San Diego Museum of Art

​The San Diego Museum of Art is located in the stunning Plaza de Panama at Balboa Park. 

The plaza is the perfect place for people watching, while relaxing in a chair beside the refreshing, spanish-tiled fountain.

The San Diego Museum of Art was opened in 1926, and has an ornate plateresque facade, modeled on the University of Salamanca in Spain. 

If you look closely, you can see three statues of Spanish Old Master painters in the facade; Diego Velazquez, Francisco de Zurbaran and Bartolome Murillo.

It's located at 1450 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92102. Check hours here.

5 best things about San Diego Museum of Art

1. There are 18,000 works of art in the permanent collection, with a strong emphasis on Spanish works.  

2. The European art collection spans the 16th to 20th century, and includes Matisse, Magritte, Monet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Rubens, Gauguin and Dali. 

3. There’s also Asian silks and ink from the 14th to 17th century, and ancient sculpture from the 1st and 2nd centuries.

4. It's gorgeous facade was modeled on the famous University of Salamanca in Spain.

5. The San Diego Museum of Art has a striking plaza with fountain, popular for visitors to relax in beneath the shaded umbrellas.

Know before you go

• Address: 1450 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92102.
• Hours and Admission: check here.
• Parking:  Free Organ Pavilion Lot (Presidents Way).
• Restaurant:  Panama 66, overlooking an outdoor sculpture garden.

Fun things to do near the San Diego Museum of Art

The FREE Timken Museum of Art is just steps from the San Diego Museum of Art at Balboa Park. Although small it has a fantastic European Masters collection.  

Explore other attractions at Balboa Park, including the Museum of Us, Botanical Building, Natural History Museum, and San Diego Zoo.