San Diego's Popular Kids Free In October Program Expands To Tijuana For First Time

SAN DIEGO, CA — For 16 years, Kids Free in October has opened the doors of museums and cultural attractions across San Diego County to families, giving children the chance to explore for free.

This year, those doors extend across the U.S.-Mexico border for the first time.

More than 60 museums and cultural attractions in San Diego County and Tijuana will offer free admission in October to children ages 12 and younger with a paid adult as part of the San Diego Museum Council's annual program.

The expansion reflects the region's cultural connections on both sides of the border, San Diego Museum Council Executive Director Tom Felkner told Patch.

"We have an amazing and vibrant binational region with arts and culture bringing together people from both sides of the border," Felkner said. "For the past several years, we have been building relationships and making friendships with the arts and culture community in Tijuana and Baja. Kids Free in October is a perfect way to further build that relationship and share our cultures."

Participating Tijuana destinations include the Municipal Institute of Art and Culture, or IMAC, and the Tijuana Cultural Center, also known as CECUT. The cultural center includes the Museum of the Californias, El Cubo, Tijuana Aquarium and IMAX Dome.

The expansion adds to a program that drew more than 120,000 children and accompanying adults in 2025.

For Felkner, that participation underscores the importance of making cultural experiences financially accessible to families.

"Kids Free in October helps remove the economic barriers to making museum visits easier and more affordable for all families," Felkner said. "It's important that all people can have access to the educational benefits of our museums."

But cost is not the only thing that can keep children from visiting museums, aquariums, gardens, historic sites and other cultural destinations, he said.

"Kids growing up in the San Diego region have an extraordinary variety of cultural attractions in their own backyard, from museums and aquariums to historic sites and gardens," Felkner said. "But not every kid grows up experiencing them.

"Cost is one of the things that gets in the way. But sometimes it's a lack of awareness of what is available or it's because parents didn't grow up exposed to these opportunities either."

Kids Free in October is designed to give families a reason to explore those places, whether visiting a museum for the first time or returning to a familiar favorite.

"Kids Free in October makes it easier for families to say 'yes' to more of these experiences — to try something new, discover what captures their kids' imaginations and perhaps start a new family tradition," Felkner said.

The program includes museums and attractions stretching across the region, from Oceanside and Escondido to Julian and Campo and now south into Tijuana.

The options are equally varied. Families can visit art museums such as the San Diego Museum of Art and Visions Museum of Textile Art, explore automotive museums or find destinations devoted to music, surfing, comics and miniatures. The program also includes some of San Diego's best-known attractions, including the USS Midway Museum and Maritime Museum of San Diego.

"We love seeing families bring their kids into our museums, some for the very first time," Felkner said. "With over 60 museums and cultural sites to choose from, it's the perfect opportunity for families to check out something new or return to a favorite."

The San Diego Museum Council hopes those visits do more than fill an October afternoon.

"Our hope is that by introducing kids to these fun, enriching experiences at an early age, we're helping to create a connection to arts and culture that can last their whole lives," Felkner said. "Imagine what's possible when every kid grows up with a bigger, richer world to explore!"

Families can receive free admission for up to two children ages 12 and younger with each paid adult admission from Oct. 1-31. A Kids Free in October coupon must be downloaded from the San Diego Museum Council website for each participating destination and presented at admission. Restrictions vary by location. The program is supported by First 5 San Diego.

The October savings extend beyond museums. Families can also find Kids Free San Diego offers at hotels, restaurants and other attractions, including Legoland California Resort and Sea Life Aquarium, the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, SeaWorld San Diego and Belmont Park.

For parents debating whether to make time for a museum visit this October, Felkner said the experiences can combine learning with memories children carry with them.

"Museums are the perfect place for kids to learn and have fun," Felkner said. "It's exciting to see kids explore interactive exhibits. They can experiment with science at the Fleet, touch a sea creature at the Birch Aquarium, or play an instrument at the Museum of Making Music. These are experiences and family memories that will last a lifetime."