Yvonne's Blog: Balboa Park Resident Free Tuesday (3rd Tuesday)

Hey There:

This is my favorite Tuesday of the month, I've spent up to 5 hours at Balboa Park because the following museums are Free for San Diego residents:

San Diego Art Institute
Mingei International Museum
San Diego Museum of Art
San Diego Museum of Man
Japanese Friendship Garden

San Diego Art Institute

This museum focuses on art created by contemporary artists, they're mission is to "advance the visual arts through exhibition, education and outreach". They have all kinds of programs so people can have easy access to art, for example, there will be a day trip to the Getty Museum in September and I just saw on their website something about the Sony Artwalk, will have to check that out:

"An annual community arts festival event sponsored by SDAI and a variety of corporate entities to showcase the visual and performing arts in four downtown neighborhoods linked by trolley. Ticket proceeds benefit all non-profit partners".

Mingei International Museum

Such a fascinating museum, full of lovely things from all over the world. The hardest part for me is to avoid touching everything in sight! Since picture taking is not allowed, these images were taken from their website, though I did take a few pictures outside. There's so much to say about this museum but at the same time, everything can be summed up by saying it's a fascinating museum!

San Diego Museum of Art

Another super fascinating museum, their exhibits are exquisite. Thanks to this museum I've seen the great works of many Mexican artists like David Alfaro Siqueiros, and recently I saw an exhibition called From El Greco to Dali, which featured Spanish art spanning five centuries.

San Diego Museum of Man

Such a fun museum and it's all about us, maaaan! I remember there used to be a time when they made hand-made flour tortillas in the museum, you could purchase and eat them right there. And really, tortilla making is a dying art, my Mom stop making them 20 years ago and neither my sister or I ever learned, I doubt I'll be learning any time soon! But I digress, this museum is great for everyone because you can touch and play with things. My favorite permanent exhibition is Footsteps Through Time which shows a journey from human-like creatures alive 65 million years ago all the way to C-3PO. And of course there's the mummies, Mayans and Kumeyaay permanent exhibition.

What I like about this museum is that it celebrates humanity at its core, everything we do as a living beings is fascinating and it makes you look at your own not-so-clean apartment as a work of art and history.

Japanese Friendship Garden

I always like to leave this museum for last, after all day of walking and looking at art, it's nice to come here, sit down for a bit, relax and meditate. The pathways are lovely, they have a Koi Pond, bonsai trees, Japanese art exhibitions and the trails for this garden are being expanded. Now, I know I have a lot of pictures from this garden, and for the life of me, can't find them! Guess I have to go back and take some pics.