What?! Spend time in San Diego indoors? Yes! Take some time to visit these amazing exhibitions at museums throughout the county and you just might forget about the beach.
During San Diego Museum Month in February, you can use the half-off admission offer to explore some of these exciting exhibitions.
Please Note: Some special exhibitions may require an additional entrance fee. Also, this is not a complete list of exhibitions by any means! There are plenty more to see.
Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship
Real Pirates tells the true story of the Whydah – a real pirate ship that sank off the coast of Cape Cod nearly 300 years ago – and showcases treasure chests of coins and gold, jewelry, weaponry such as cannons, pistols, and knives and a replica of the actual ship that visitors can board.
Where: San Diego Natural History Museum – 1788 El Prado Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 92101
When: Opens February 8, 2014
> Find out more about Real Pirates
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Weirder and Wackier Than Ever
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6g8HojEh4U]One of San Diego’s most popular exhibit, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! returns to the San Diego Air & Space Museum weirder and wackier than ever. The exhibit has been updated with new amazing oddities and additional kid-friendly activities while keeping the fan-favorites.
Where: San Diego Air & Space Museum – 2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101
When: Through December 2014
> Find out more about Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
GUITAR: The Instrument That Rocked the World
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVFBT5Oxmyc]Experience the science, sound, history and cultural impact of the guitar in an exhibition that contains more than 60 instruments – ranging from the rare and antique to the wildly popular and innovative – along with engaging, entertaining and educational displays specific to the guitar, including historical artifacts, models, posters, video screens, interactives and kiosks.
Where: Reuben H. Fleet Science Center – 1875 El Prado Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 92101
When: Through April 6, 2014
> Find out more about Guitar: The Instrument That Rocked the World
Empowering Women: Artisan Cooperatives That Transform Communities
Empowering Women explores the work of ten female enterprises in ten countries by providing an intimate look at the compelling personal stories of these women and the exquisite traditional art works that they create. Discover how these women work together to create folk art in order to provide income for their families, preserve their cultural heritage, improve education, and influence major changes that lift up themselves and their communities.
Where: San Diego Museum of Man – 1350 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101
When: Through August 17, 2014
> Find out more about Empowering Women
SIN DIEGO
SIN DIEGO: The Stingaree’s Transformation from Vice to Nice showcases the development, and eventual “clean up” of San Diego’s infamous redlight district. During its heyday around the turn of the 20th Century, the Stingaree boasted 71 saloons, 120 bawdy houses, opium dens, and gambling establishments.
Where: San Diego History Center – 1649 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101
When: April 1 – October 31, 2014
> Find out more about SIN DIEGO
Chicanitas: Small Paintings from the Cheech Marin Collection
Each of the works in the exhibition takes the format of approximately 16 inches square or smaller and depicts subjects of a personal nature – familiar landscapes, notions of cultural heritage, familial relationships, and social community. In Chicanitas, Marin has drawn together a rich variety of works that express the complex texture of Chicano experience.
Where: MCASD Downtown – 1001 Kettner Blvd at Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101
When: Through March 3, 2014
> Find out more about Chicanitas: Small Paintings from the Cheech Marin Collection
Artist in Residence – Jarmo Mäkilä
The large-scale autographical paintings of Jarmo Mäkilä reflect personal childhood memories and the mythology of his native Finland. Ritualistic scenes of boys playing cruel games are a favorite subject.
Where: Lux Art Institute – 1550 South El Camino Real, Encinitas, CA 92024
When: March 20 – May 24, 2014
> Find out more about Artist in Residence – Jarmo Mäkilä
The Banjo: A New Day for an Old Instrument
How did the banjo emerge from the plains of West Africa to plantations in the American South? How did it survive the disturbing years of minstrelsy and eventually thrive under the bright lights of country, folk and bluegrass? And finally how did the instrument break from its traditional roots to influence nearly every genre of American popular music, from jazz to rock, from funk to punk?
Where: Museum of Making Music – 5790 Armada Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92008
When: Opening March 2014
Maritime Impressions
Take a tour of San Diego County’s thriving marine scene, and see it through the eyes of an artist! The artists of the Plein Air Painters Association of San Diego (PAPASAN) exhibit 35 impressionistic, contemporary paintings which document the rich beauty of San Diego’s maritime subjects.
Where: Maritime Museum of San Diego – 1492 N Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92101
When: Opens April 12, 2014
> Find out more about Maritime Impressions
> Discover and Learn More at San Diego Museums
Know of any other great exhibition(s) opening soon at a museum in San Diego? Let us and others know in the comments below.