*san Diegos Most Popular Family Attraction
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore a historic aircraft carrier. Activities for all ages including self-guided audio tours, theater, flight simulators, climb-in aircraft, ejection seats and cockpits, guided tours of the bridge and more. Audio tours are available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Japanese, French and German.
Spectacular flight deck views of the downtown skyline, San Diego Bay Bridge, and active U.S. Navy ships! Midway is an opportunity to experience the uniqueness of San Diego, original home of TOP GUN.
Conveniently located in downtown San Diego along the Embarcadero. Parking available alongside on Navy Pier. Closed only on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
*Cited by TripAdvistor
USS Midway Museum – a real aircraft carrier…fun for the family, once in a lifetime memory for everyone! Create a once in a lifetime memory exploring the USS Midway, the longest-serving U.S. Navy aircraft carrier of the 20th century! Imagine living aboard a floating city at sea with 4,500 shipmates, by exploring galleys, officer’s country, sleeping quarters and the 4 acre flight deck. Admission includes a self-guided audio tour to over 60 locations from the engine room to control tower, narrated by Midway sailors who lived or worked in each.
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Your payment will be processed one day before the end of the free cancellation period specified in the product’s cancellation policy, based on Pacific time. For example, if you book an experience in Paris with free cancellation up to 1 day before, scheduled to start at 1pm on Saturday October 5, your payment will be processed on Thursday October 3 at 1pm Pacific Time if your experience in New York City has the same cancellation policy and is scheduled to start at 3pm on Saturday October 5, your payment will be processed on Thursday October 3 at 3pm Pacific Time .
If there is no start time set on the experience, payment will be processed at midnight Pacific time. For example, if you book an experience in Paris with free cancellation up to 1 day before, for Saturday October 5, your payment will be processed around 9am Paris time on Thursday October 3.
*Up to 9 days depending on the booking/product
Uss Midway San Diego Tickets
I highly recommend getting tickets online before, so you can skip the line. Especially in the summer time and on the weekends, this can save you a LOT of time. When it is busy, the wait time can be easily over 1 hour.
Tickets include a free self-guided audio tour that will tell you interesting stories, fun facts and fascinating details about the exhibits you are seeing.
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Uss Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum
Year in and year out, the USS Midway Museum is one of San Diegos most popular attractions. This unique destination is actually a United States naval aircraft carrier that has been decommissioned and turned into a museum. Visitors to the USS Midway Museum can peruse a series of exhibits that demonstrate what life was like for the crew in every aspect of their time in service, as well as explore the over 30 historic aircrafts that remain onboard the vessel.
Save on your visit to the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum!USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum is included on the Go San Diego Pass. Save an additional 10% on the Go City Pass with Coupon Code: CMGOCITY10 The discount stacks on top the current sale prices! Promo expires on August 31st.
Best Tips For Your Visit
- Go in the off-season, during the week, early in the morning to avoid the crowds
- When you get on the ship, they will steer you towards the right. We recommend turning left and heading straight to the Ships Island/Bridge. Take the guided Bridge Tour as early as possible. On busy days, last admittance might be as early as 3:30 PM.
- Talk to the volunteers. Many of them are veterans and they have incredible stories to share about their time in service. This was by far my favorite about this museum. It was fascinating to hear their personal stories and anecdotes about life as a sailor.
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More To Explore In San Diego
Private Uss Midway Tour
Enjoy a private guided tour of one of San Diegos most visited attractions with a private tour guide! The USS Midway was the Navys longest serving aircraft carrier of the 20th century and the largest ship in the world for a decade.
On this tour and throughout your visit after, you will discover 60 exhibits and 25 restored historic aircraft from the engine room to the bridge. This package includes a private guided tour narrated by a knowledgable local docent.
Experience the military history of San Diego and climb inside the history of the Midway, and get an unforgettable VIP visit and experience with Another Side Tours!
***Please note that this tour need to be booked at least 2 weeks in advance in order for the us to accommodate you.***
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Uss Midway Museum Ticket & Audioguide
If you’re in San Diego, you won’t want to miss one of its main tourist attractions, the museum of the aircraft carrier USS Midway. This iconic ship is a symbol of the city and definitely a must-see in San Diego!
With your ticket to the USS Midway Museum, you’ll be able to explore this ship’s exhibits at your leisure while you discover its fascinating history. You’ll learn interesting facts such as the origins of its name, which is related to a famous battle…
Your audioguide, the simulators and the projections on the aircraft carrier will help you to understand the historical moments that this imposing 971 foot long ship has witnessed. You’ll also have the chance to see restored aircraft on display along the USS Midway.
Skip The Line: Uss Midway Museum Admission Ticket In San Diego
- Learn more
- Instant confirmation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- Skip the line with a pre-booked ticket
- Take in an important piece of San Diegos military history
- See the longest-serving U.S. aircraft carrier of the 20th century
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- Skip the line with a pre-booked ticket
- Take in an important piece of San Diegos military history
- See the longest-serving U.S. aircraft carrier of the 20th century
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Embarcadero Adventure Offers including discounts for other nearby attractions
- World famous Midway volunteers will bring the flight deck alive
- Ability to skip the ticketing line – does not apply to lines within the attraction.
- Entry/Admission – USS Midway Museum
- Guaranteed to skip the lines
- Hotel pickup and drop off
- Parking: please note that during the summer, parking is limited and early arrival is encouraged.
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Embarcadero Adventure Offers including discounts for other nearby attractions
- World famous Midway volunteers will bring the flight deck alive
- Ability to skip the ticketing line – does not apply to lines within the attraction.
- Entry/Admission – USS Midway Museum
- Guaranteed to skip the lines
- Hotel pickup and drop off
- Parking: please note that during the summer, parking is limited and early arrival is encouraged.
- Returns to original departure point
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San Diegos Proud Naval Tradition On Display
While Midway is by far the largest thing to see in San Diego harbor, a number of other museums and monuments are well within walking distance and worth spending the effort to visit. Immediately south of Midways dock is a row of veterans memorials dedicated to San Diegos proud naval tradition. There are sculptures dedicated to sailors homecomings and the USS San Diego, a World War II antiaircraft cruiser that earned 18 battle stars during the war. A nine-foot-tall black obelisk commemorates all of Americas aircraft carriers by name.
Perhaps the most moving tribute is dedicated to Taffy 3, the task force of U.S. Navy vessels that fought in the battle off Samar, part of the larger and better-known Battle of Leyte Gulf. When a large Japanese force attacked the American invasion fleet, all that stood in its way were the destroyers and destroyer escorts of Task Force 77.4.3, known as Taffy 3. Joined by planes from some nearby escort carriers , the tiny, outmatched force attacked the Japanese, putting up stiff resistance and causing so much damage and confusion to the Japanese that they retired without achieving their goal of attacking the vulnerable transports of the American invasion force.
Exhibits On The Hangar Deck
The exhibits run the gamut of the ships service, from the post-World War II period through Desert Storm and the early 1990s. Immediately to the right of the hangar deck entrance sits a restored Vought F4U Corsair fighter, perhaps the most recognizable carrier aircraft of World War II due to its distinctive gull wing design. Beyond is a display dedicated to American carrier aviation. Paintings of various carriers and plaques listing the classes and names of all of Americas flattops surround a large-scale model of the USS Gambier Bay , an escort carrier sunk during the battle off Samar by a Japanese task force led by the battleship Yamato on October 25, 1944.
The rest of the hangar deck contains not only historic military aircraft but a number of attractions designed for tourists of all ages. Two more of World War IIs famous naval aircraft are on display, a Douglas SBD Dauntless and Grumman TBM Avenger. The Dauntless was Americas prime dive-bomber during the first half of the war, destroying the Japanese carrier fleet at Midway and turning the tide in the Pacific War. The Avenger torpedo bomber made its first appearance at the Battle of Midway, when six of them took part in the attack on the Japanese Navy. Although five were lost in their first engagement, the aircraft went on to do good service throughout the war.
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A Tour Through The Uss Midway
The first thing that strikes a visitor to Midway is her size. This ship is enormous, towering over the pier and adjacent parking lot. A sturdy gantry leads up to the main entrance on the ships hangar deck, where visitors can pick up an electronic tour guide with a set of earphones. Midways audio guides are easy to use. As you walk through the ship, you will see numbers posted next to the various exhibits. Simply punch in the number on the guides keypad and press the play button. A description of the exhibit will play, explaining what you are looking at and how it worked in relation to the rest of the ship. Many include audio recordings of former Midway sailors describing their personal experiences. The museum has gone to great lengths to portray the everyday lives of sailors aboard ship. Midways crew numbered 4,500 in all, with each man having to perform his particular job to keep the carrier operating. Walking through the ship and listening to the crews testimonials gives visitors some idea of the thousands of individual tasks involved with running a giant aircraft carrier.
The tour is self-paced, and visitors are free to wander at their own speed. Along with the audio guides, museum docents are posted throughout the ship, ready to answer specific questions. Most of them are former sailors who served aboard aircraft carriers, although not all on Midway. They add a rich level of detail to the experience.
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Know before you go
- Some attractions may be temporarily unavailable, have reduced opening hours, or require advanced reservations before your visit. Please check the included digital guide as well as attraction websites for the most up-to-date information and make reservations, where needed, well in advance
- Your pass will be instantly delivered to you in PDF format, which you can either save on your phone or print off. This PDF will include your individual QR coded pass along with the guide
- All passes are valid for 2 years from the purchase date and only become activated with your first attraction visit. After activation, your pass will be valid for the number of consecutive days purchased
- Please note: you’ll be able to enter attractions from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM only. If you wish to visit an attraction in the evening, you’ll need to make sure you show or scan your pass at the entrance before 5:30 PM. You will then be welcome to stay until closing time
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About Uss Midway Museum
The USS Midway is a retired aircraft carrier now serving as a museum on San Diegos waterfront. During its 47 years of operationincluding a decade as the largest ship ever commissionedthe Midway had around 225,000 sailors serve above and below its decks. Today, visitors can follow in the shoes of sailors and pilots and experience life aboard this city at sea.
- Size: a full aircraft carrier, with 30 restored Navy aircraft and more than 60 exhibits sprawled above and below its deck
- Eye Catcher: WWII planes on the hangar deck, including the SBD Dauntless dive bomber
- Below Deck: galley, sick bay, engine room and everything else that kept the floating city operational
- Museum Guides: docents providing first-hand accounts of life at sea, or an included audio tour narrated by Midway sailors, available in 6 languages
- Don’t Miss: Voices of Midway a 15-minute multimedia presentation on the most important naval battle in WWII for which the ship is named
- Hands-On Activities: full-motion flight simulators climb-aboard cockpits knot-tying demonstrations
- Pro Tip: It takes a while to see everything in the museum most visitors spend threefour hours aboard the carrier
- Special Programs: WWII veteran meet-and-greets on select days. Docent talks on the flight deck describing how to land or launch an aircraft on a carrier
Visiting San Diego Harbor
A visit to San Diego harbor offers a number of interesting sites for the individual military historian or family looking for entertainment. It can easily fill a day, and visitors can take their time and still see everything with time set aside for lunch aboard Midway or at a local seafood restaurant. There is adequate parking on Midways pier, with all the other sites within easy walking distance. Numerous bicycle taxis move up and down the waterfront if walking is a problem. Midway forms a fitting centerpiece to the San Diego experience. For more information, visit www.midway.org.
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