Mordern, Free, Best Art Museums in Olivenhain

"Considered one of the great small museums in the world, the Timken houses a wonderful collection of European old master paintings, American paintings, and Russian icons. Artists represented include Rembrandt, Rubens, Fragonard, Bierstadt, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, John Singleton Copley, and Eastman Johnson. Admission is always free."

"Italian Renaissance, Dutch, Spanish and baroque pieces are exhibited, as well as contemporary paintings and sculptures. Works by Monet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Renoir, Pisarro, van Gogh and Dufy are rotated in display on the ground floor. Shop, sculpture garden and cafe with outdoor seating."

"The Natural History Museum, the Museum of Man and the Museum of Art are three of the other most popular museums. (And, no, I’ve not missed San Diego Zoo – see my thoughts on the zoo and Sea World below)."

"The Children’s Museum is an environmentally sustainable building that provides a dynamic, playful public space and community center for children and families – a place to experience exciting art exhibitions, hands-on studio projects, performances, birthday parties, in-depth classes, camps and educational programs. 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 trolleys going by."

"The Children’s Museum provides a dynamic, playful public space and community center for children and families—a place to experience exciting art exhibitions, hands-on studio projects, performances, birthday parties, in-depth classes, camps and educational programs. 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."

"Originally in La Jolla, the New Children’s Museum opened in its current light-filled downtown space in 2008. Entering the multi-story, 50,000-square-foot space, it’s immediately evident that a lot of thought and imagination has gone into the museum’s design. Off the bat, a room lined entirely with mattresses invites kids to literally jump on the bed."

"Even if you’re broke, the Timken Museum of Art is always free, and if you have a Bank of America card, the San Diego Museum of Art and the Museum of Photogenic Arts are free on certain days. If you love art, check out the Spanish village. These are historic buildings turned art galleries and stores which have a lot of their work for sale. Even just walking through this area is a fun experience."

"This world-class museum features extensive collections of still photographs, videos and films. The history of the medium is illustrated, from the earliest Daguerreotypes and albumen prints to modern laser holograms. A variety of artists are represented, including Alfred Stieglitz, Ben Shahn, Alberto Korda, Ansel Adams and Margaret Bourke-White."

"MOPA, one of the few museums devoted solely to photography, features works by both the famous and not so famous."

"This museum presents exhibits of folk art from around the world, including Indonesia and New Guinea (multicolored masks, dolls, fertility symbols and shadow puppets) and Japan (decorative bottles, bowls and jars). Children will delight in the displays of international toys and antique carousels. Don't forget to visit the Collectors' Gallery/Museum Store for a wide selection of modern and antique arts and crafts."

"Established in 1978, Mingei International Museum is a non-profit public institution that was established in 1978. Located in Balboa Park, the museum houses a variety of art forms from cultures all around the world, both past, and present. It includes nearly 20,000 artistic objects and artifacts from over 140 countries and focuses on folk art, craft, and design."

"Located in San Diego’s Balboa Park, Mingei exhibits folk art, craft & design from all eras & cultures. Art of the world, art of the people."

"Located on a 12-acre campus near the city Hall, the California Centre for the arts was opened in 1994. The Centre was inspired by Spanish colonial heritage and designed by Charles Moore. The Centre has a seating capacity of 1500 guests and houses a concert hall, a museum exhibiting contemporary art, a beautifully designed theatre with capacity of 400 people, a few art studios, some dance studios, as well as a conference centre."

"It's easy to spend an hour in this heartfelt museum of surf artifacts, from a timeline of surfing history to surf-themed art and a radical collection of boards, including the one chomped by a shark when it ate the arm of surfer Bethany Hamilton. Special exhibits change frequently along different themes (eg Women of Surfing and Surfers of the Vietnam War)."

"By Oleg Alexandrov (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons. Visit this vibrant, community-driven museum and get a taste of the San Diego art scene right at the source: the San Diego Art Institute. This museum's mission is to connect contemporary artists from southern California and northern Baja with audiences and to showcase art in a way that promotes cultural perspective and understanding."

"When founded in 1941, the San Diego Art Institute was called the San Diego Business Men’s Art Club, only permitting male members. By the 1950s, women were allowed in and the name had been changed. The cultural institution now showcases experimental art from a diverse array of artists from the Southern California/Baja Norte region."

"A new exhibition of works by San Diego artists opens every four to six weeks in this 10,000-square-foot gallery, dedicated to the advancement of the visual arts through outreach, education, and exhibition."

"Even if you’re broke, the Timken Museum of Art is always free, and if you have a Bank of America card, the San Diego Museum of Art and the Museum of Photogenic Arts are free on certain days. If you love art, check out the Spanish village. These are historic buildings turned art galleries and stores which have a lot of their work for sale. Even just walking through this area is a fun experience."

"Brothers Family Restaurant, located in decidedly middle-class Allied Gardens, is the type of diner that every neighborhood should be required to have. It's a place that serves up straightforward comfort food - nothing fancy, just good, homestyle stuff. There's nothing fancy about it - people just love it, from seniors to families, everyone is happy."

"This beach earns its name because residents in the early 1900s used to picnic under the stars here. Today, Moonlight State Beach is a popular beach choice with North County San Diego locals and visitors. A picnic area, restrooms, volleyball courts, tennis courts, equipment rentals, a snack bar and more are just a few of the conveniences offered here."

"Moonlight Beach is a treasure trove of one-stop-shop beachiness with fairly easy parking, picnic areas, fire pits, a play area, volleyball courts, a snack shop, and showers for after swimming. This is one seriously family-friendly beach. Get there early enough and you’ll almost certainly see dolphins frolicking in the surf."

"After breakfast, you can continue north through the cute coastal towns of Solana Beach and Cardiff , until you get up to Moonlight Beach in Encinitas. READ MORE: The Best San Diego Beachfront Hotels"

"Located in Balboa Park, the Japanese Friendship Garden is a relaxing spot to spend an afternoon in San Diego. The garden was built to represent the friendship between San Diego and its sister city in Japan, Yokohama, and provides a unique and chilled out experience for visitors. Besides its zen atmosphere and impressive garden and architecture designs, the Japanese Friendship Garden hosts regular events throughout the year, such as yoga classes, meditation sessions, and the San Diego Sake Day."

"Feel the beauty of the waterfalls and greenery as you stroll the pathways of the Japanese Friendship Garden. Skip right past the entrance fee the third Tuesday of every month. As well, explore the Japanese rock garden and take in the current indoor display."

"The elegant Japanese Friendship Garden is also worth a visit. Grab lunch at The Prado, located within Balboa Park., and try to get a table on the outdoor terrace."

"Why go: You’re at the Children’s Pool and would like to step out on the sand to explore a different beach. South Casa Beach is located directly south of the Children’s Pool (which is also referred to as Casa Beach). In fact, it’s just on the other side of the Children’s Pool lifeguard station, which also services South Casa Beach."

"South Casa Beach is a small triangle-shaped cove just south of Children’s Pool Beach in La Jolla. Children’s Pool is also known as Casa Beach so this beach got the […]"

"It has wide sandy beaches for typical beach recreation and is also a favorite surfing spot. Lifeguards are on duty only during the summer months. Find public showers above the beach access, but there are no public restrooms."