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Maritime Museum of San Diego

1492 North Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101
619-234-9153
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Ranked #21 of 200 attractions in San Diego
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Type: Specialty Museums, Ships
Traveler Description: The Maritime Museum of San Diego is home to the world's oldest sailing vessel that still sails - "The Star of India". This beautiful square rigger... more »
Useful Information: Activities for young children, Activities for older children
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363 reviews from our community

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Date Rating
VA
Top Contributor
52 reviews 52 reviews
20 attraction reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
18 helpful votes 18 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 20, 2013 NEW

The museum is really a bunch of different ships that are toured individually. The two submarines - Russian and US - were interesting to look at and compare. The tall ships are fun to walk through, with the Star of India the highlight. The entrance fee is very reasonable and it's a nice way to spend an hour or two.

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See 12 more reviews by DogWorld for San Diego
Macomb, Michigan
Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
6 attraction reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 17, 2013 NEW

A worthwhile stop if you like ships. They have two submarines as well which is something you don't get to see to often. All the ships, as well as the submarines, are open to explore at your own pace. There is staff present to answer your questions. Everything in the museum is well maintained and kept in a very neat... More

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See 5 more reviews by Doug P for San Diego
London, United Kingdom
Senior Contributor
32 reviews 32 reviews
17 attraction reviews
Reviews in 16 cities Reviews in 16 cities
11 helpful votes 11 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 23, 2013

We loved the two submarines. It was fascinating to compare and contrast USA and USSA subs from about the same era and get a good feel for how it must have been to serve in them. We loved the decommissioned San Francisco ferry that houses the shop; it was a marvellous old ship. And (almost) finally, the two sailing ships,... More

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See 3 more reviews by EssexRon for San Diego
Stoke On Trent
Contributor
19 reviews 19 reviews
13 attraction reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 22, 2013

When you consider the cost of some attractions, this one is a steal! We started our tour on Star of India and my husband asked rather disappointingly if that was it. No I said, there's more. In fact there's lots more. We spent a very pleasant, hassle free, Sunday afternoon just wandering around the ships and submarines. We found everything... More

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See 4 more reviews by Trumpster175 for San Diego
San Jose, California
Contributor
15 reviews 15 reviews
4 attraction reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed April 16, 2013

The museum has several real decommissioned vessels and a few replicas. Very interesting and more to see than one has time for unless you arrive early and stay late.

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See 5 more reviews by Simona K for San Diego
Cedarville, Michigan
Top Contributor
52 reviews 52 reviews
13 attraction reviews
Reviews in 22 cities Reviews in 22 cities
20 helpful votes 20 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 14, 2013 via mobile

This is an amazing opportunity to see and actually climb around many types of vessels. Wonderful and educational displays throughout. Purchase the Bay Tour boat ride too. This gives a real seance of the history and location of the bay. Don't miss this spot if you are at all interested in maritime history.

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See 8 more reviews by saltedradish for San Diego
Saint Louis, Missouri
Senior Contributor
26 reviews 26 reviews
8 attraction reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 12, 2013 via mobile

I love this amazing museum. From tall ships to submarines, it gives great insights into a broad spectrum of maritime history. Wear comfortable shoes and enjoy! The docents are great and friendly and ready to answer any questions you have.

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See 6 more reviews by STL_Voyagers for San Diego
Chandler, Arizona
Contributor
20 reviews 20 reviews
4 attraction reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed April 11, 2013

About 8 or so boats/ships that were ok, but the two submarines were really cool. Recommend going just to go on the soviet submarine. Reasonably priced for a family pack ~$40, you can throw in a harbor "cruise" for a few dollars more. They have a replica ship being worked on, would have been nice to see that.

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See 6 more reviews by AZfamily22 for San Diego
Charlotte, North Carolina
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
4 of 5 stars Reviewed April 8, 2013

I'd like to give this 3.5 stars, but as halves aren't an option, I'd rather error on the positive side. This is a small collection of ships; at the time of my visit the main attractions were the Star of India, HMS Surprise, a Soviet B-39 submarine (Cold War era), the USS Dolphin submarine (research vessel), the steam yacht Medea,... More

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See 2 more reviews by KristinaD27 for San Diego
Seattle, Washington
Contributor
12 reviews 12 reviews
8 attraction reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
3 of 5 stars Reviewed April 3, 2013

Just what the title says. It is not as good as it is advertised. The best part- The Star of India, the oldest surviving wooden ship on the west coast. The worst part- Russian submarine. I counted at least 12! mistakes in spelling and representations while on board (I am originally from Russia). One might think- no big deal, 99%... More

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See 9 more reviews by Missisjoker for San Diego

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