Museums and Attractions

Keep in mind that most of the museums feature special displays that change throughout the year, in addition to the regular contents, so a quick telephone call might assist with planning when you want to visit. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult

San Diego Aerospace Museum
Pan American Plaza, 234-8291. More than 65 aircrafts and spacecrafts, and thousands of associated artifacts bring to life the significant events in flight and space exploration. Behind-the-scenes, restoration tours available. Open 10 an aerospace museum a.m.-4p.m. daily (extended to 5 p.m. Memorial Day to Labor Day). Adults: $6; seniors: $5;juniors (ages 6-17): $2; active-duty military: free. Free admission fourth Tues. of every month.

San Diego Automotive Museum
Pan American Plaza, 231-AUTO. Stroll through and see rare and exotic automobiles and motorcycles. Always something new. Gift shop with one-of-a-kind specialties. Open 10 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. daily. Adults: $5; seniors: $4; ages &17: $2; under 6: free. Free admission fourth Tues. of every month.

Centro Cultural De La Raza
Pan American Plaza, 235-6135. Artwork, performances and other aspects of Chicano, Native American, and Mexican culture. Open Thurs.-Sun. 12-4 p.m. Admission is free.

San Diego Hall of Champions
1649 El Prado, 234-2544. Exhibits celebrating achievements and great moments in San Diego sports history, from Ted Williams and Maureen Connolly to Walton, Fouts, and Gwynn. Open 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily. Adults: $3; ages 55+, military, and students:$2; ages 6-17: $1. Free admission second Tues. of every month.

Japanese Friendship Garden
Designed by famed architect Ken Nakajima, theses gardens take up over 11 acres and will grow to be the largest in the United States. Includes an authentic Japanese tea house of incredible detail. Open Tues., Fri., Sat., Sun., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is free.

San Diego Historical Society: George White and Anna Gunn Marston House
3525 Seventh Ave., 298-3142. Craftsman-style house museum listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Open Sat.-Sun., noon-4:30 p.m. $3 docent tour of house.

San Diego Museum of Art
1450 El Prado Way, 2107, 232-7931, 232-9367. Includes collections of Italian Renaissance, Dutch, and Spanish Baroque Old Masters, as well as American, Modern, and Asian art treasures. Open Tues.-Sun., 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Adults: $7; age 65+: $5; military with I.D.: $4; students with I.D. and ages under 6-17, $3.

San Diego Museum of Man
1350 El Prado, 239-2001. Anthropological museum located in Balboa Park's historic California Tower building. Permanent and changing exhibits explore the culture of mankind. Open 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily. Adults: $4; ages 13-l8: $2; ages 6-12: $1; underage 6 and military in uniform: free. Free admission third Tues. of every month.

Museum of San Diego History
1649 El Prado, 232-6203. Changing exhibits from collections of San Diego Historical Society, 1850 to present, and national traveling exhibits. Open Wed.-Sun., 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Adults: $4; ages 5-12: $1.50. Free admission second Tues. of every month.

Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
1875 El Prado, Balboa Park, 92101, 619-238-1233, FAX 619-685-5771. Five galleries of exciting, hands-on science exhibits, as well as major traveling exhibitions. A 76-foot IMAX Dome Theater, the first in the world, presents the biggest films on the planet, plus planetarium shows and more. Its unique configuration wraps the audience in images and provides the illusion of being suspended in space. Open Sat. - Thurs.: 9:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. & Friday: 9:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. (SUMMER OPERATING HOURS July 2- Sept. 5).

San Diego Natural History Museum
1788 El Prado, 232-3821. Flora, fauna, mineralogy of southwestern United States and Baja California in permanent exhibits; special traveling exhibits of a more global nature. Call for hours and prices. Free admission first Tues. of every month.

Museum of Photographic Arts
1649 El Prado, 239-5262. Devoted exclusively to the photographic arts, year-round changing exhibitions displaying a wide range of fine art photography from around the world. Open daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission: $3.50, under 12: free with an adult. Free admission second Tues. of every month.

San Diego Model Railroad Museum
1649 El Prado, 696-0199. One of the largest model railroad exhibits in the United States. Features 5 operating giant model railroads, interactive toy train, working full-size artifacts, and railroad theme gift shop. Open Tues-Fri., 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat. and Sun., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Adults: $3; students, military and seniors: $2.50; under 15: free. Free admission first Tues. of every month.

Timken Museum of Art
1500 El Prado, 239-5548, FAX 233-6629. European Old Masters, 18th-and 19th-century American paintings, and Russian icons. Open Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m. Free.

Other sights and attractions

Botanical Building contains 1,200 tropical plant specimens, including orchids, palms, begonia, fuschia, ferns, and impatiens. Some displays change seasonally. In front of the building is lots of grass and two ponds, which are home to koi and other fish, ducks, and, although elusive, turtles and frogs. Hours: Friday through Wednesday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closed Thursdays and city holidays. Admission is free.

Spreckels Pavilion. Bob Plimpton, plays a huge pipe organ with pipes 32 feet long every Sunday afternoon in this 2,400-seat venue. In addition to year-round concerts at 2 p.m. each Sunday, the pavilion also hosts a 10-week summer organ festival on Monday nights.

Although not a museum, California Tower is definitely worth seeing. Offering another chance to enjoy looking up, the tower features a blue-and-yellow-tile dome at the top that reaches 200 feet into the air. When viewed against a clear-blue San Diego sky, the tower, framed by eucalyptus trees, is a picture worth treasuring.

On Newsstands 12/1

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On Newsstands 12/1

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