Comic-Con Museum — Attraction in San Diego

As an attendee of SDCC every year, I was excited to check this place out while visiting San Diego during a non-SDCC time of the year. I wasn't really sure what to expect but figured it had to be good since it is so close to the convention center, there would be props, sets and all kinds of stuff from past shows right? right...? Turns out, not really.

At $25 a pop for adults, I was already a bit skeptical and this raised my expectations for the exhibit. After entering, you're free to explore all three floors but there really isn't much indication of what is where in the building. The main floor is a pop culture-y history exhibit, which was cool, but it really didn't have anything to do with comic-con. A lot of the displays are still relevant, but showing their age. The interactive robots and mini games were fun for about 10 seconds, but again had nothing to do with comic-con.

The bottom floor was a complete blunder of design and use of the space. The walls are baren, with a row of random comic pages, covers, and display cases showing poorly graded comics and some Funko pops. There is an entire almost empty room dedicated to My Hero Academia, and next to it is an unfinished basement looking room with some random costumes. There is also a theater space that had some "panels" going on, but that really wasn't something we were interested in. Oh the elevator certificate was also expired, but don't worry they have an email taped to the wall that shows they reached out to the city in 2021 (!) showing that they tried to renew it.

The top floor was also strangely laid out. An entire room with an old computer in a display case (?) in the dead center, some prints on the walls, and a "digital computing" sign that looked like someone designed in Paint Shop Pro. Down a long hall was a wall of cowboy bebop posters, that's it. Some other random stuff like a learning room where kids can color or something.

There were some genuinely great exhibits, like the cardboard characters that 10-12 year olds created, and the recreation of a guys bedroom from the 70s, but again I have to ask, what do these have to do with comic-con? While we spent about an hour and a half walking around, it really didn't feel like it was worth the price of admission. The only reason I'm leaving a review is because they have a sign on the way out the door asking for one. I didn't even think to look at reviews before coming in, and now that I see the rating after the fact, I know why. Hopefully this place improves over time, it's a bit of a slap in the face to fans of SDCC and the...

Pro Tip: Use the restrooms inside the Museum. The Public restroom outside are DISGUSTING and a 3 month old porta-potty would be an upgrade. We arrived about 10:45am on 7/10/22 and there was a huge line out front and a lady speaking to the line...like it was a tour or something. We opted to buy our tickets there, as it was $3 per ticket as a processing fee. We later found out that the people waiting out front already had tickets, but were waiting for their allotted time to enter. It would be cool if the lines had some sort of sign or something. We finally made inside to purchase tickets and got 11:30am, not too bad, but we were told we had to wait outside till then to enter. Overall, spent $118 for two adults and 2 students - so pricey. The museum promised 3 floors - middle floor was awesome - the brand new Spiderman exhibit. Super interactive and state of the art. They had a live Spiderman actor, that didn't quit look like the real Spiderman if you know what I mean (he was much taller and not as thin) The lower floor had DC costume mannequins and a Batman along with a movie theater. The top floor had exhibits of various unknown prints but with a cool Archie exhibit and Rocketeer/Betty Page exhibit. My son (16 years old) stated - clearly you see where the budget went (meaning to the Spiderman exhibit). We spent about 1.5 hours inside and purchased a couple things from the gift shop. My kids did the scavenger hunt and got a 2020 comic con museum pin (I thought it was 2022?). Last stop was the PacMan exhibit by the front entrance that we totally missed coming in - they have free play on all of...

The Comic Con Museum in Balboa Park is an absolute delight for anyone with a love for all things geeky. When you first step through the doors, you're greeted with a treasure trove of exhibits spanning technology, robots, anime, and iconic cosplay costumes straight out of Comic Con.

This museum really offers a little bit of everything. From interactive exhibits showcasing technology throughout history to workshops where you can unleash your creativity by making cardboard sculptures and mini comic books, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

One of the highlights of our visit was the scavenger hunt, which added an extra layer of excitement as we explored the museum and hunted for hidden facts and tidbits of information. It was a fun and immersive way to learn more about the exhibits.

The nostalgia factor was also very fun! Seeing iconic memorabilia from beloved franchises like Back to the Future, ET, and original video game systems brought back fond memories and sparked a sense of wonder and excitement.

What's even more exciting is that the museum rotates its exhibits and themes, ensuring that future visits offers something new and fresh. So even if you've been before, there's always something new to discover and explore.

Overall, the Comic Con Museum in Balboa Park is a great destination for comic and pop culture enthusiasts of all ages. With its diverse exhibits, hands-on activities, and ever-changing themes, it's an experience that you'll want to revisit time...