It’s been a little over a year since the Mingei International Museum completed a major transformation of its building. The new spaces are open, airy, and bright and invite you to explore.

The word mingei means “art of the people,” and the collections contain over 25,000 items from around the globe. Many of the items featured were created by everyday artists who wanted to decorate their own homes or share their talent with others.

Piñatas: The High Art of Celebration

This fun and vibrant collection features piñatas made from Lantix artists across the United States. Some of the piñatas are nearly as small as the butterflies and hummingbirds they represent, to as large as a full-size car. The exhibition runs through 30 April 2023.

This is Our Story Exhibition

This exhibition features works from self-taught artists who simply enjoyed the process of creating art for their own personal use or to share with others. This exhibition runs through 26 February 2023.

Click button to play video below.

Dining and Shopping

Within the museum, you can dine at Artifact, the museum’s restaurant (Lunch Tues.–Sun., 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; Happy Hour Thurs.–Sat., 3 p.m.–6 p.m.; Dinner Thurs. & Fri., 5 p.m.–8:30 p.m.). For lighter fare, you can try the Craft Café (Daily 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.).

Of course, there’s a museum shop where you can purchase a variety of items.

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What You Need to Know

Location:	Balboa Park, Plaza de Panama, 1439 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101
Transit:	MTS Buses #7 and #215 on Park Blvd; Buses #3 and #120 on Fifth Ave.
Hours:	Saturday–Wednesday: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Thursday–Friday: 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Closed New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day
Phone:	(619) 239-0003
Website:	https://mingei.org/
Cost:	Adults (18 years and older): $14 Seniors, Students with ID, and Military: $10 Children: Free Residents Free Tuesday: 3rd Tuesday of each month Museums for All (EBT): Free Blue Star Museum: Free admission to active duty military and their families from Armed Forces Day to Labor Day
Tips:	None
Date Visited:	15 November 2022