Timken Museum of Art

The Timken Museum of Art is a hidden gem in Balboa Park. It’s small but filled with beautiful classic artworks and peaceful atmosphere. The staff are friendly, and admission is free, which makes it even better. Perfect place to enjoy art and quiet time away from the crowds.

Free admission. Besides the ornament show as you first arrive. It's the biblical art some as far back as 1600s it was nostalgic. I remember the first time I viewed biblical art I went to the MET in New York.

We stumbled upon this museum and decided to go in because of the free entry. WOW!!! It’s incredible. They have such beautiful art, and much of it is extremely old. They even have a Rembrandt! Each work had a very detailed and informative plaque, which often shared both information about the artist and the art and what it represents. It was shocking how amazing this free museum is. Definitely worth making a donation to them! And they had a piano player who was extremely talented and happened to be blind. Highly recommend a visit here! Such a gem.

The Timken Museum of Art highlights San Diego's culture. This gem of an art Museum is located in Balboa Park, a perfect setting for an art museum. The Timken is free and ideal for school field trips. For our field trip, the docent shared both the history and technique of art, which draws you into the world of art. Our docent shared that painters expressed their subtle humor in their paintings. In many of the portraits, the subject were not smiling. How come? They suffered dental issues. The Timken has many paintings that cover a wide range of styles: still life, portrait, and land scape. If you are looking to enjoy San Diego culture, then step through the doors of the Timken Museum of Art.

Check out this FREE experience. Small gallery but lovely paintings. Also includes limited time, special exhibits.

The Timken Museum of Art was my first stop in San Diego. It was a nice little gallery. Some of the works were more religious, while others were more typical Renaissance works. Admission is free, so you should definitely visit.

Small-sized art museum. Mainly filled with Renaissance paintings. They are alright, not many but a good few, but Europe would have a larger collection and better pieces. I don't have any idea where else in San Diego you could find more of these classical art, so, if you want a taste of it, while being in Balboa Park, feel free to drop by, free entry. Most of the paintings are collections from the Putnam Foundation, I have not looked into them, just putting it out there if someone has anything against them.

A free art museum in the heart of San Diego! I love exploring Baroque, Renaissance, Rococo, Neoclassical, and Romantic art, along with classical sculpture, and the Timken is the perfect quiet escape for that. It’s small but packed with works that transport you to another time. The atmosphere, even on weekends, is always so peaceful. See some photos I took on film:

A San Diego Treasure in Balboa Park The Timken Museum is a true gem -- beautifully curated, peaceful, and always free to the public. I've visited Balboa Park my whole life, and this museum never disappoints. With seven distinct galleries (Dutch/Flemish, Italian/Spanish, Russian Icons, and more), every room offers something rich and inspiring. Established in 1965 thanks to the Putnam Foundation, the Timken blends history, generosity, and world-class art. A must-visit for locals and visitors alike.

This is a small museum that holds European old masters, American art and Russian icons. It's located next to the San Diego Museum of Art, and admission is free. The nearest parking lot is the Alcazar lot, but I usually park in the Organ Pavilion lot since it's not that far from Alcazar and a lot bigger. Backpacks and bags larger than 12"x16," as well as umbrellas, selfie-sticks, monopods, tripods, and photography lighting equipment are not allowed inside, and can be checked in at the complimentary check room. Food and drinks must be fully concealed or stored near the front desk. There's no public restroom; the nearest one is at the House of Hospitality (the building where the Visitor Center is located). Although small, this museum feels like a small continuation of the Museum of Art, with beautiful paintings, sculptures, and ornate interiors. With so much to see elsewhere, this may not be on top of one's list, but it's free and doesn't take up a lot time to see the whole museum, so art lovers should definitely try to stop by.

The many years that Balboa Park has been open they have many museums that have had the many fantastic displays and the sports exhibits that gave Balboa Park Famous. What is one place that had some of the greatest jewelry and the terrific colors of the world ? One museum that is only open during the certain times of the week you can find the world's greatest art and sculptors . The Timkin Museum used to be the jewelry and fine gems museum for the many museums did have some bad luck the San Diego art museums do have to prove one of the paintings that was a fraud. With the many museum Ms of Balboa Park have been ones that do charge high rates for the admission for the timkin is the only museum that is free to the public. Going to the museums you go through the large glass and wood doors you walk in you can see the many grandmasters of the paintings of Christ and the fathering of the 12 apostles . The large painting called in the garden it was one that seeing cleaned carefully with a Q tip and special solution cleaning the oldest paintings to be restored takes a very careful hand . Timken Museum is one you can stay the day and to enjoy the many paintings the beautiful art of Europ and Russia and Italy and the French Masters thearw some of the most Incredible pieces. Timken Museum is a great place for students that are doing studies on and the age of the Renaissance you can learn so much from the walk about the museum. For the customer service and the courtesy they have are the best for they have people can help you with the many paintings and theI formation. The museum has showings at certain times of the many new exhibits they have and are going to be having many new exhibits coming to the Timken. As a Yelp Elite Reviewer in closing the Time. Is one of the best Museums that is at Balboa Park for the greatest artists have some of their great art there to view and wander around . The art of the older years has such great history for the grand masters are to teach the next generation of artists.

This tiny museum is gorgeous! And it's free. The building sparkles like a jewel box in the bright sun. The main interior hallway is filled with natural light. The exhibit spaces are spacious and welcoming. And the artwork! A feast for the eyes. The collection is manageable -- not too overwhelming, but enough to cover in one afternoon visit. What impressed me the most was learning about their post $3 million renovation high-efficiency dehumidification system. It's outfitted with antiviral technology that can remove 99.9 percent of airborne pathogens (originally engineered in conjunction with the Department of Defense). The Timken is apparently the only museum in the world to have this.

I came here for a teacher training event. i have never even noticed this museum before so I am so glad that i was introduced to it. there was a speaker in each of the 3 spaces that spoke about the art and ways to integrate it into curriculum. I listened a little bit but eventually decided to tour the space on my own. I was done after about 45 minutes. I will definitely return with my children because I think they would both appreciate the museum. now that i'm reading other yelp reviews and see that's is FREE that makes it even better

Donation based. Open Wednesday-Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM the museum is organized into seven distinct rooms: the Dutch/Flemish Gallery, Italian/Spanish Gallery, Russian Icon Gallery, Exhibitions Gallery, French Gallery, American/British Gallery, and Central Gallery. It was established and 1965. The groundwork for the museum was laid in 1951 when Walter Ames helped sisters Amy and Anne Putnam form the nonprofit Putnam Foundation to own and manage their art collection. The collection of art is beautiful and so unique and diverse. I really enjoyed walking through. The place was very clean and well kept, and the employees were very kind. Also, on Friday through Sunday they have pianist that will play during certain hours.

Neat little collection of artwork spanning from Christian iconography, well known European and American artists. Lobby currently has Christmas display with Free, jeweled ornaments and moving model train. Free admission, bag check and drink check at entry. Right next to San Diego Museum of Art and Botanical Garden.

I love this petite little museum! Centered in Balboa Park, this is the perfect place to go while walking around - especially if you need a break from the San Diego sun. You can't miss it! It's right next to the Botanical Building. The exterior of the museum alone is quite pretty. This museum is completely free, but they do take donations! The content is primarily fine art and some of the artists are locally California. I was excited to see a painting of Yosemite National Park!

This museum flies under the radar with its understated exterior (at times it appears unoccupied) making it a hidden gem in the center of a popular and bustling park. I never notice a lot of foot traffic at the door. As soon as I enter, I'm greeted by a serene intimate setting that allows for an immersive encounter with the masterpieces on display. The outside sounds, noises, and energy melt away to a quiet calm allowing the exceptional collection of art to captivate both art enthusiasts and those seeking a little cultural enrichment alike. The museum's curated selection of European and American art spans centuries and genres, from exquisite Renaissance works to stunning Impressionist paintings. The museum's free admission reflects a dedication to making art accessible to all, and its tranquil atmosphere encourages quiet reflection and contemplation. The staff members are easy to engage in conversation, knowledgeable, and passionate about the artwork.

Cute little art museum and love that it's free to the public! Loved all the art inside. Annette, the docent there was very knowledgeable in letting me know info about some of the paintings. They do have a check in area to store bags if they're too big to carry around. It's in the perfect location next to plenty of other museums to check out. Definitely recommend stopping by if you're an art fan!

I was surprised at how much museum prices are lately. Came into Balboa Park hoping to use some free tickets at another museum but found out they were not accepting them on a Saturday because they had a separate viewing of another piece being shown. That cost $40 a pop to get in. After mulling around with the GF we found the Timken Museum which was FREE admission. They had some interesting paintings and even explained how they restored the original paintings to keep them viewable. There are donation boxes in the museum if you want to chip in to keep things running. A docent was on site too to explain the paintings.

The tour guide gave us a lot of interesting information about the various painting and art work. The museum is free, it has limited hours.

This is a small museum in Balboa Park, located next to the much larger San Diego Museum of Art. Aside from being smaller the Timken differs in that it is absolutely, 100% FREE. I had a little time to kill while a friend was attending a meeting at the Park and found this perfect to spend half an hour. I think even if you went very, very slowly you wouldn't find yourself here more than an hour. The classic art included Russian, American, Flemish, Italian, and French works within its five rooms. The main highlights for me were a painting by Rembrandt and one by Anthony van Dyck. The Rembrandt is the only one (I think) that was under glass and difficult to get a photo of due to reflection. The diverse staff were very welcoming and the security folks, who patiently stand watching in the rooms for that random crazy who decides to destroy a piece of art for their irrelevant cause, were pleasant. Despite it being a small space with few visitors, the inconspicuous security didn't make me feel at all uncomfortable. A nice museum to spend a little time for FREE.

This is a free museum in Balboa Park! There are docents available and they love to talk about the art. If you don't know a lot about art, you might call ahead and ask if there will be a docent available. The museum is small with a handful of galleries. For art lovers, it's incredible.

The Timkens is a very impressive museum which has recently re-opened, after a two year spiffy upgrade. As the Union-Tribune describe it, "The $3 million, two-year renovation project of the 57-year-old museum includes system upgrades, the restoration of the building's bronze finishes and revamping of the exhibition spaces." The museum itself is primarily made up of mostly Dutch and Flemish artists, collected both by the Timkens family and Amy & Anne Putnam sisters. It reminds me of the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena. The painting are spread out and the area allows you to take in the artwork without the feeling of being crowded. We found their collection of Russian iconography to be stunning. I have attached several examples and it is certainly a must artistic stop, if you are in the San Diego area near Balboa Park. Enjoy!

Beautiful small museum. It's free to enter and has world class paintings. I loved the Christmas ornament display as well!

This museum was a very nice take on some lovely paintings from works as far back as the 1600s and running thru to the 1800s. In addition to paintings there are also some sculptures and tapestries. To find it you just need to head to Balboa Park.

Well Date of Visit : June 23, 2024 and After a nice walk around Balboa Park we decided to come to Timken Museum and the Cool Part it is Free no get in no need to pay anything !! It's Always Free to come to this Museum !! Well as we walk in the young lady behind the counter asks us to check in our backpack and they give you a number to get your backpack back so we check in our backpack . Well it is not to big in this museum but there are some cool Arts here . We walk around and we look at each and every art pieces here it is nice inside and there are some interesting types of Arts here . There are places to sit inside the museum also . If you want to soak it in while you enjoy the different arts here . It is located right next to the Lilly Pond in Balboa Park and just Remember it's Free !! Well Overall good Museum to walk around and to take your family or friends to . We enjoyed it and we can see us coming back again to see it again !!!

This place was so informative and captured my 7yrs old nephew attention. He's an artist and when I tell you he was intrigued, inquisitive and wanted to stay here all day. Great staff

The Timken Museum of Art is the only museum in Balboa Park that has free admission. I did donate some money because I love to support them, but it's not required. I love the current Kehinde Wiley special exhibition. It's a must see if you're in Balboa Park. The museum is immaculate and clean.

This museum is amazing. ALWAYS FREE!!! Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. They have a amazing art collection and offer special events. Come check out this amazing little free museum and take a look at priceless paintings.

Gorgeous gem exhibit. Free. A change of pace compared to the others.

I love this place! I didn't know a lot about this museum going in, but the vibes are immaculate here, and there's free admission! All the staff are really friendly and the museum is a good size. You can really take your time on the art pieces you like, and it is not as overwhelming or loud as some of the other museums in Balboa Park. Currently they have an absolutely gorgeous holiday ornament display in their entrance hall. I spent way too long straining my neck staring up at them. I always come to Timken when I'm in Balboa Park. It's a wonderfully relaxed space in which I feel at ease. I get to appreciate the art to my heart's content, at my own pace.

The Timken Museum in Balboa Park had recently reopened after a renovation. Still a beautiful, intimate and free museum. They do happily accept donations. A new lovely painting is on display titled Salomé and a new bust of Eve. This museum may be small but it has some powerful and impressive pieces by El Greco, Boucher and Jean-Honoré Fragonard. The Timken is a jewel for San Diegan and all visitors to enjoy.

Very nice museum and free. Restaurant in museum looked wonderful. There's even a Rembrandt painting!!

Went to see the one of a kind Christmas ornaments on display. Spectacular! Very impressive work and a very interesting story about the display

Located in Balboa Park near the center circle, this museum is free. The Putnum sisters collected these paintings and wanted all to see them. The oil paintings are old world beautiful. There are four rooms on one level.

This is a free yet small art museum, but if you're looking to learn about works of art in peace, you should stop by. I highly recommend it. Oh, and don't forget to check out the gift shop and donate a dollar or two on your way out! They deserve it!

The Timken Museum of Art is a gem-box in San Diego! Great collection of masterpieces. The museum's intimate atmosphere allows for an immersive experience with each artwork. The staff are knowledgeable and passionate, enhancing the overall visit. I highly recommend visiting the Timken to anyone seeking a moment of artistic inspiration and cultural enrichment. A must-visit destination in San Diego! & it's free!

One of the museums that was free on a Tuesday, so we said 'ok, let's go.' The museum has more to offer than just A/C and a break from the park's crowd though. The place is is small but full of interesting paintings. It's quiet ambiance seems to be respected by everyone who was there, whether educated in the arts or not. There's seating benches and a little play area with "thinking" activities for antsy toddlers, A accommodating staff roams around to help with questions and/or keep an eye on things. I felt like I walked into the art museum scene of that 80's film Dressed to Kill (without the seduction or the murder). Plus, the souvenir shop had lots to choose from. Whatever reason one may find themselves going there for, it's worth it! A definitive "must stop" while visiting Balboa Park!

This is my favorite museum in all of Balboa Park and I've been coming here since I was a young girl with my mother. I've always loved art history in the masterpieces at the Timken are unsurpassed for such a small museum. They have their regular exhibits which never get old to me with their Rubens and Rembrandt and Bruegel and all the amazing icons and dutch painters and even Eastman Jackson. There are many wonderful paintings of biblical scenes and these are especially beautiful to me since I am a follower of Jesus Christ. Right now they are having their special beaded ornament exhibit and that is definitely worth seeing.There are over 1400 of these amazing hand-beaded Christmas ornaments and they are hanging from the ceiling and decorating a beautiful live Christmas tree in the center of the museum. It is very tastefully done and nothing is crowded and it's so quiet. It is a sacred space to look at these masters. They also have a small gift shop there with very nice items. Oh I almost forgot there's a little train set circling around the base of the Christmas tree. Your kids would enjoy seeing this tree. And I forgot to mention that the museums always free which is unbelievable. You have no excuse to not see The priceless art here.

I love Timken Museum of Art situated inside the beautiful Balboa Park. It's small and free to visit! So if you don't have a lot of time to go the Art Museum or check out other ones near by, Timken can give you a small slice of art. All you need is one hour or less. The building that hosts the music is elegant and classy. You can admire some older French art (Fragonard, Corot, Lorrain), Spanish (Zurbaran), Flemish. They also have various exhibits to admire and check out besides their nice permanent collection. Closed Mondays. Tuesdays-Saturday 10 am to 4:30 pm. Sundays - Noon to 4:30 pm. Did I mention it's free? So why not checking it out while you're strolling Balboa Park?

It's free! What's not to like? You get to see the Masters like a sampling of all the greatest museums across Europe, for FREE. They even have a painting by my favorite landscape painter Alfred Bierstadt. Cool, clean, curated. It beats the pants of the ridiculous La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art. I will never get those hours of my life or my $20 back. I just am too old-fashioned to enjoy a white circle hung in front of a white wall. I enjoyed the temporary exhibit today as well by a Latina artist. Mariana dela Hoz. Check it out!

This is the first time I have been back in there since the renovation recently. I was hoping for a seriously new show but there's still a lot of very old art that I have seen so many times over the years. I guess you might say I'm just very spoiled as I used to go to LACMA it was my go-to as I lived two blocks away. They were always on the ball and had frequent shows throughout the years. It would be great if the museums in Balboa Park would do the same thing. I just speak with the two front desk young women that was very knowledgeable about what was going on in there. I did ask about a luxury coach tour up to la to see a Couture exhibit. Cost was is $180 non-member and included a light breakfast, free entry, docent tour and boxed light meal with wine on the way home. Here are some of the photos. Sounds like fun as I have done a lot of these in the past. The architecture in this museum is very calm and relaxing.

Agreeing with another person's review who said that this place needs more diversity. It needs more diversity all around. Rude staff that treats others poorly. We were waiting for the place to open and they had started to set up outside. I understand that people have different jobs, but a white staff member was just watching over as an older person of color set up two signs in different spots when they could have just helped and got everything done faster. No "hello" or greeting. Just rude and condescending comments. Wasn't worth visiting because if that's how you treat the people who work for you then clearly you have no respect for others. I looked further into it and read other reviews pointing out discrimination and even getting their negative reviews removed several times. Do better.

I don't think of the Timken as the Timken; to me, it's the San Diego Museum of Art's annex. It's free and it's only steps away so the two to me are intertwined. I love this building and the light that pervades the galleries. It's a wonderful space to view art and, from that perspective, it's better than many well-known art museums. Old masters and Russian icons hang the walls and, while it's really too small to mount compelling exhibitions, it does so nonetheless. 'The Romantic Impulse In the American Landscape Tradition' is on display in a gallery that may rival your living room in size. I expected to breeze through in a few minutes; instead, I spent half an hour because there were some fascinating paintings included. In an ideal world, the Timken should be cloned in size by a factor of ten. In the meantime, I'll continue to enjoy this little annex as it is. That's okay.

What a treat for San Diego! I loved our visit to Timken Musem of Art. When we flew into San Diego it was raining, bummer! So we decided to go to Balboa Park and check out some of their museums; it seemed like the day for it. When we heard Timken Museum of Art does not charge admission, we were in. Space isn't very large for a museum, but they truly make the most of it, especially for it being free. The Timken Museum of Art reminds me of the Frye Museum back at home in Seattle. Like the Frye, the museum's collection was donated from a philanthropic family, so the museum only exists due to the generosity and belief that art should be for everyone. Awesome! Most of the artwork found here is a European collection, spanning back to work being created back in the late 1700's. You can really tell the difference between the artists and their pieces, based off the time period and style or topic of painting. It's really quite something to check out. There's even a Rembrandt piece here! Lovely, small museum of beautiful paintings from Europe. There's a gift shop, areas for lounging and docents who are happy to help. Make Timken a stop when you're in Balboa Park.

A must-stop during a visit to Balboa park. This gallery may be small (and free admission!) but I think it's just the right dose of some really great art. The rooms are divided by country (French, Spanish, American, Italian, Dutch/Flemish and Russian). Cute stuff in their gift shop, too.

This is my favorite museum in the park! They have the most informative and friendly docents and an amazing amount of history available right before your eyes. San Diego is blessed to have this gift! Make sure you visit! See you soon!

This museum is free. When I asked what was in it, they said it had European art and Russian icons. I think it had European art. I don't remember really. It was a quick walk through. It was free.

It's really small, but it's free. All things considered, there's some great art in a small space. There are currently a couple of Monets on loan that are lovely. The Russian Orthodox paintings are pretty. Also, as you can see, there are two examples of Spaniels in their collection, which makes it worthwhile. Seriously though, it's free. Take 15 minutes and check it out.

This little museum has a small collection of mostly European and American art. Their collection includes French, Italian, Dutch, Flemish, American, and Russian works. There were also some beautiful French tapestries here as well. We read that Rembrandt's Saint Bartholomew was here, but it was actually on loan and will not be back until September. Just a few of our favorites include Portrait of Marguerite de Sève by Nicolas de Largillière, 1729, Interior of the Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam by Emanuel de Witte, 1657, and Magnolia Blossom by Martin Johnson Heade, 1888. The air conditioning must not have been working because it was sweltering inside this tiny museum. It was just way too hot to stay here for very long. Also, we may have received a warm welcome when we walked in the door, but one of the other docents followed and watched everyone so closely that it made us so uncomfortable. Although we were disappointed that the Rembrandt wasn't here, we look to coming back in the fall. This free museum ($10 donation suggested) is definitely worth a stop when visiting the lovely Balboa Park.

It's a FREE museum, so don't expect too much. At the start, if you have any food or drinks, they must be left by the counter, on top of the trashcans. Bottled or not, you need to risk it getting stolen because there is no supervision over there. The museum itself took us 15-20 minutes at most to get through. They have security around every corner and for some reason, this one security guy in particular kept following me around. Very uncomfortable, dude. Chill man. Docked a star because of that. Other than that, good free attraction. Very clean and well maintained place. Two unisex bathrooms located in the front on the left side.

The Admission: FREE. This is the only museum that is free in Balboa Park. Very small museum... not much arts displayed. You can check out the museum pretty quick.

This small museum houses the world-class Putnam Foundation Collection of European old master paintings, American paintings, and Russian icons. Artists represented include Rembrandt, Rubens, Fragonard, Bierstadt, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, John Singleton Copley, and Eastman Johnson. The Timken's modern, white marble building was designed by San Diego architect Frank Hope, Jr. The museum also hosts special exhibits. On the day of our visit, it was paintings by Guercino who, despite being cross-eyed, painted some magnificent works, often with a haunting demeanor. Admissions is free at this museum.

Last year, we decided to bid on a membership for the Timken Museum at a silent auction, and we won. We like the museum very much, it is small, intimate, focused and a beautiful space in Balboa Park for displaying art. Tonight, we attended the 8th Annual Art of Fashion....had no idea what to expect....to be honest, I thought it would be a runway show...instead....it was like the San Diego Museum of Art "Art Alive"...but with real models wearing clothing inspired by particular paintings. It was very difficult to figure out who is who, but I am doing my best to put credit to the designer where I can....if someone who is uncredited contacts me offline, I will make sure to give credit for the work in the caption. As far as the event goes, it is a fundraiser, and as far as fundraisers, it was a fun one. Lots of food and libations, and a HECK of a dessert table. Everyone seemed to be having a great time, and there were lots of high society mucky mucks there, but that is for someone else's review, somewhere else, for me it is about the art, the designers and the overall feel. Feelin' great!!

While it's great to have a free art museum in Balboa Park, the Timken will always come up short due to its size and limited collections. Every show I have seen there has been limited to one or two of their small galleries. Also this museum needs modernization. You have a feeling they're stuck in the 50's or 60's. Still I have to give them a three star rating for trying and for being free, and they do have a few good Italian and Dutch paintings on view.

The museum is free all year round and houses pretty interesting Russian art pieces, especially the Christian-themed icons. I had not seen these or Russian art in particular until I visited the museum. Come check out the intricate work of the adornment for these icons.

*Closed Mondays* It makes me sad that people give this museum bad reviews just because they feel it's underwhelming. It's a FREE museum. If it had more art, they'd be charging you. We're lucky this place exists. I thought it had a nice (albeit very small) collection of beautiful art. I'm such a sucker for European art and they had a few lovely pieces. I was also surprised to find a room dedicated to Russian icons. They even had a special exhibit when I went - a thematic collection on war. Pretty brutal stuff. Tiny gift shop. Donations accepted - give whatever you can.