Museum of History and Art

Address:1100 Orange Ave.
Coronado, California
Tel: (619) 435-7242

Celebrate Coronado's history with photographs and displays of its formative events and major sights! Take an architecture tour and peruse historical artifacts at the Museum of History and Art.

The exhibits at the Museum of History and Art capture Coronado's history in their fantastic collection of art, architectural elements, textiles, ephemera, and other memorabilia, dating from before the turn-of-the-century. The neoclassical First Bank of Commerce building, constructed in 1910, holds the headquarters and archives of the Coronado Historical Association, and the museum documents an up-close portrait of Coronado's history by displaying personal belongings. Visitors can see photographs of the Hotel Del Coronado in its infancy, the old ferries, Tent City, a seaside campground for middle-income vacationers from 1900 to 1939, as well as memorabilia such as army uniforms, old postcards, and recorded music.

Learn about Coronado's military aviation history during World Wars I and II, and if architecturally curious, go on the 60-minute, docent-led walking tour of Coronado's significant buildings, which leaves from the museum lobby on Wednesdays at 2 p.m. and Fridays at 10:30 a.m. The museum's permanent displays are all interactive, and include activities that are great for children and adults alike. For information on the town's historic houses, pick up a copy of the inexpensive Coronado California Centennial History & Tour Guide at the gift shop. And should you get hungry, there's a café where you can enjoy a snack break.

To get to the Museum of History and Art from I-5 N or S, take the Coronado Bridge (Rte 75) to Orange Avenue and turn left.

The Coronado Historical Association exists to encourage and promote the appreciation, knowledge, and understanding of Coronado's unique art, architecture, history and other historical resources. We hope that you enjoy our website...thank you for visiting.