San Diego

40+ San Diego Museums Offer Free Admission for Kids in October

The annual “Kids Free in October” Program is presented by the San Diego Museum Council and ScholarShare and includes museums spanning the county

Round up the kids: more than 40 museums in San Diego will offer free admission to little ones throughout October as part of a program that aims to bring museum experiences to families.

Now in its 7th year, the “Kids Free in October Program” organized by the San Diego Museum Council (SDMC) and ScholarShare, kicks off Sunday and runs through Oct. 31. The program provides free museum admission for kids 12 and under – locals and visitors alike.

Free or Cheap Things to Do in San Diego

This year, 43 art, cultural and science museums in San Diego County will participate, from the California Surf Museum in Oceanside to the Living Coast Discovery Center in Chula Vista and dozens of museums in between.

The participating museums include:

  • Barona Cultural Center & Museum
  • Birch Aquarium at Scripps
  • Cabrillo National Monument
  • California Center for the Arts Museum
  • California Surf Museum
  • Coronado Museum of History & Art
  • Fleet Science Center (Galleries only)
  • Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum
  • Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House
  • Heritage of the Americas Museum
  • Japanese Friendship Garden
  • La Jolla Historical Society
  • Living Coast Discovery Center
  • Lux Art Institute
  • Maritime Museum of San Diego
  • Marston House Museum & Gardens
  • Mingei International Museum
  • Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum
  • Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
  • Museum of Making Music
  • Museum of Photographic Arts
  • New Americans Museum
  • Oceanside Museum of Art
  • San Diego Air & Space Museum
  • San Diego Archaeological Center
  • San Diego Art Institute
  • San Diego Automotive Museum
  • San Diego Children's Discovery Museum
  • San Diego Chinese Historical Museum
  • San Diego History Center
  • San Diego Model Railroad Museum
  • San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat)
  • Serra Museum
  • The New Children's Museum
  • The San Diego Museum of Art
  • The Water Conservation Garden
  • Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center
  • Timken Museum of Art
  • USS Midway Museum
  • Veterans Museum at Balboa Park
  • Visions Art Museum
  • Warner-Carrillo Ranch House
  • Women's Museum of California

The free admission deal is valid for up to two kids for every adult ticket purchased. To cash in on the deal, download the Kids Free coupon on the SDMC’s website and give the coupon to the museum’s admissions desk.

In addition to SDMC’s month-long freebie, Mission Federal Credit Union also heads a “Kids Free in October” program that offers free admission to kids for the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, also through Oct. 31. Details on that program can be found on the zoo's website.

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