USS Midway Museum
USS Midway Museum
5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Located in downtown San Diego, the USS Midway (Museum) was America’s longest-serving aircraft carrier of the 20th century. Today, the interactive museum is an unforgettable adventure for the entire family as guests walk in the footsteps of the 225,000 young men who served on Midway. Visitors explore a floating city at sea, the amazing flight deck and its 29 restored aircraft, flight simulators, and are inspired in the Battle of Midway Theater, included with admission. Admission also includes a self-guided audio tour narrated by Midway sailors in English, Mandarin, Spanish, Japanese, French and German. Visiting Midway is a once-in-a-lifetime experience in San Diego, known around the world as "Navy Town, USA."
Duration: More than 3 hours
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Admission tickets
from $32.00
All you need to step foot in the door.
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Top ways to experience USS Midway Museum
The area
Address
Neighborhood: Downtown
How to get there
  • Santa Fe Depot • 8 min walk
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See what travelers are saying
  • Kimberley W
    Yorkville, Illinois7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Explore history
    Amazing piece of history to explore. Learn about the Naval battle that gave this huge air craft carrier it’s name. Walk over the huge flight deck and talk to retired navy personnel about their experiences. Take the tour of the island…the command center and offices. Great gift shop.
    Visited March 2023
    Written March 19, 2023
  • Jason J
    Blackfoot, Idaho7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very interesting museum
    My whole family (14-22 years old) enjoyed visiting the USS Midway. Learning about the Battle of Midway, life on an aircraft carrier, and all of the aircraft was really interesting. I wish we'd gone earlier in the day because we didn't get to see everything we wanted to.
    Visited March 2023
    Written March 27, 2023
  • Dennis K
    Plano, Texas230 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A Must See Attraction
    This is a must do in San Diego. We arrived on. Monday morning and after dropping off our bags walked over to the Midway. It was about lunchtime, and there was no line for tickets. Visitors to the Midway will get to experience most areas of the ship from the engine room to the crew quarters, pilot ready rooms, commissary, laundry facilities, brig, captain’s quarters, the bridge, and more. It is very immersive. I would plan on spending at least three hours there. They have a cafe, but I did not try the food. There is also a souvenir store. Areas of the Midway will prevent challenges to those with handicaps. There are narrow stairwells and ladders to climb. I don’t remember seeing many elevators or escalators beyond the entrance and exit. The deck of the ship features several fighter craft and offers a great view of the Bay. This is highly recommended.
    Visited March 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written March 28, 2023
  • DebbieHarry S
    10 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Must see
    This is a must see. Amazing. We planned 3 hours, but it was not enough time. Everything was great. From the top deck with all the planes, the tour of the different places on the ship and the simulators. It was money well spent for a great time.
    Visited March 2023
    Written March 29, 2023
  • Joe C
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    US navy might
    This is a must experience. Was one of the best thing I saw while in San Diego. Make sure to wear some sun glasses when on the flight deck. Lot of planes to check out and some pretty cool stuff inside. I’d probably skip out on the photo ops as it is insanely expensive. Food looked really good and gift shop was a blast to check out
    Visited January 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written March 31, 2023
  • Poke_it_with_a_stick
    83 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Five hours and I don't think I saw everything...
    It is an entire aircraft carrier though, I am not quite sure what I expected. You do not need an interest in military history to enjoy this. The sheer scale and undertaking that is this floating city is enough to interest anyone. The site is huge with access available to most areas above and below deck. Even the tower is accessible as part of small group tours (no extra fee). The museum is made to be explored and interacted with. From what I could see, the only parts out of bounds were for obvious safety reasons. You can sit in the chairs, press the buttons, climb aboard the planes on deck. The whole thing is a town in the ocean (well, in dock) waiting to be explored. Plus, how often are you going to be able to visit an aircraft carrier in your life? Just climb aboard and thank me later.
    Visited January 2023
    Written April 2, 2023
  • CAFamily
    California447 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    So interesting! Highly recommend.
    What a great museum! My husband and I were planning to spend an hour here, but ended up spending 5 hours looking at everything. So interesting! Highly recommend. (To save time, buy your tickets online so you can pass the ticket line when you arrive.)
    Visited March 2023
    Written April 7, 2023
  • Gwilymbach
    59 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Feb visit
    This is great fun, the exhibits are interesting with recordings from real life experiences. However, the absolute highlight is speaking to ex-crew members. Very insightful, dry, exceptionally witty and make the whole experience very memorable. The Naval Aviators stories and experiences of taking off and landing were fantastic to listen to. As was the dude in CIC.
    Visited February 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written April 11, 2023
  • Richard Neil G
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Incredible history and experience, with great views of San Diego!
    #1 advice: Do NOT wear flip flops! The tour is tiring, and you'll want comfortable tennis shoes or something similar! I went with my friend James Nash and his fiancée Alokananda. We walked through the bowels of the ship and learned SO much about how the sailors lived onboard, their jobs, the dangers they faced, and so much more. It was great to be able to see airplanes and helicopters up close... and even get inside some of them. James and Alokananda took the jet flight simulator ride and enjoyed it very much. I was the dummy with the flip flops, so I found myself sitting and resting a lot more than I normally would. I'd also advise going on a relatively cool or overcast day, as it gets VERY hot on the deck of the Midway.
    Visited June 2022
    Traveled with friends
    Written April 13, 2023
  • Mark M
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The best tour museum of its kind . An absolute must visit.
    Absolutely amazing to see and experience the USS Midway. An incredible insight into its history , the duties it has performed and to see every aspect of life on board and how everything operates. It is enhanced further by the vast number of ex servicemen who meet and greet and provide insights and details of exactly how things were. My particular highlights were the pilots giving video and spoken guide to how the aircraft catapult off and and land back on the deck . “ call the ball”. Fascinating. The best tour of this kind anywhere . I feel very privileged to have been allowed to see the USS Midway in all here glory and having been given such amazing insights. Thank you and huge respect to all the vets and volunteers , you are incredible.
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written April 17, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles25,661 reviews
Excellent
20,210
Very good
4,859
Average
511
Poor
49
Terrible
33

Karen C
St. John's, Canada3,130 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
My husband and I spent a few days in San Diego and thought when will we ever get a chance to go on an aircraft carrier again, so we decided to visit.

My husband is in a wheelchair and the Midway is not completely wheelchair accessible. They say about 70% accessible although I would argue that it is not quite that high.

Admission was $26 per person although my husband had his fee waived.

The upper deck was the most interesting part to me. Lots of aircraft on display, views of the city and bay, video presentations you could watch and the volunteers walking around were very knowledgeable - many of them had flown jets/planes and landed on aircraft carriers. Very interesting talking to them.

There are simulators on the lower deck but they charge extra for those!!

Worth a visit for anyone interested in the Navy or history.
Written February 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

BMAZ1538
25 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
My daughter and I decided to visit the USS Midway. We weren't sure we would stay very long because of our interest level, but the visit was surprisingly fun. We did not buy our tickets in advance and arrived at the entrance 20 minutes before the attraction opened and purchased our tickets within minutes. While waiting on line, we were given advice to head up to the flight deck to take the Guided Island Tour first because it tends to get busy. After that we wandered through what seemed like the entire ship and saw many of the exhibits, movies, and talks. It was fun to sit in several of the jet fighters and other aircraft units. The free self guided audio tour was helpful as well as the many explanations from knowledgeable Midway volunteers. We stayed so long that we purchased lunch at the cafe and ate outside on a deck that had seating. It was very pleasant and gave us a break from all the walking. We must have been there over 4 hours. I wasn't sure it would be a must see as others have said, but I do agree now.
Written January 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

stephendV1832WB
Coogee99 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
An afternoon in San Diego, having walked for miles exploring the city and having had a bus tour, we decided we couldn’t leave without checking out the Midway museum. The tour is all encompassing, starting on the cavernous main hangar deck indoors flowing up to the flight deck with its selection of parked warplanes (each with its own story) and then moving to a tour of the bridge and quarters. Staffed by ex-sailors and officers each of whom are pleased to explain the various areas of the ship or the planes, makes for a more realistic experience. The view from the flight deck as the sun slowly sank over the horizon is special and the lights of the city twinkle as you marvel at the size of this magnificent vessel. An afternoon well spent indeed!
Written March 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

brodge
Kansas City, MO141 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
We have visited the USS Midway Museum twice and loved it both times. If you visit in February, you might get to take advantage of the 1/2 price museum visit promotion. Check a local library for a coupon. Then if you keep your ticket stub, you will get $5.00 off a harbor cruise. Park in the lot next to the Midway for $10. After we spent 4 hours on the ship, we walked next door to The Fish Market restaurant and had a wonderful lunch!
Written February 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Donna D
Fort Pierce, FL75 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
This wonderful museum tells the story of a time in our country that should never be forgotten. It is large! it is awe-inspiring. There are many volunteers to help tell the story as well as an audio guide for independent touring. It may be overwhelming to very small children, and it may be difficult for those folks who are challenged with walking too much or challenged with being in small tight places. There are lots of stairs. I did not notice an elevator, but you could check the web site. It IS worth the trip if you are able.
Written January 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

David B
Toronto, Canada361 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Went with high expectations, they proceeded to far exceed them! great job presenting 50 years of military history during the ships service life, loved every second. The equipment was super interesting, but the huge corps of spirited knowledgeable volunteer docents made this museum unforgettable, oh the stories they told. So much to see, minimum 2 hours but easily spend 4.

Suggestions, go EARLY, do the island tour first and make use of the simple audio guides.
Written January 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lynn Stuart
10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 • Couples
The USS Midway is one of the top 5 museums to visit in the nation. It’s exhibits are exquisite and tell a historical saga of the ship’s exploits and adventures — entertaining for young and old! To top your visit off, try visiting in December when you can gaze upon San Diego’s beautiful Christmas lights from the unique viewpoint atop the ship’s flight. Time your visit right and catch San Diego‘s “Parade of Lights” — an armada of finely decorated small boats navigating the bay right past the Midway. Uniquely San Diego!
Written January 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Amanda G
218 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
We had a great time touring the USS Midway! Its different from a typical museum in that you can tour the actual boat. The audio guides are really helpful and all the volunteers served at one time and so were very knowledgeable. The best part was the top of the ship where the planes were kept - one of the volunteers Paul gave a talk about how to land planes and it was incredible!
Written February 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

cmur16
Ohio20 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
History lovers (or hell...even Top Gun film fans) this is a MUST see! This is an absolute treasure trove of knowledge. Whether you are in the hangar, below deck, or flight deck exhibits... you will never see everything in one visit. You can be guided by free portable audio as you explore through out the midway. The flight deck has over 20 aircraft to see. A few of them you can even step inside the cock pit to see how it felt. Below deck has been full restored to give an idea of what life was life for service members aboard this floating city. Speaking of them, stop and hear a short lecture on the flight deck from a "Yellow hat", who actually served on the ship! You can see them below deck to tell even further stories. There's a little snack bar you can get sandwiches, chips, salads, and even beer/wine. Which can be enjoyed looking out over the harbor. The gift shop is stocked with a ton of cool gear, including Top Gun Gear!
Written February 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Justin P
Connecticut54 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
The USS Midway is a great spot in San Diego! There is so much history on this ship and theres a lot of docents walking around the ship to answer questions and tell you about their experiences aboard the ship. History doesn't get any more real than this! You definetly need 3 hours to do the ship any justice, about an hour on the flight deck (you want nice weather for this hour), an hour to stage and do the guided tour (included in the admission cost) of the upper control areas, and about an hour below the hangar deck. Great view of the city and Coronado from the flight deck as well. Everyone was super helpful and very interesting to listen to! We highly recommend a stop to see the USS Midway!
Written March 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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USS Midway Museum - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Frequently Asked Questions about USS Midway Museum

USS Midway Museum admission prices can vary. Entrance tickets currently cost $32.00, while a popular guided tour starts around $7.99 per person.