Maritime Museum of San Diego
Discover a world-class collection of historic ships, including the world’s oldest active sailing ship, Star of India, at the Maritime Museum of San Diego.
Planning your visit
The Star of India is the oldest active sailing ship in the world — an iron-hulled barque built in 1863 on the Isle of Man, which made 21 circumnavigations carrying emigrants to New Zealand and later worked the Alaska salmon trade. She still sails, occasionally, which is remarkable for a vessel over 160 years old.
She anchors a fleet moored along the Embarcadero: the ferry Berkeley of 1898, which evacuated survivors after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake; a Soviet-built B-39 submarine from the Cold War; the American submarine USS Dolphin; the steam yacht Medea; and full-size replicas of the San Salvador, Cabrillo's ship of 1542, and HMS Surprise, built for film work.
Going through the submarines back to back — Soviet and American — is the most instructive part of the visit.
Allow three hours. The main booking is an admission ticket. Current availability is listed below.
Before you book
Where is Maritime Museum of San Diego?
Maritime Museum of San Diego is in San Diego, United States. The map on this page marks its exact location.
How long should I allow for Maritime Museum of San Diego?
Allow three hours. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
Do I need to book Maritime Museum of San Diego in advance?
Tickets can be bought on the door at quiet times, but booking ahead fixes the date and avoids the queue at busy ones. Live availability is shown on this page.
