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Maritime Museum Review

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Maritime Museum

Address: 1492 N. Harbor Dr., San Diego, CA, 92101 | Map It
Phone: 619/234-9153
www.sdmaritime.org

Category: Museums/Galleries
Location: Embarcadero

Write a review | Avg. member rating: 4.6/5

Fodor's Review:

A must for anyone with an interest in nautical history, this collection of six restored and replica ships affords a fascinating glimpse of San Diego during its heyday as a commercial seaport. The museum's headquarters are the Berkeley, an 1898 ferryboat moored at the foot of Ash Street. The steam-driven ship, which served the Southern Pacific Railroad in San Francisco until 1958, played its most important role during the great earthquake of 1906, when it saved thousands of people from the fires that had engulfed San Francisco. Its ornate carved-wood paneling, stained-glass windows, and plate-glass mirrors have been restored, and its main deck serves as a floating museum, with permanent exhibits on West Coast maritime history and complementary rotating exhibits.

If you crave more than a dockside experience, you can take to the water in the museum's other sailing ship, the Californian, a replica of a 19th-century revenue cutter that patrolled the shores of California. Designated the state's official tall ship, it can be boarded for a variety of half- and full-day sails (weather permitting) on weekends. (Typically, weekday cruises are reserved for schoolchildren.) Tickets may be purchased online or at the museum on the day of sail. Full-day sails leave at 10 AM and half-day sails leave between 12:30 and 4:30 PM. They're most popular on sunny days, when it's recommended to show up at least one hour ahead of desired departure.

Cost: $14 includes entry to all ships except the Californian
Open: Daily 9-8, until 9PMin summer

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Member Reviews and Ratings

Reviewed by Talmidah from Canyon Lake, CA on 2/17/09
This was a fun way to learn about the different types of ships and some maritime history. The ferryboat Berkeley had several interesting permanent displays but the one I liked the most was a visiting photographic display of Morris Rosenfeld's beautiful sailing photographs (wow!). The Medea, though small, was worth visiting because it gave us a real sense of atmosphere and era that the yacht was used in. It was also where we boarded the Pilot Boat (optional tour for $3 extra) for a tour of the North Bay. Going out on the Pilot Boat was a blast for my kids, especially since the boat did a little rocking and rolling, and the First Mate Mark (originally from Boston no less!)did an excellent job pointing out sites and giving the back history of the harbor. The HMS Surprise and the Star of India were both interesting and seemed to be evolving as well. There were several signs up indicating that parts of the ship would be open in the future. The real highlight of the Museum however was the chance to go on the Cold War-era Soviet submarine. Spaces are cramped, as one might imagine, but the reality of looking at the cots, toilets, and officer's washroom was such an eye-opener in many ways. The Museum doesn't actually own this submarine, it is on loan/lease for 2 more years, so this exhibit may not be available after that time. I would recommend visiting a couple of the ships, taking a break for a snack or lunch, then coming back to see the rest so your brain doesn't fade out. It is worth the visit!