Valentine’s Day at the San Diego Museum of Art

Spend your Valentine’s Day at the San Diego Museum of Art!

Stop by all day for love-themed, docent-led gallery tours, offered throughout the month of February, participate in a card-making workshop with local artist and 2014 San Diego Art Prize recipient, Bhavna Mehta, and stop by after-hours for an all-inclusive picnic and tour package for two, or for a drink and live music at Panama 66.

The San Diego Museum of Art’s mission is to collect, preserve, interpret and display the finest works of art that men and women have created throughout time for the benefit of the broadest conceivable audience.

In 2015 the Museum will celebrate 100 years of art in Balboa Park and the Centennial Celebration of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. The original inspiration for a permanent public art gallery in San Diego can be traced to the Panama-California International Exposition, held in Balboa Park during 1915-1916.  The Exposition, which was organized to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal and to promote San Diego as a seaport, also showcased San Diego as a growing cultural center.  Among its numerous displays representing various industries and products was a prominent exhibition of fine arts featuring European old masters, American art, and works by California and San Diego artists.  The public response to the art exhibition convinced civic leaders and prominent local artists that San Diego needed its own fine arts gallery and collection. 

The San Diego Museum of Art’s permanent collection is all encompassing, with objects from across the globe, and ranging in date from 5,000 B.C. to the present. Perhaps best known for its Spanish old master paintings, the Museum holds a broad collection of European, American, Latin American, and Asian Art.  We also regularly have special exhibitions on view.  

We offer many educational programs and opportunities for school tours throughout the year, as well as educational resources for teachers and educators. We serve children, adults, educators, and families in the San Diego area through educational and interpretive programs and performances in the Museum’s galleries, classrooms, and auditorium, and through outreach programs in the community. Children of all ages will find The San Diego Museum of Art to be a fun and fascinating place to explore.  The Museum offers special programs just for children and families. We request one adult chaperone for every ten children under the age of 15.

We are open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sundays 12 noon to 5:00 p.m. During the Summer (Memorial Day through Labor Day), we are open until 9:00 p.m. on Thursdays.