Help provide access to arts, creativity and play to children and families throughout San Diego! Proceeds from The Magical Treehouse gala fund our access programs, which make it possible for more than 30% of our annual visitors to visit the Museum for free or at a discount. Learn about some of our access programs below!

Fund a Need

Accessibility Mornings

Accessibility Mornings takes place on the second Saturday of each month and provides free access for families in need of a sensory-friendly experience, including children on the autism spectrum.

Military Access

We provide free admission to active-duty military families through the Blue Star Museum program during the summer (from Armed Forces Day to Labor Day) as well as discounts on daily admission and annual memberships.

Museums for All + Access for All Membership

Museums for All provides deeply discounted admission ($2/person for up to four people) for those receiving government assistance (EBT, SNAP, WIC benefits). Museums for All families are also eligible for the Access for All Membership, a deeply-discounted Family membership to the Museum.

Title 1 School Visits

Thousands of students visit the Museum through school field trips. Our school visits provide guided or self-guided tours and standards-based art making activities, including a virtual option. Over 60% of visiting school groups have Title 1 status and visit the Museum free of charge. At Title 1 schools, at least 40% of the students are from low-income families.

pARTners in Creativity

Through pARTners in Creativity, we offer free visits to the Museum and/or provide art kits for low-to-moderate income families and children served by partner organizations, including Autism Tree Foundation, Camp Hope, Monarch School, Sensory Friendly San Diego, San Diego Center for Children, STEP (Support the Enlisted Project), Voices for Children, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Words Alive, and USO San Diego.

Mass Creativity

Our signature outreach program Mass Creativity provides free art making workshops at local community centers throughout San Diego. These workshops culminate on Mass Creativity Day, a free annual festival celebrating art, community and creativity with our partners at the Museum. Community partners include Barrio Logan College Institute, Casa Familiar, City Heights Weingart Library, Skyline Hills Library, The San Diego LGBT Center, Solutions for Change, and SBCS.

Thanksgiving Week Hours

The Museum will be closed on Thursday, 11/28; however we will be open every other day on Thanksgiving week from 9am-4pm, including Tuesday, 11/26. See you at NCM!