Maritime Museum of San Diego

Current & Upcoming Exhibitions

Sea Monsters: Delving Into The Deep Myth Opens At Maritime Museum Of San Diego Summer 2020

Maritime Museum of San Diego, serving as the community memory of our seafaring experience by collecting, preserving, and presenting our rich maritime heritage and historic connections with the Pacific world, announces the opening of a new educational, entertaining and interactive exhibit summer of 2020 aboard the world’s oldest active sailing ship Star of India. Sea Monsters: Delving Into the Deep Myth opens to the public Saturday, July 11, 2020 to take visitors on an imaginary journey at the end of the 19th Century, when a fictional, dynamic, daring, and somewhat eccentric world-exploring family chartered the Star of India for an expedition with the task of investigating the existence of Sea Monsters in various parts of the globe. Exhibit entrance is free with purchase of museum general admission tickets.

Wandering the deep hold of the Star, specimens both real and reconstructed will engage visitors with trying to understand and explain an aspect of human interaction with the unknown and the ongoing quest for monsters of the deep. Visitors will explore evidence and a series of cultural projections that express humanity’s innermost fears, our search for truth, and the thrill of discovery that ultimately bring Sea Monsters to life for everyone…both real or imagined including skeletal aquatic dinosaur replicas, marine biological specimens, historic zoological magic lantern images and hands-on immersive activities within the MMSD’s unique venue, the nineteenth century Star of India.

A Sea Monster “crime scene” board will identify the various sea monster sightings around the globe and provide visitors with a global view of cultural legends and primary documents of their impact on those communities through newspaper clippings, stories and first-hand accounts.

A magic lantern show will illuminate cultural images of sea monsters seen through the lens of the late 19th century.

Curatorial lead and Vice President of Maritime Museum of San Diego, Susan Sirota states, “We especially wanted something for families to enjoy together. Hands-on activities in the children’s play area will encourage our younger visitors’ creativity by participating in various activities such as a 1) Design your own Sea Monster 2) Mini-Monster Ship Play and 3) Sea Monster Story Snuggery, a place to relax and take in a good salty story about monsters of the deep-or a deep nap.” Magic lanterns will also delight visitors with visual projections of historical and nautically inclined imagery.

On the general public grand opening date, Saturday, July 11, 2020, the Maritime Museum of San Diego will host a special family-friendly day from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. with a Sea Monster costume parade, storytelling, live music and kid-friendly activities led by the MMSD education department staff. In the evening from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. the exhibit opening shifts to a more adult audience with cash bar serving specialty Pusser’s Rum cocktails and sea monster films projected onto sails.

A fun and festive bar will also be available in the Sea Monster Saloon, sponsored by Pusser’s Rum will open 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. aboard Star of India Saturday, July 25, 2020 when the international Comic-Con Convention takes over downtown San Diego. Maritime Museum general admission tickets purchased July 25 will include entrance to Sea Monster Saloon with drink purchases additional. For visitors only interested in visiting the new exhibit and Sea Monster Saloon, tickets for all ages are $10.00 per person. Cash bar available for 21 and up only.

Tickets can be purchased in advance online at sdmaritime.org or at the Museum ticket booths. Visits to all exhibits found aboard the Museum’s historic fleet are included with one general admission ticket purchase.

Sea Monsters: Delving Into The Deep Myth