The Maritime Museum and the Star of India: what's there and is it worth it?
It's a floating museum of historic ships on the Embarcadero, led by the Star of India, an iron-hulled ship launched in 1863 that the museum calls the world's oldest active sailing ship. Adults pay $28 at the door; kids 5 and under are free.
- Star of India
- 1863
- Adults
- $28
- Kids 6–17
- $15
- Hours
- 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Iron-hulled, still sails
Walk-up price
5 and under free
Last entry 4 p.m.
The short version
- The Star of India was launched on the Isle of Man on November 14, 1863, as the Euterpe, with an iron hull when most ships were still wooden.
- She made 21 voyages around the world, carried emigrants to New Zealand from 1871 and was renamed in 1906.
- The fleet includes the 1898 ferry Berkeley, HMS Surprise from Master and Commander, the USS Dolphin submarine and the San Salvador galleon replica.
- The Soviet B-39 submarine is gone: it was being scrapped by 2021 and towed to Ensenada in 2022.
- 2026 walk-up prices: adults $28, seniors 62+ and military $20, ages 6–17 $15, 5 and under free; open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Walk along the Embarcadero and you can't miss the tall masts. That's the Maritime Museum of San Diego: not a building but a fleet of historic ships you board one after another. The anchor is the Star of India, launched in 1863, when San Diego was still a small town clustered around Old Town. Here's what's aboard and whether it's worth the ticket.
The Star of India's long life
Maritime Museum of San Diego and Wikipedia, checked October 20, 2026.
What you can board
| Vessel | What it is |
|---|---|
| Star of India | 1863 iron-hulled merchant ship; 21 circumnavigations |
| Berkeley | 1898 steam ferry; the museum's main exhibit hall |
| HMS Surprise | 1970 replica frigate, used in the film Master and Commander |
| San Salvador | Full-size replica of Cabrillo's 1542 galleon, launched 2015 |
| USS Dolphin | U.S. Navy research submarine |
| Medea | 1904 steam yacht |
| Pilot | 1914 San Diego Bay pilot boat |
| PCF-816 | Vietnam-era Navy swift boat |
| Californian | 1984 replica of a revenue cutter |
Maritime Museum of San Diego and Wikipedia's fleet list, checked October 20, 2026. Some vessels sail or go out for maintenance; check what's open on your day.
2026 admission
| Ticket | Walk-up | Online |
|---|---|---|
| Adults | $28 | $30.36 |
| Seniors 62+ and military | $20 | $21.69 |
| Ages 6–17 | $15 | $16.34 |
| Ages 5 and under | Free | Free |
Maritime Museum of San Diego, page modified July 8, 2026. Online prices include fees.
Is it worth it?
For kids who like climbing ladders and ducking through hatches, yes; budget about two hours. For adults, the Star of India's 'tween deck, where emigrants slept on the long voyage to New Zealand, is the part that sticks. It's a short walk from the USS Midway; doing both in one day is a lot, so pick the Midway for aviation and the Maritime Museum for sail.
Embarcadero
Pin from OpenStreetMap.
See these on the full San Diego mapIs this still right?
We last checked this tip against its sources on October 20, 2026, and we re-research every tip on a schedule. Things in San Diego change, sometimes overnight.
Prices, fees, hours and rules change, often at the start of a year or season. Confirm with the official source linked below before you rely on a number.
This is general information, not legal, financial, tax, medical or safety advice.
SOURCES
Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.
- PrimaryStar of India
Maritime Museum of San Diego · Checked October 20, 2026
History, iron hull, 21 circumnavigations, New Zealand voyages
- PrimaryAdmission
Maritime Museum of San Diego · Modified July 8, 2026
Prices and hours
- BackgroundStar of India (ship)
Wikipedia · Checked October 20, 2026
Launch date, renaming, 1926 purchase, 1976 sailing
- BackgroundMaritime Museum of San Diego
Wikipedia · Checked October 20, 2026
Fleet list; B-39 scrapped