Timken Museum of Art
Timken Museum of Art
4.5
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
12:00 PM - 4:30 PM
About
Museum that celebrates the important role of art as a way of enriching lives by featuring American, Dutch and Flemish, French, Italian paintings and Russian Icons.
Suggested duration
< 1 hour
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Neighborhood: Balboa Park
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
210 reviews
Excellent
111
Very good
67
Average
25
Poor
6
Terrible
1
CrankingChick
Tucson, AZ7,872 contributions
Mar 2019
This small museum is located in Balboa Park near the Botanical Building and Lily Pond. The collection features some famous artists (Rubens, Rembrandt) and the paintings and icons are impressive in their scope and craftsmanship. A majority of the subjects were portraits and religious scenes when I visited, so they may not appeal to everyone, but the exhibits do change and rotate. During the holidays they were displaying intricate Christmas ornaments and the galleries were very crowded; basically a queue we followed through. It was too congested to stop and admire the artwork for long or take photos. Admission is free so it's certainly worth wandering through if you're in the park. Wheelchair access is good.
Written February 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mini
Fremont, CA179,691 contributions
Jan 2020
We enjoyed seeing the art at the Timken Museum of Art. This is a very good collection.
The musem also puts on special events.
Its located in Balboa Park.
Later in the day we saw the Timken House. This is where Mr. Timken lived and kept the art till he passed away. This art work is now the basis of the collection at the Timken Museum.
The musem also puts on special events.
Its located in Balboa Park.
Later in the day we saw the Timken House. This is where Mr. Timken lived and kept the art till he passed away. This art work is now the basis of the collection at the Timken Museum.
Written January 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
marfak
Half Moon Bay, CA1,103 contributions
Feb 2020
This is a small museum in Balboa Park. The collection is small but the art is wonderful. We especially enjoyed the Russian icon collection. The signage, for the most part, is helpful and informative. (For some reasons, some pieces did not have signage.) The staff was very helpful in answering questions. And, unlike most of the museums in Balboa Park, it is free!
Written February 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JDSV
The Netherlands306 contributions
Feb 2013 • Couples
Among the make-believe 'Spanish' architecture of the buildings surrounding it, the Timken stands out for the simple, clean lines of its architecture.
Walk inside and within a few steps you can be face to face with a Rembrandt and works by other master painters. And for free! Mind you, not necessarily their best works but nevertheless a wonderful experience in a small friendly atmosphere. If only there were more such places...
Walk inside and within a few steps you can be face to face with a Rembrandt and works by other master painters. And for free! Mind you, not necessarily their best works but nevertheless a wonderful experience in a small friendly atmosphere. If only there were more such places...
Written March 10, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brad B
Rockville, MD335 contributions
Sep 2022
This is an outstanding museum and you can easily go through it in less than 2 hours. Beautiful and unique collection.
Written October 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GlobalGypsy_13
San Diego, CA2,689 contributions
Feb 2020
Don't miss the Timken museum in Balboa Park for their extensive Russian icon collection, Van Dyke and Rembrandt paintings as well as cutting edge special exhibits, such as the current (Feb. 2020) "Captivating Women" that celebrates women. Not only is this museum free, it has a small, selective gift shop, and an active lecture and music series.
Written February 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susan M
Kiawah Island, SC362 contributions
Feb 2020 • Business
Small collection of European art. The collection is a large part Russian icons with a Van Dyke and Rembrandt. Not often does one get to view a private collection for free.
Written February 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ama_BP
Lima, Peru100 contributions
May 2019 • Family
We loved visiting this museum. First, its free! And its artwork quality is amazing. What we liked the most about the place though, is how they involve kids with art. They had four different treasure hunts with little tidbits of information regarding almost all works of art.
My kids had a blast "hunting" for art. This is an idea I'd love to see replicated in other museums!
My kids had a blast "hunting" for art. This is an idea I'd love to see replicated in other museums!
Written May 16, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lostsmoothie
San Diego, CA52 contributions
Mar 2019 • Solo
The Timken is located in the heart of Balboa Park, with ample parking not too far away (you could also take the tram). First time visitors to the park and longtime locals should check it out, as the museum changes displays from time to time. The best thing about the museum, aside from the beautiful art, is it is completely FREE, all the time. The only day the museum is closed are Mondays, but otherwise their hours are pretty standard. The museum has two main rooms, filled with priceless works. The quaint size is perfect, not too big to overwhelm you but not too small to not be worthwhile to venture in. I would budget about 30 minutes to an hour for a first visit. As a longtime resident, it is great to pop into this great little gem anytime walking through Balboa Park to check to see what is new/changed. Everyone should take advantage of this great, FREE opportunity to see wonderful art. The Timken is a must for your FREE list of things to do when in Balboa Park.
Written March 24, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SallyAnn W
Chicago, IL115 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
This tiny little jewel box of a museum is like visiting the home of an eccentric (and very rich) friend. Take your time (prob no more than an hour) to appreciate the view point of these carefully chosen works. When we visited there was an installation of folded paper that was an interpretation of the 'Woman in a Green Dress' that brought a fresh perspective to a classical work.
Written September 4, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Timken Museum of Art
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Timken Museum of Art Information
Excellent Reviews | 111 |
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Very Good Reviews | 67 |
Timken Museum of Art Photos | 160 |