The Junipero Serra Museum

Stumbled upon this hidden gem while trying to navigate to get to old Town. The staff was very friendly here. Interesting sight to see small but interesting. Tons of walking on those steep stairs knees almost gave out and said Jesus just take over from here. Snap crackle and pop!!!! Lol. You have access to go inside the tower and they have a interactive screens about the history of the building, great place to take photos, and It's free. They do accept donations to help jeep the structure preserved so if you are in the area do check it out, this spot is really heavy if you are looking for ghost so hopefully if you are in the building you'll sense a little but of something with you:)

Stunning beautiful place, you can't beat the sunset views from here and you will also learn history! The surrounding areas are perfect too!

Visited on a weekday while it was closed and still enjoyed the area. On a previous visit during business hours (the weekend), the museum displayed many artifacts collected from indigenous people groups. This was a fascinating homage to the political landscape of early Baja California and the colonial mission system. The mirador or lookout tower in the museum was great! It offered a breathtaking view of the city. I would definitely recommend visiting this place to anyone who is interested in getting to know California or San Diego.

The Junipero Serra Museum created the most beautiful backdrop for our romantic summer wedding under the stars. When looking for a venue, we had some pretty specific criteria: -Outdoor Reception (the San Diego weather deserves to be taken advantage of) -Beautiful view -Dancing until 11pm -Within the city of San Diego (less than 20 mins from USD) -The right size for 100 guests (not too big, not too small) You'd be surprised by how few venues fit this criteria. With our church wedding taking place at USD, we were firm on our criteria, but all it took was a few steps across the terrace at the Serra Museum to know it was the one. First of all, the museum itself is stunning. They recently re-stucco'd the exterior of the building giving it a pristine white color. The arches across the terrace perfectly framed components of our event like our bar, DJ and lounge set up. Then, turn the other way and you've got a beautiful sunset view that stretches for miles. The sun set perfectly as our guests were seated for dinner and during dancing, we were treated to a spectacular firework show from Sea World. Additional considerations when planning a wedding: If you wanted, you could hold your ceremony in the museum itself. The museum was available for use during our reception. They have plenty of parking. They have a preferred vendor list and you must use one of the approved caterers. The list was plentiful and we went with the Abbey Catering, who did a phenomenal job. The venue is a historic building and not ADA compliant. There are a lot of stairs, but the height on the hill makes for the perfect views. We have to give a shoutout to the venue's coordinator, Sue, who is fabulous! She was so responsive and made herself available on numerous occasions for us to tour the space and walk through with our various vendors. We loved working with her and were so grateful for all of her help throughout the entire planning process. You can walk the terrace at anytime so we love that for years to come, we'll be able to come back to revisit the special place that will forever hold a spot in our hearts.

Quick facts: Size: Very small Price: Free (donations) Est time in museum: 15 - 20 minutes Recommended for: Locals interested in San Diego's early history Best Feature: None really. Small mission/museum. Much smaller than I thought it would be. It is on top of a hill so you get some decent views of the surrounding area, although there are large trees that obscure the views. The 'museum' is primarily one main area, about the same size as a small chapel and a smaller room as you go up the mission tower. There is a small trail area next to the museum if you wanted to take a walk. Overall a peaceful location. When I visited there in the summer there wasn't anything on display in the main areas other than a few Indian artifacts in a glass display. The other 'displays' were mainly text and some old pictures explaining the local indian culture in early San Diego. So it seems as though they do not have exhibits on display all year round in the main area. The mission itself didn't appear to be in the best condition as well. Would I recommend a visit? Probably not especially if you have to drive more than a few miles just to see it, but it is right next to Old Town, so if you have time at the end of your day, you can stop by for a quick look, but you wouldn't be missing much if you didn't.