San Diego Museum Council Announces Free Child Admissions to More Than 40 San Diego Area Museums This

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Museum Council has announced the return of its popular Kids Free in October program, offering free child admissions to 41 local museums and attractions throughout San Diego County for the entire month of October.

Now in its ninth year, Kids Free in October is an opportunity for local families and tourists alike to explore the dozens of cultural institutions that make up San Diego’s vibrant museum scene. With locations throughout the San Diego region, from Oceanside to Imperial Beach and La Jolla to Lakeside, there is something for every interest, including visual art and design, children, science and nature, aquariums and zoos, historical sites, military, transportation, culture and heritage. (See full list of participating museums below or on the San Diego Museum Council website.)

Each year, thousands of children participate in the program, including 15,644 in 2018 alone. Kids can learn about dinosaurs and military heroes, discover their inner-artist, get up close to wildlife or explore the great outdoors. Participating institutions include some of San Diego’s best known and loved sites as well as many hidden gems waiting to be discovered by locals and visitors.

To kick off Kids Free in October, the community is invited to a special Museum Mashup event on Sunday, Sept. 29 (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) at the New Children’s Museum Park in downtown San Diego. The free event will include fun family activities and displays, courtesy of 10 participating museums, along with entertainment and performances.

“There’s no better time to be a kid in San Diego than in the month of October,” said San Diego Museum Council Executive Director Nicole Miller-Coleman. “We know that museum experiences can be incredibly powerful for kids. Now, families can check out a new destination or return to an old favorite, all while saving money in the process. We invite everyone to get out there and explore everything that San Diego’s museum scene has to offer.”

Free admission is available for up to two kids (ages 12 and under) for every adult ticket purchase. To participate, download the Kids Free in October coupon at sandiegomuseumcouncil.org. Then, simply present it at the participating museum’s admissions desk to receive your free child admissions.

Generous support for Kids Free in October is provided by the City of San Diego Commission for Arts & Culture, California Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts and County of San Diego.

Kids Free in October is presented in partnership with the San Diego Tourism Authority’s Kids Free campaign. To find out about other great family-friendly deals this October, visit the Kids Free San Diego website.

Museum-goers are encouraged to share their experiences on social media using the #KidsFreeSD hashtag. The San Diego Museum Council can be found at @gomuseums on Instagram and Twitter and on Facebook at @SanDiegoMuseumCouncil

About San Diego Museum Council

The San Diego Museum Council (SDMC) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization comprised of 42 member museums in 46 locations across San Diego County whose mission is to increase awareness, connect, provide services and advocate for the diverse institutions within its membership. Each year, SDMC connects hundreds of thousands of San Diego residents and tourists to a range of arts and culture offerings through three signature programs including Museum Month in February, The Big Exchange in May and Kids Free in October. For more information visit sandiegomuseumcouncil.org or call (619) 276-0101.

Kids Free in October 2019 List of Participating Museums:

• Barona Cultural Center & Museum

• Birch Aquarium at Scripps

• Bonita Museum & Cultural Center

• California Center for the Arts Escondido Museum

• California Surf Museum

• Coronado Museum of History & Art

• Fleet Science Center (Galleries only)

• Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum

• Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House

• Heritage of the Americas Museum

• Japanese Friendship Garden

• La Jolla Historical Society

• Living Coast Discovery Center

• Lux Art Institute

• Maritime Museum of San Diego

• Marston House Museum & Gardens

• Mission San Luis Rey

• Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (Downtown only)

• Museum of Making Music

• Museum of Photographic Arts

• New Americans Museum

• Oceanside Museum of Art

• San Diego Air & Space Museum

• San Diego Archaeological Center

• San Diego Art Institute

• San Diego Automotive Museum

• San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum

• San Diego Chinese Historical Museum

• San Diego History Center

• San Diego Model Railroad Museum

• San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat)

• The New Children’s Museum

• The San Diego Museum of Art

• Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center

• Timken Museum of Art

• USS Midway Museum

• Veterans Museum at Balboa Park

• Visions Art Museum

• Warner-Carrillo Ranch House

Whaley House Museum