SD Museums Off the Beaten Path

Balboa Park, with its abundant museums and ever-changing exhibits, is undoubtedly one of San Diego's many art and cultural jewels. It can, however, get packed with tourists especially in the summer months. As San Diego locals, when the crowds come in, you can't help but feel a little crowded out. And when that happens, don't get mad at the out-of-towners wanting a little slice of our pie. Instead, seize the opportunity to explore elsewhere. San Diego has many new museums as well as some hidden jewels that do not necessarily get the limelight but are just as fascinating and fun.
The New Children's Museum is sure to be a hit with the kids, but it has plenty of appeal for adults, too. Having established its new home in downtown San Diego's Marina District, the mussdzeum remains an environmentally sustainable building that provides a dynamic, playful public space and community center for children and families. It's a place to experience various art exhibitions, hands-on studio projects, performances, in-depth classes, camps, educational programs and more.
Everything from the museum's exhibits, its location and the building itself promote learning and play. The need for a place where children can express their creativity and be exposed to the visual arts is urgent, especially at a time when arts curriculum is increasingly cut from schools. And with a focus on sustainability, The New Children's Museum provides an environment that encourages active minds, healthy bodies and unstructured play.
The best part about the museum is the way it encourages children to create art. The exhibits, like the Animal Art exhibit, beg the question "how was it created?" and the studios provide the learning space to answer this question. Children are encouraged to work hand-in-hand with a professional artist. With multiple studios ranging from paint and clay, design, tech, improv and teen studios, there is an opportunity for everyone to create art through whichever medium they prefer.
Across the street from the new building is a beautiful park, extending the museum visit outdoors with space for running, climbing, family picnics and a view of the trains and trolley going by.
"Our goal is to inspire children to think, play and create by providing accessible and meaningful art experiences," says Rachel Teagle PhD, executive director of the museum. "We are a unique hybrid of a children's museum and an art museum." 
 

The museum truly provides an innovative experience. With provocative artworks that you can actually touch, climb or move, a variety of arts-based classes and hands-on art making opportunities, you become as crucial to the museum as the art itself. An organic café, with open and abundant seating, and the outdoor park make spending a full day at the Children's Museum incredibly easy. Visit Thinkplaycreate.org for more information.
A drive a little further up the coast will bring us to another lesser-known museum, this one paying homage to one of San Diego's most loved and sports: surfing. The California Surf Museum was originally founded by architect and surfer Stuart Resor when he invited interested peopled to found a museum to honor the history of surfing. A board of directors was formed and after six location changes, the Surf Museum has found its permanent home in Oceanside.

Currently featuring its 2010 special exhibit, Women on Waves (WOW), the California Surf Museum celebrates more than 300 years of women's standout performances in surfing, from its roots based on Hawaiian surfing queens to the newly crowned champions of the women's pro tour. Viewers also get to experience a lesson in fashion as the WOW exhibit chronicles the captivating beach fashions that document the times in which these women surfed. The changes in beach attire only reflect the evolution of freedom and achievement attained over the last century. Women on Waves does what it sets out to do: highlight women's contributions to surf culture from a feminine perspective that appeals to both men and women.

Also, did I mention that admission costs only $3 for adults, $1 for students/military/seniors, free for kids under 12 and free on Thursdays? It's the perfect opportunity to spend nothing and gain something valuable. For more information, check out its website at Surfmuseum.org.

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