USS Midway Museum
Tickets & Visitor Guide to San Diego's Aircraft Carrier Museum
⏱ 3-4 hours👤 All ages$$
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Commissioned just after World War II in 1945 and serving until 1992 — through Vietnam and the Gulf War — the USS Midway was the longest-serving US Navy aircraft carrier of the 20th century. Since 2004 she has been a museum ship on Navy Pier along San Diego's downtown waterfront, and she's become one of the most popular floating museums in the world, an unmissable landmark on the Embarcadero.
A visit is remarkably immersive. On the flight deck, you walk among dozens of restored aircraft — fighters, helicopters, and more — with the downtown skyline and the bay all around. Below, the cavernous hangar bay and a maze of restored spaces reveal what life was like for the thousands who served aboard: the bunk rooms, galley, mess decks, brig, engine room, sick bay, and the bridge and command spaces high above. You can climb into a cockpit, try a flight simulator, and talk with the many Navy veterans who volunteer as docents.
The included self-guided audio tour — frequently narrated by Midway veterans — is excellent, and there's enough to see that many visitors spend several hours. It's engaging for kids and adults alike, and its central Embarcadero location pairs naturally with the Maritime Museum nearby and a harbor cruise. This experience is booked directly through our own ticketing site.
What to Expect
Format
Self-guided tour with an included audio guide (often narrated by veterans). Flight deck with restored aircraft, hangar bay, crew spaces, bridge, and a flight simulator. On Navy Pier, downtown Embarcadero.
Best Time
Weekday mornings are quietest, before tour groups and the midday sun on the open deck. A clear day is best for the flight-deck views.
Duration
3-4 hours to do it justice; it's larger than it looks.
Tips
Wear comfortable shoes and bring sun protection for the exposed flight deck. Use the included audio tour — it's excellent. Chat with the veteran docents; their stories are a highlight. It's on the downtown Embarcadero, so combine it with the Maritime Museum nearby or a harbor cruise.
⚡ Quick Picks
Best For
Families, history and aviation enthusiasts, and first-time visitors — it's a top San Diego attraction.
Families
Outstanding for kids — climbing among the aircraft, sitting in cockpits, and the flight simulator make it hands-on and exciting.
Couples
An engaging, unusual outing with great skyline and bay views from the flight deck.
Pair With
The Maritime Museum (Star of India) is along the same Embarcadero, and harbor cruises depart nearby. Coronado is just across the bay.
Time Needed
Half a day.
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Book direct →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the USS Midway?
A retired US Navy aircraft carrier — the longest-serving carrier of the 20th century (1945-1992) — now a museum ship on Navy Pier along San Diego's downtown waterfront, and one of the most-visited floating museums in the world.
What can I see and do aboard?
Walk the flight deck among dozens of restored aircraft, explore the hangar bay and crew spaces (bunks, galley, bridge, engine room, and more), sit in a cockpit, try a flight simulator, and follow the included audio tour, often narrated by veterans.
How long does a visit take?
Plan 3-4 hours — there's far more to see than first appears, across the flight deck and the many decks below.
Is it good for kids?
Excellent — the aircraft, cockpits, simulators, and sheer scale make it one of San Diego's best family attractions. Bring sun protection for the open flight deck.
Where is it and what's nearby?
On Navy Pier along the downtown Embarcadero, near the Maritime Museum and harbor cruise departures, with Coronado just across the bay.
More San Diego Attractions
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Maritime Museum of San Diego
A fleet of historic ships on the downtown Embarcadero — led by the Star of India, the world's oldest active sailing ship — plus tall ships, a steam ferry, and submarines you can board and explore.
San Diego Harbor Cruise
A narrated sightseeing cruise around San Diego Bay — past the downtown skyline, the USS Midway and the naval fleet, the Coronado Bridge, sea lions on the buoys, and the working waterfront. A relaxing way to see the city from the water.
Coronado Beach & Island
A wide, golden, often top-ranked beach across the bay from downtown — fronted by the legendary 1888 Hotel del Coronado, with a charming village, the iconic Coronado Bridge, and a relaxed resort-town feel. Free to enjoy.