Children of all ages will enjoy this museum and a trip to adventure only limited by your imagination. After paying your admission fee you are free to wander along the harbor front visiting each of the ships at your leisure. Depending on your interest you can study in detail the ships before you or merely step onboard and find a shady spot under a sail to relax and imagine yourself taken back to the 19th century. Each of the ships have their own personality and story and depending on your own tastes, each one will speak to you in their own unique way. Through the use of old photographs, personal accounts and other methods, each of these ships will relate a different adventure to the visitor. You will be able to walk the passageways, lean on the rails, view the captain's cabins, step into the crews' quarters, and walk literally in the footsteps of those sailors who lived and worked on these ships in an era found now only in books.

The Star of India, which dates from the mid 19th century, has been the main attraction here for many years and is the world's oldest active ship. Also on display are the Berkeley, a former steam ferry from San Francisco; the Californian, which was built in 1984 as a replica of the 1847 cutter C.W.Lawrence; the steam yacht Medea, built in 1904; and a retired San Diego bay pilot boat, the Pilot. From time to time there are other ships which may have temporary berthing at the Maritime Museum. The day we were there, the HMS Surprise from the movie Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World was on display, as was the World War II era victory ship the Lane Victory.

This museum turns me on! Years ago, I spent many happy hours sailing, so seeing boats, especially sailboats, just recalls many precious memories. But there is much more to this museum than just the Star of India, as renowned as it is, because just this past June, the Museum received a magnificent donation -- the Californian, the official California State Tall Ship, that, in late July, had its shakedown cruise here. Later on, during Fleet Week in October, the Star and the Californian will participate in the Parade of Ships, a special event now scheduled later than its traditional August.

For now, a visit to this museum will warrant several hours as not only can you explore the 1864 Star of India, but also the 1898 ferry boat Berkeley(UPDATE 4/3 currently undergoing maintenance), the 1904 steam yacht Medea, 1914 Pilot, 1902 Butcher Boy, and the topsail skooner Californian, but this worthy preserver of nautical heritage offers the public a special "Manila Galleons" display that runs through November 30th , extended because of its popularity. Till January 6 of next year, a "Plein Air Paintings Festival" featuring work by local artists is also included at the price of admission at no extra charge. On the Berkeley there’s also an art gallery of paintings and other art for sale-all with a nautical significance.

This non-profit museum funnels profits into the maintenance and preservation of these vessels from the past and during the summer shows movies on board during sailing of the Star. The last in this "Movies Before the Mast" series is slated for September 20 and 21, at 6:30 and 7:00 pm (cost $10.00). Open EVERY DAY in the year from 9am-9pm, if you have a California Auto Club Card, you’ll receive a dollar off each admission for up to six people. Children under six are free, but,I feel this special museum is not suitable for children that young. Seniors (62 and over) and active military admission is $4.00. There’s metered parking nearby, but you’ll need lots of quarters to feed the meters, though after 6pm that parking is free. And an evening in summer on the water is splendid, I''d imagine, and I hope I''ll be able to attend one of these shows next year, as I miss sailing. Do see the virtual tours of the ships on the museum''s excellent website www.sdmaritime.com.