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Experience the best of USS Midway Museum

Discover life at sea aboard the USS Midway Museum, one of America’s most legendary aircraft carriers, docked in San Diego. Walk through restored hangars and flight decks, explore over 30 historic aircraft, and hear personal stories from veterans that bring naval history to life.
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Slide 1 of 12, USS Midway Museum aircraft carrier docked in San Diego Harbor, part of San Diego CityPASS®.
USS Midway Museum aircraft carrier docked in San Diego Harbor, part of San Diego CityPASS®.
Explore at your pace
Audio guide
  • Skip the ticket line and board the Midway with a self-guided audio tour to explore the historic aircraft and learn about its prolific military operations.

  • Ever wondered what life was like for sailors on board? Explore restored rooms and crew quarters, and discover the Midway’s role during the Gulf War.

  • Take in the panoramic views of San Diego Bay and get up close to over 30 restored aircraft and helicopters from the top deck.

  • Immerse yourself in interactive exhibits and explore the aircraft carrier's fascinating history and aviation legacy.

More details
  • Skip the ticket line and board the Midway with a self-guided audio tour to explore the historic aircraft and learn about its prolific military operations.

  • Ever wondered what life was like for sailors on board? Explore restored rooms and crew quarters, and discover the Midway’s role during the Gulf War.

  • Take in the panoramic views of San Diego Bay and get up close to over 30 restored aircraft and helicopters from the top deck.

  • Immerse yourself in interactive exhibits and explore the aircraft carrier's fascinating history and aviation legacy.

from
$40.99
Slide 1 of 11, San Diego Zoo treetop walkway and USS Midway Museum aircraft display.
San Diego Zoo treetop walkway and USS Midway Museum aircraft display.
Explore at your pace
Audio guide
  • Get more for less with this combo ticket that lets you experience the San Diego Zoo and the USS Midway Museum, two of San Diego’s most popular attractions, in one convenient booking.

  • With flexible booking, you can visit both attractions on the same day or spread them across different days, ensuring your visit fits your schedule.

  • Wander through lush exhibits and meet over 3,700 animals from across the globe. The San Diego Zoo offers a world-class wildlife experience.

  • Walk the historic decks of the USS Midway, where you can see over 25 restored aircraft and dive into the fascinating stories of naval aviation.

  • With just a 16-minute drive between the San Diego Zoo and USS Midway Museum, visiting both is simple and convenient, making the most of your day.

More details
  • Get more for less with this combo ticket that lets you experience the San Diego Zoo and the USS Midway Museum, two of San Diego’s most popular attractions, in one convenient booking.

  • With flexible booking, you can visit both attractions on the same day or spread them across different days, ensuring your visit fits your schedule.

  • Wander through lush exhibits and meet over 3,700 animals from across the globe. The San Diego Zoo offers a world-class wildlife experience.

  • Walk the historic decks of the USS Midway, where you can see over 25 restored aircraft and dive into the fascinating stories of naval aviation.

  • With just a 16-minute drive between the San Diego Zoo and USS Midway Museum, visiting both is simple and convenient, making the most of your day.

from Original price$118.99
$109.47

8% off

Slide 1 of 11, San Diego Zoo Safari Park kangaroo encounter and USS Midway Museum aircraft deck scene.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park kangaroo encounter and USS Midway Museum aircraft deck scene.
Explore at your pace
Audio guide
  • Roam the Safari Park's expansive habitats and get up close with wildlife on the Africa Tram adventure.

  • Skip the lines at the USS Midway Museum and explore historic aircraft, interactive exhibits, and Navy crew life.

  • With flexible booking, visit the Safari Park and USS Midway on separate days or in one go to fit your plans.

More details
  • Roam the Safari Park's expansive habitats and get up close with wildlife on the Africa Tram adventure.

  • Skip the lines at the USS Midway Museum and explore historic aircraft, interactive exhibits, and Navy crew life.

  • With flexible booking, visit the Safari Park and USS Midway on separate days or in one go to fit your plans.

from Original price$118.99
$113.04

5% off

Pro tips to help you make a pick

Buy online before arriving if you’re visiting in summer or on weekends. Walk-up ticket window waits reach 30–45 minutes in peak periods, while online tickets let you go straight to the gangway scan.

Be careful with OTA listings that charge extra for an audio tour. The self-guided audio handset with about 60 narrated stops is included in standard admission.

Know what “skip-the-line” means here: it skips the ticket window, not bag security. All visitors still pass through security, which typically takes 5–10 minutes at peak times.

Tuesday–Thursday at the 10:00am opening is the best-value slot. Crowds are lowest in the first 60–90 minutes, so paying extra for priority access is usually less useful then.

Allow 3–4 hours for a first visit even though the official range is 2–5 hours. With daily hours of 10:00am–5:00pm and last boarding at 4:00pm, late-afternoon entry leaves little time for the island and interior spaces.

General admission is the price anchor at about $26–$32 for adults and $18–$22 for children as of May 2025. Check current pricing before purchase because rates can change seasonally.

Choose a guided docent tour if you want a clearer route and more context. It typically adds about $10–$20 over general admission and follows a curated 90-minute route through spaces self-guided visitors often miss.

If you’re visiting with children, budget flight simulators separately rather than assuming they’re included. They usually cost about $8–$12 per ride, last around 2–4 minutes, and are better bought on-site if energy levels warrant it.

If anyone in your group has significant mobility limitations, read the accessibility information before booking. The Hangar Deck is the main step-free area, while the Flight Deck, island superstructure, and engine room involve steep ship stairs.

About USS Midway Museum

What sets USS Midway Museum apart from many ship museums is its scale and range: a decommissioned supercarrier, not a compact historic vessel. Alongside 29+ aircraft, visitors move through lived-in spaces such as the chiefs' mess, sick bay, and berthing compartments, then climb to the bridge and Primary Flight Control for bay views and operational context.

Did you know?

USS Midway was the first U.S. ship too large to transit the Panama Canal, a practical measure of how dramatically carrier design had expanded by 1945.

From 1973 to 1991, Midway was home-ported in Yokosuka, Japan, the longest overseas deployment of any U.S. aircraft carrier.

At peak complement, the ship carried about 4,500 sailors and airmen, giving the carrier the population of a small town at sea.

Midway’s service record includes Operation Sea Angel in 1991, when it supported humanitarian relief in Bangladesh after a cyclone that killed 138,000 people.

The museum opened on June 7, 2004, twelve years after USS Midway was decommissioned on April 11, 1992.

Why visit USS Midway Museum?

Walk a 1,001-Foot Historic Supercarrier

USS Midway, CV-41, was commissioned in 1945, decommissioned in 1992, and served 47 years, the longest of any large U.S. Navy carrier at that time. Boarding by gangway and moving through its decks gives a direct sense of the ship’s size, from enclosed hangar spaces to the open-air stern.

Explore Restored Brig, Barber Shop, Sick Bay

Branching off the Hangar Deck are the ship’s most immersive interiors: the brig, barber shop, sick bay, dental office, chiefs' mess, and berthing compartments. These restored rooms are repeatedly cited by visitors as the most emotionally resonant spaces because they show how thousands of sailors actually lived aboard the carrier.

See 29+ Aircraft on the Flight Deck

The 4.5-acre Flight Deck displays 29+ restored aircraft from multiple eras of naval aviation, including the F/A-18 Hornet, A-6 Intruder, and SH-60 Seahawk. Steam catapult tracks, arresting wire systems, and views of downtown San Diego make this the ship’s main visual highlight.

Climb to the Bridge and Pri-Fly

The island superstructure houses the navigational bridge, Primary Flight Control, admiral’s quarters, and signal bridge. It is the ship’s highest accessible point, combining original instruments and command spaces with wide views of San Diego Bay, the skyline, and the full flight deck below.

Hear Stories from Veteran Volunteer Docents

Most USS Midway docents are volunteers, and many are military veterans; some served on CV-41 itself. Their live tours add personal detail that the audio tour cannot match, from pointing out specific berthing compartments to explaining carrier life through first-hand experience.

Plan your visit

Navy Pier Gangway Entrance

Located at Navy Pier (Pier B), 910 N. Harbor Drive, this is the museum's only public entrance and boarding point. Online ticket holders go directly to the gangway for QR-code scanning, while walk-up visitors must first use the ticket window before boarding. All visitors pass through mandatory bag security here; typical screening takes 5-10 minutes at peak times and 2-5 minutes off-peak. The gangway ramp is the only step-free entry and is manageable for wheelchairs with assistance, but the Hangar Deck main walkway is the only fully step-free zone once on board. Follow signs to the pier-level boarding area.

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What our guests say

Jack F

United States
Couple
2 weeks ago

+2 more

The San Diego Zoo was by far the best experience of my entire trip to San Diego, and nothing short of remarkable. It is set in the iconic Balboa park and is in close proximity to other amazing places and activities in the park including the Japanese Friendship Gardens or the gorgeous Botanical Gardens. Headout made the ticket purchasing and entry process incredibly easy with not only a seamless and non-confusing UI, but most importantly the ability to access tickets without an internet connection. This eliminated the stress of waiting on slow or unreliable connections at busy ticketing lines, and made my experience at the Zoo much more enjoyable in general. The Zoo is a perfect example of what I think a modern zoo should be, with a great balance of engaging and entertaining exhibits, while making it evident that animals are extremely well taken care. Habitats are beautiful and reflect the natural environments of the animals they house. It is hard to find zoos that feel ethical while also providing the classical amusement park feel of a large zoo. San Diego balances this perfectly with a wide selection of activites, concessions, etc; while maintain ethical standards and clean and proper habitats. My favorite parts of the Zoo were the "Lost Forest" pathways that really immerse you in the environment and make you feel like your really walking through a true jungle. I would recommend wearing capable footwear as the park is massive and is built upon many different hills and cliff sides that brings way for many uphill and downhill walks. However, the park is accessible for those with disabilities as there is a guided 35 minute bus tour that takes you throughout the park and has visible views of the animals, as well. The park also has plenty of food and beverage options for both kids and adults, or individuals with food allergies like myself. I was able to find several gluten free options, most notably carne asada tacos at the sabertooth grill near the elephant habitat. They were delicious and reasonably priced for in-park food. There is also alcoholic beverage stations around the park to really amp up the experience. Overall, the San Diego Zoo is a perfect excursion that is situated in an accessible area of the city and is suitable for everyone!

Combo: San Diego Zoo + USS Midway Museum Tickets

Rosa M

Group
2 weeks ago

+1 more

Using Headout was so easy. Purchasirng in advance allowed me to skip the long entrance line and allowed me to utilize all the extra time seeing the animals.

Combo: San Diego Zoo + USS Midway Museum Tickets

Deanna W

United States
Solo
2 weeks ago

+3 more

I loved your site. It was easy to use. It sent me a reminder my trip was in pending, just in case I forgot. It might be nice if the site could somehow integrate with a weather forecast site so that we would know what the weather temperature would be when we book our tickets. That's the only thing I can think of that might have made it better. But my visit was exactly everything I wanted it to be.. I got to sit on the patio and eat wonderful food and watch elephants. That was the whole reason for my trip.

Combo: San Diego Zoo Safari Park + USS Midway Museum Tickets

Lesa M

United States
Solo
Jul 2026

+2 more

This was the Best Birthday present I have given for myself. The day spent at the Safari Park was Spectacular! It's easy to buy tickets on line and on person with ample parking. All the staff was extremely nice,knowledgeable and very helpful and friendly. This should be on everyone's Bucket List!!!

Combo: San Diego Zoo Safari Park + USS Midway Museum Tickets

Fabrizio C

Solo
Apr 2026

+1 more

When you're in San Diego, you simply can't miss the USS Midway. Everything about it is wonderful. The staff and former crew members who served on that ship are truly courteous. When you talk to them, you can feel their devotion to their country, to the flag, and to the esprit de corps that, in a way, defines all of "us" who belong to the Armed Forces.

USS Midway Museum Skip-the-Line Tickets

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