THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Discover San Diego’s maritime history through expert-led guided tours at the Maritime Museum. Step aboard historic ships and hear captivating stories that bring the city’s nautical past to life.
Discover San Diego’s maritime history through expert-led guided tours at the Maritime Museum. Step aboard historic ships and hear captivating stories that bring the city’s nautical past to life.
Book with Maritime Museum of San Diego
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Maritime Museum of San Diego · San Diego, California
easy.
2 hours.
Suitable for most fitness levels, minimal physical activity involved
Yes, the museum offers accessible pathways and adaptable tour options.
Absolutely, the tours are family-friendly, and kids often enjoy the ships and stories.
Not at all—guides provide all necessary background information.
Tours are typically small groups to ensure an engaging experience, but size varies.
Currently, tours are conducted primarily in English.
Reservations can be made online through the museum's booking page.
The Maritime Museum of San Diego was established in 1980 to preserve and interpret the region’s naval history, featuring one of the world’s largest collections of floating ships.
The museum emphasizes sustainability by maintaining its historic vessels with environmentally conscious practices, promoting maritime preservation.
Maritime Museum of San Diego preserves and presents the maritime heritage of San Diego through a collection of historic vessels, hands-on experiences, and public programs. Located on San Diego Bay, the museum maintains and operates a fleet that includes the 1863 bark Star of India, the Pilot (launched 1914, restored 2002), replicas such as the brigantine Californian, and the Spanish galleon replica San Salvador. Visitors can explore dockside exhibits, board multiple historic ships, and choose guided docent tours, narrated bay cruises, multi-hour sailing adventures, interactive pirate theater, and overnight stays aboard the Star of India. Educational offerings include Oceanography Merit Badge Days for scouts ages 9–18, hands-on sailing experiences, and VIP private tours that provide behind-the-scenes access. Public cruises vary in length from a 45-minute narrated bay cruise aboard the Pilot to four-hour sails on San Salvador, and specialty programs such as the 90-minute BOARDED! pirate adventure and family overnight events. Guided docent-led tours are offered twice a month with limited capacity for intimate exploration. General admission provides all-day access and the opportunity to see historic vessels up close, and the museum operates daily. The museum’s conservation and restoration efforts follow established preservation standards, and volunteer stewards regularly maintain vessels to ensure historical integrity and visitor safety during tours and events year-round operations.
Book with Maritime Museum of San Diego