San Diego Firehouse Museum

We happened upon this after having lunch in Little Italy. Entrance is free, although donations are always welcomed and appreciated. This is an interesting little museum, showcasing the history of SD's fire engines and equipment. They have a full kitchen and meeting space available for specific venues.

The amount of amazing historic content in the firehouse museum is deceiving from the outside. There is so much to see in here, you can literally take hours and still have more to see. It was also nice to show my 9 year old how things used to be first hand. Also the 9/11 memorials and pieces from the site was beautiful to see.

Fabulous trucks and engines. Many scale size models, education room for children. Sept 11th memorial. Very nice woman who gave us information. We bought t shirts, plus made a donation.

Had a blast exploring the Firefighters Museum! Despite its size, there's so much to discover. The kids' area was a tad messy, and a coloring book would've been a nice touch, but overall, the experience was worth every penny. Highly recommend for a fun and informative day out!

One of my favorite Fire Museums to go to. The staff are off duty Firefighters. So their knowledge is excellent. The place is still getting worked on, but it looks nice. I love that they preserved it for history. Highly recommended to visit.

Amazing museum with a lot of items and information. The volunteers are good story tellers and will give you a lot more information. Recommended for all ages!

The attendant on duty was extremely friendly and very helpful in answering my questions. Items ranged from the oldest fire truck to mementos from 9/11. Every turn of the corner had something new to see. Old fire extinguishers, assignment boards, fire axes, call boxes, boots and other assorted items makes this a must see location for those who enjoy fire fighting and history. BTW the dry powder seems to describe the one used on the theatre fire in Chicago back in the 1800s which is one of the worst theater tragedies in history. This fire led to the overhaul of laws concerning construction materials, emergency exits, room capacities and such.

This museum is free for Children. Adult ticket $3. It has all the collections of Fire Engines like from the 1900s. Wonderful experience. It also has a Children's play area that consists of small fire truck toys , coloring books , etc.

The man working this morning was extremely kind and informative!! My friends and I loved taking a walk around :)

This is such a great spot with lots of older fire vehicles in great shape! It is a little crowded with memorabilia but worth reading the history of some of the objects!

My son absolutely loved coming here. We learned a lot about the history of the fire station and lot of the trucks. It was a great time and look forward to coming again.

Took my two year old to the museum and we had a great time! We loved checking out the retro fire trucks and old uniforms. The kids room in the back is really cute, filled with toy fire trucks and jackets for the kiddos to play dress up. The only downside is that the museum as a whole is pretty small. So it doesn't take long to see everything. But my son spent a good amount of time playing with everything in the kids room

Surprising find for a fun hour or so - free to the kiddies and a nominal fee for the adults. This place is volunteer run and has paraphernalia documenting the history of SDFD. It's fun to see old fire fighting equipment and then read about some true heroes. There's a kid room in the back where they can play a bit and some T-shirts (all the different stations have their own) for sale. On a solemn note, there is an exhibit towards the back honoring those who feel in the line of duty during the 9/11 attacks.

Whether you are a fire-buff or museum fan, add this to your site visit. Plenty of memories of firefighters from yesteryear. The team here has really assembled a good showcase. Even displays from foreign firefighters. Kids welcome, but no climbing on displays. However, small playroom for kids. Enjoy!

Thank you for opening your amazing space for the all day womens business event I attended! Lots of interesting memorabilia all over the place & right across from Lofty the coffee place I love & Queens Town pub. I appreciate the fireman that took care of us and the hard work they put in too! Thank you for helping make the event memorable & amazing!!!

Love this place!!! Especially if your little kids are into firemen & fire trucks! They're volunteer run and everyone who I've interacted with is super friendly. You can let kids climb on one of the fire engines and it seems like the old timers like looking through all the memorabilia. Great place if you're current or former firefighter visiting from out of town or looking to host a party in the back ballroom. It's in a great location too central to a bunch of local eateries in little Italy. Free on the first Thursday of the month and if you ride the San Diego Trolley tour. Hours - Thurs: 10AM - 2PM Friday: 10AM - 2PM Saturday: 10AM - 4PM Sunday: 10AM - 4PM Cost: $3 $2 seniors Kids are free (12 & under) First Thursday of the month is free Or with a SD Trolley tour sticker

This is a cute little museum and a good way to spend less than ab hour with your kids. Lots of older engines and interesting things to check out. There is a cool playroom in the back for the kids too.

I would have never imagined attending my first Diner in Blanc at a museum! The San Diego Firehouse museum! What an original idea! When I told one of my best friends that i was going to SD for a weekend visit she invited me to go to the birthday dinner of a friend of hers that was organizing one of those 'everybody dresses in white and no one knows the location until last minute' party, I could say no. Specially because it was to collect $ for a good cause. So when we found out that the party was going to happen at this museum I got a double happiness moment, as after so many years living in SD...never visited it before! Glass of wine in hand, I checked all the trucks, equipment and historical memorabilia there, in between chats and greetings. I am not sure if we were allowed to go up the truck and pose for our pics, but we did (no damage in the process, for sure!). It was a great experience, what a nice area in the back of the museum to host parties and I learned a lot that night as well!

April 9, 2022 No where else will $2/person get you to to see so much history! Friendly staff Clean bathroom Countless photo opportunities

Wanna kill 30-40 minutes of your time with the kids? This is the perfect place to walk around and have the kids sit in the fire engine and get their pictures taken. This small old fire station houses antique fire engines and other memorabilia from fire stations across the globe. There is also a little corner dedicated to the fire fighters of 911 from the FDNY which was way cool. It costs only $3/person and kids are free.

Thanks for hosting the Heartland firefighter foundation fundraiser. It was a full house with nothing but SD finest firefighters friends and family!! If you haven't been you should check out the museum! So much history fill the rooms.

If you have just 30 minutes spare time and want to look at some great history, you won't be disappointed in this museum. It's a visual spectacle due to the bright red fire engines - they're in immaculate condition

This is a very cool Museum in little Italy to take your children or for adults who are interested in history. They have some very cool old fire trucks and fire fighting equipment. The place is full of historical antiques. If you are a local teacher, and you are on a walk or study trip in or near Little Italy, this place would be a great stop by because children are free.

Great little museum! My mom was a firefighter in Florida so I stopped in and it was a great little museum you're free to walk around and look at everything. Plenty of old firefighter pieces with memorials for San Diego firefighters and a 9/11 memorial. Awesome old trucks and wagons for firefighting. Sad the women firefighter section was covered by the ladder truck but they at least had a section for women firefighters. All in all 100% recommend!!

On this day I'm thinking of 9/11/01, but I'm also reminded of a day more recently in San Diego at a street festival when I needed a moments peace and I saw a firehouse museum. I figured it was all about local firehouses, west coast and so forth. Within, I didn't expect to happen upon a 9/11 memorial but there it was, complete with photos and names of each individual who passed away that day in the line of service. It was both a heartbreaking but triumphant day for our nation. The flag was raised in honor. The flag, half-mast today. In memory. I'm trying to be more cognizant of those who put their lives on the line. I'm at a street fest, incidentally visiting a museum because I take my safety for granted. Men and women who I don't know...stand on the ready to come to my aid. I appreciate that, even if I forget it. I appreciate it because I CAN forget it. I don't have to worry about it. I'm thankful for that. Especially on this anniversary. The museum is a tribute to all fire fighters. As well, it holds "ancient" firefighting vehicles, equipment and accessories. There is one engine for the kids to climb upon. Not sure re: admission fee, gentleman that day told me "go ahead in" and I was happy to contribute when I saw an area for donation. There are quite a few rooms. I'd allow a good hour at least.

They had a ton of pretty cool firefighting apparatus from way back when! This area is a good place to visit when you're in downtown and looking for something different. Free for kids and super cheap for adults! It's fun to learn and this will be great for kids who love firefighting!

I originally visited this on St Patrick's Day, after the parade, and it was packed with people. My second visit was after the 9/11 Memorial, hosted by San Diego FDNY Retired-- they had a BBQ dinner at the firehouse afterwards. I was fortunate to be there with a friend who is a retired Philly Fire Captain. As we walked around, he explained the history behind volunteer fire departments and insurance companies and the creation of municipal fire departments. We saw living history in some of the exhibits. Maybe it was my melancholy mood after the 9/11 ceremonyor maybe it was the guide tour I received but I had an amazing experience here. Five stars and highly recommended

Great for kids who love their cars this place is great on a Saturday when the farmers market is also going on. We plan to take my nephew here because he's obsessed with fire trucks and they have several different ones on display here.

Short operating hours but a lot of history. Support you local firefighters and see the history of San Diego's finest!

Cool museum with a lot of memorabilia for a firefighter to enjoy. We've been to a handful of museums like this and this was the best.

As I walk to the front entry made of cement and metal, I quickly think about my appearance, running my fingers against my soft black skirt. Why didn't I wear jeans today? Oh well, I'll just have to freeze for the next hour. Suck it up; my fellow classmate will soon be here. A young guy is manning the garage door looking entrance way. He is 5'9 and is wearing a black baseball cap, with blue jeans and white sneakers. I see him from across the street, he's sitting at a small rectangular wooden table, there is a grey safety box located on the left hand corner. He is slouched over in his chair. Once he realizes that I am heading for the museum, he promptly fixes his posture. There is a white colored fire truck with gold trimming behind him. I've never seen a white fire truck before, I think to myself. .... Shoot, I forgot my cash. How could I have forgotten, I made sure to set aside that $10 dollar bill there last night, so I wouldn't leave home without it. I even know where I left it, on top of my glossy brown nightstand, squashed under my vanilla candle. I knew they'd probably only take cash. I grin at the attendant while sliding my visa card out of my purse, "you take visa cards right?" "no, we only take cash." He smiles, expecting me to pay up. I'm instantly stressed out, my hands are still cold and my eyes become lost. My fellow classmate is getting out of his car across the street. I can see him approaching the Museum, clipboard in hand. No time. No time. No time to go to an ATM. GOD, why do I never carry cash on me. Why does this have to happen to me. What am I going to do?.... "Don't worry about it" the guy says. He's caught me off guard, "huh?" I mutter while touching my face. "As long as you don't tell anyone, I'll let you in for free." "Thank you so much. Really though." I spew out. My classmate arrives eight seconds later. I wonder if he knows I didn't pay. Do I look like I didn't pay. What does one that pay's look like anyhow? Should I say anything? Should I not say anything? Okay. It's settled, I'll just keep my mouth shut.

We are moving back to San Diego, and we find this place on yelp , my little boy really love firetrucks so he was' beyond happy ', it's really cool to be able to appreciate a lot of history.

Wonderful small gem of a museum with loads of history worth the $3 admission, $2 for seniors, free for children under 12. Hours are limited so schedule your visit accordingly. In the heart of Old Italy, go before you stop for lunch at the great places to eat. Only complaint was the section of a wall honoring women firefighters was blocked by a hugh ladder truck (hugh slap in the face? Or am I just being overly sensitive).

Fun musuem!!! I came by with my nine year old nephew as he's a huge firefighter fan. And we came by on first Thursday of the month, so admission was free - score! (Admission is normally $3, but, hey, free is still nice.) The museum isn't huge but has a nice collection of general firefighter history and San Diego firefighter history. There's several restored fire trucks inside, including one of those that was pulled by a horse. And one truck is exclusively available for climbing on and pretending to drive. There's different dedicated sections to badges, helmets, alarms, and extiguishers. I guess earlier type of extinguishers were glass bulbs filled with water - who knew? In an adjacent room, there's stories about the first women firefighters in San Diego; apparently, the first women firefighters were hired in the mid-70's and it did not go well. I read a funny (and slightly disturbing) newspaper article about how, at the time, the firefighters' wives were mad that the women would be working in close quarters with their husbands; oh, the horror!!! The horror!!! The museum is housed in a former fire station and, on the day we went, was staffed by a volunteer firefighter; he was super nice and answered my nephew's many questions. He even encouraged my nephew to ring the alarms. In total, we spent about an hour, maybe an hour and a half there. On our way out, we bought a short book on the history of the fire station ($10) and a SDFD kid's t-shirt ($13). The book has some interesting history on the Bill Kettner boat, the first ever gas-powered fire boat, built by San Diego firefighters in the early 20th century and eventually used by the NYFD and others. All in all, my nephew and I really enjoyed the museum (and, yes, I freely admit that we're history nerds).

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME!!! I didn't even know this museum existed and we've lived here for 10 years. It's such a cute and great museum with so much history. There are so many fire trucks and everything related to fire fighting to look at. We actually used this museum as a venue for our nephew's 1st birthday party. Great space, full commercial kitchen, has a projector, audio, and a/c. The two guys Robert Parr and Sam Tall who worked at the museum helped us from the beginning. There was another guy who volunteered at the museum and he helped us big time with setting up the audio equipment. We got to the museum at 10:30am and stayed until 7pm. Those guys helped with everything. They were amazing!!! They helped set up some of the tables. They cleaned up the floors afterwards by sweeping and mopping. I just cannot stress how great those guys were. They were also very nice, approachable, and helpful. So many friends loved the venue and are planning to hold their future parties there too. Oh and once you rent out the space, your guests come in without paying the $3 admission fee. HIGHLY RECOMMEND the museum and renting it out for an event!!!

My toddler boys, my husband, and I visited the Firehouse Museum this past week. We had a good time sitting on a circa 1936 fire truck (the only truck you can climb on) and wearing the toy fire helmets. There's a lot of paraphernalia at the museum, including a number of old trucks, uniforms, trophies, equipment, and--my favorite--fire-fighting grenades. (Who knew?!) There was almost too much to look at and not enough description or curating or something. Two nice fire-academy hopefuls were volunteering there. They were available to answer our questions (though they seemed new enough that it wasn't clear how many questions they'd be able to answer, which is okay, because we needed to spend most of our time keeping our boys from climbing on all but the one fire truck). Altogether, it was a pleasant place to spend 35 minutes.

I'm no expert when it comes to firefighting museums as I've only been to one other fire museum which was in San Francisco. I do know that I liked this San Diego museum better mainly because it had more firefighting vehicles that are equipped with wooden ladders. Allow 30 minutes to visit.

SDFD has some great history going on here. As a firefighter I found the horse-drawn pumpers fascinating, but of course the kids just loved sitting in the engineers seat and sounding the bells. The volunteers were super nice and offered plenty of information - one FD hopeful and a first year rook. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area!

Tried to come twice, closed both times despite the sign saying otherwise. There were several other people waiting around to get in as well. Wasted an hour of our time. HIGHLY recommend you call first and make sure it's open before making the trip. No updated sign, message on the phone, or on the website saying they would not be open. Major disappointment.

This place is great. Obviously it's really old and filled with old fire equipment. My friends dad is a retired fireman, and we had a surprise party there for their 50th wedding anniversary. Nothing fancy, but a good place

Came here on St Paddy's day.....Irish dancers, cool fireman and lots of Irish clad folk. Had breakfast. Loved it

We live across the street. They rent the place out for parties. They have live bands that go until 11 or 12 at night - CLEARLY VIOLATING NOISE ORDINANCES. Bars and restaurants are even allowed to do this because we pay a ton of rent to live here and don't want to have to close our doors to hear our television.