum whose mission is to stimulate imagination, creativity and critical thinking in children and families through inventive and engaging experiences with contemporary art."

"© Craig Lovell / Eagle Visions Photography / Alamy Stock Photo. With a collection of more than 7,000 photographs by 850 photographers, including Margaret Bourke-White, Alfred Stieglitz and Ruth Bernhard, the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) devotes itself entirely to the collection and preservation of photography, film and video, including its aesthetic movements and technological advancements. In particular, MOPA’s collection features a large selection of mid-20th-century Soviet Russian photography, social documentary photography and photojournalism."

"The Museum of Photographic Arts showcases over 9 thousand images. These visual masterpieces range from the 19th century up until the current day. The museum offers a diverse view into different cultural events, historical moments and addresses social issues throughout its galleries."

"An independent institution devoted to photography, film, and video. Founded in 1983, MOPA consistently addresses cultural, historical, and social issues through its visual learning programs."

"This museum presents exhibits of folk art from around the world, including Indonesia and New Guinea (multicolored masks, dolls, fertility symbols and shadow puppets) and Japan (decorative bottles, bowls and jars). Children will delight in the displays of international toys and antique carousels. Don't forget to visit the Collectors' Gallery/Museum Store for a wide selection of modern and antique arts and crafts."

"Art speaks powerfully of the similarities and distinctions of individuals and cultures at this international museum for the "art of the people" (mingei). The museum has an 18,000-piece collection representing 140 countries around the world. Constantly changing exhibits enhanced by lectures, films, demonstrations, and other events make this a dynamic place for artistic enlightenment."

"A diverse collection of folk art, costumes, toys, jewelry, utensils and other handmade objects of traditional cultures from around the world, plus changing exhibitions covering beads to surfboards. Check the website to find out what's on."

"Even if you’re broke, the Timken Museum of Art is always free, and if you have a Bank of America card, the San Diego Museum of Art and the Museum of Photogenic Arts are free on certain days. If you love art, check out the Spanish village. These are historic buildings turned art galleries and stores which have a lot of their work for sale. Even just walking through this area is a fun experience."

"San Diego Art Institute is a not-for-profit institution in San Diego, California, that is an experimental bi-national modern art center. It is situated in the historic building House of Charm in Balboa Park, El Prado. SDAI is the only contemporary culture association in Balboa Park that supports the creation of innovative art by providing exclusive space for artistic competencies of Southern California and Northern Baja to fraternize, exhibit, and bloom."

"When founded in 1941, the San Diego Art Institute was called the San Diego Business Men’s Art Club, only permitting male members. By the 1950s, women were allowed in and the name had been changed. The cultural institution now showcases experimental art from a diverse array of artists from the Southern California/Baja Norte region."

"A new exhibition of works by San Diego artists opens every four to six weeks in this 10,000-square-foot gallery, dedicated to the advancement of the visual arts through outreach, education, and exhibition."

"Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego is an art museum that is engaged in the collection, preservation, exhibitions, evaluations of artworks from the 1950s to today so far. It is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1941. MCASD offers access to the finest art at two exemplary locations in San Diego, i.e., the La Jolla and downtown location of Santa Fe Depot."

"This museum has a few different exhibits rotating throughout the year and they make plenty of appearances on instagram. These exhibits have already left, but see the ones they have now here."

"In 2011, Joshua Pavlick decided to turn a part of his home into an art exhibition space. And while that sounds like a wild idea, it’s paid off big time for Pavlick, local artists, and the community as a whole. Helmuth Projects was designed with the idea of helping lesser-known artists display their work to the masses."

"From the innovative development and management team, RMD Group, comes F6ix, an upscale hip-hop nightclub venue that brings a new beat to San Diego’s downtown nightlife scene. Located at F Street and Sixth Avenue, F6ix’s modest entrance features a staircase that descends to reveal the hidden gem b..."

"This subterranean spot offers ample room to mingle, drink, and dance to the pulsating beat of hip hop. F6ix is known for its DJs, who have the ability to influence the mood and ambiance of the dance floor. Before you know it the music will take hold of you, and all your cares will melt away."

"Located in the Gaslamp District, Operacaffe serves award-winning food in a romantic Italian-style setting. Owner Patrizia Branchi grew up in Florence and later opened a restaurant there, and today Operacaffe serves many of the same Tuscan dishes that her previous restaurant's Italian customers knew and loved. The menu offers appetizers, soups, gourmet pasta dishes including some special seafood options, meat and fish entrees, pizzas, and a wide variety of healthy salads."

"If you’re looking for a causal beer spot in Little Italy, look no further than Ballast Point Brewery. Their outdoor patio is the perfect place to watch the airplanes overhead come in for landing."

"Their beers can be found in most stores like BevMo across the US. The brewery is huge, can accommodate many people and is a blast to visit!. My favorite is the grapefruit Sculpin’."

"A photo posted by Donut Panic (@donutpanicsd) on Jan 11, 2017 at 6:16am PST. “Donut Panic”about eating amazing donuts from this little shop on Mission Gorge Road because they are organic and in San Diego, we love the organic, healthy options – even when it comes to eating donuts!. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and weekends, Donut Panic offers 100% vegan donuts and bagels, and during the rest of the week they have traditional desserts and old fashioned donuts."

"Besides a clever name, Donut Panic is also great at glazed donuts. Along with traditional donuts, they offer vegan creations such as chocolate espresso almond, Earl Grey, maple bacon glaze, and even rosewater cardamom. Baker Linda Dami combines potato flakes mixed with flour, soy milk, sugar, salt, oil, and yeast."

"Address: 6171 Mission Gorge Rd, Ste 113, San Diego, CA 92120. Neighborhood: Grantville. Don’t panic when you see the donuts at Donut Panic...their donuts taste just as good as they look!"

"It comes complete with cupcakes, frosting, sprinkles, spatulas and decorations for you to decorate your own unique cupcake treats at home."