Art & exhibitions in San Diego this weekend

Fri, Sep 25–27

50 exhibitions and openings across 38 venues in San Diego this weekend (Fri, Sep 25–27): Valley Center Library, Crest Library, Del Mar Library. Updated nightly.

Friday, September 25, 2026 9

10:00 AM
Cribbage
Poway Library · Poway
Join us for a fun and friendly game of Cribbage . Bring your own board if you have one. All levels are welcome. Instructions will be provided.
Tickets & details
10:00 AM
Sewing Group
Spring Valley Library · Spring Valley
Looking for a group to share your love for sewing or discuss projects? Bring your own sewing machine and materials.
Tickets & details
10:30 AM
Fiber Arts Meetup
Julian Library · Julian
Bring a project to work on and make some new friends. All needlecrafters welcome!
Tickets & details
11:00 AM
DIY Adult Craft: Upcycled Denim Bracelets - Fri
Del Mar Library · Del Mar
Use strip seams of upcycled jeans and add beads, stones, and charms to make a customized, unique piece. Registration required. Limited to 15 people. Sign up for one of our two opportunities to take this class! This program is made possible by the friends of the Del Mar Library.
Tickets & details
1:00 PM
Crest Craft Circle
Crest Library · El Cajon
Bring your own craft or make something at the library! We have supplies available, and we can teach you the basics. Or, join us to share your skills. Socialize or have a quiet place away from home to get some crafting done.
Tickets & details
1:00 PM
Adult Creative Arts Class
Valley Center Library · Valley Center
Join us each month for a new art workshop. Projects include floral design, watercolor, sculpture, drawing, etc.
Tickets & details
1:00 PM
Beading & Jewelry Club
Valley Center Library · Valley Center
Join us on Friday afternoons from 1:00–4:00 pm to explore the art of beading and jewelry-making with instructor, LaDawna Williams. Bring your current projects and creative ideas—some beads and supplies will be provided. Discover how fun and rewarding beading can be! Open to all…
Tickets & details
1:30 PM
Adult Crafternoon
4S Ranch Library · San Diego
Calling all crafty adults! September adult crafternoon is the 4th Friday of the month!
Tickets & details
3:30 PM
Teen Craft
Campo-Morena Village Library · Campo
Tickets & details

Saturday, September 26, 2026 10

9:00 AM
Adult Painting Class
Potrero Library · Potrero
This program is free and all supplies will be provided, seats are limited. Contact branch to register, (619) 478-5978*3
Tickets & details
10:00 AM
Creative Crafters: Knitting, Crochet & More
Borrego Springs Library · Borrego Springs
Spend the morning with fellow knitting and crochet enthusiasts! All are welcome, including beginners, although no formal instruction is provided. Opportunity to get tips and share what you are working on. Bring your own supplies.
Tickets & details
10:00 AM
Knitting Club
Valley Center Library · Valley Center
Join us Saturday mornings at 10:00 am and learn the art of knitting and crocheting. Bring a pair of needles and we'll help you start your project. Yarn and additional supplies provided. See how much fun and gratifying knitting can be! Open to all skill levels.
Tickets & details
10:30 AM
Clay Japanese Garden
Rancho Santa Fe Library · Rancho Santa Fe
Samira will help you create your very own Japanese Garden made our of clay. All supplies are provided, but space is limited. Please register online or call the branch at 858-756-2512 to reserve your spot. Registration opens Tuesday, September 1st.
Tickets & details
10:30 AM
Junk Journaling Class
Lincoln Acres Library · National City
Unleash your creativity and make a journal that's uniquely yours. Join us for a fun, hands-on junk journaling class where you'll combine paper, photos, artwork, ephemera, other decorative materials to create a one-of-a-kind journal. Materials will be provided.
Tickets & details
11:00 AM
DIY Adult Craft: Upcycled Denim Bracelets- Sat
Del Mar Library · Del Mar
Use strip seams of upcycled jeans and add beads, stones, and charms to make a customized, unique piece. Registration required. Limited to 15 people. Sign up for one of our two opportunities to take this class! This program is made possible by the friends of the Del Mar Library.
Tickets & details
11:00 AM
Athenaeum Art Center's 10th Anniversary Celebration
Athenaeum Music & Arts Library · San Diego
The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library celebrates the 10th anniversary of its Art Center with a free, all-ages community event. This featured celebration highlights a decade of arts programming in La Jolla.
Tickets & details
12:30 PM
Kingdom Quilters Sit & Sew
Alpine Library · Alpine
Join Alpine's Kingdom Quilters Sit & Sew, quilting to benefit children and babies in need of the comfort of a handmade quilt. No supplies or experience is necessary.
Tickets & details
1:00 PM
Painting at the Library
Crest Library · El Cajon
Try your hand at painting in this informal session and take home a finished painting. Materials are provided and no prior experience is necessary. Space is limited, please call 619-442-7083 to RSVP or stop by the Crest branch to reserve a spot. This program is designed for…
Tickets & details
1:00 PM
Paint with Christy Ross!
Lemon Grove Library · Lemon Grove
Try your hand at a painting class with Christy Ross in this informal session and take home a finished painting. Materials provided. All levels welcome. Space is limited. This program is designed for Adults and Teens. Sign-ups begin on Sept 12 at 10am . To register, please visit…
Tickets & details

Sunday, September 27, 2026 2

11:00 AM
46th International Exhibition
San Diego Watercolor Society · Liberty Station
The San Diego Watercolor Society opens its 46th International Exhibition on September 27, with gallery hours from 11am to 3pm. This prestigious annual exhibition features watercolor works from artists around the world.
Tickets & details
1:00 PM
Mending Meetup w/Good Neighbor Thrift
Vista Library · Vista
Join us for our beginner-friendly Mending Meetup. Bring clothing that needs repair. Some supplies available for use, sharing with your neighbors is encouraged! Únete a nuestra reunión de remendado para principiantes. Trae ropa que necesite reparación. Hay algunos materiales…
Tickets & details

On view this weekend 29

On view · through Sun, Nov 15
Farm to Craft
Mingei International Museum · San Diego
An entry-level exhibition at the Mingei International Museum drawn from its Permanent Collection, exploring the global significance of grains as both sustenance and a source of human creative inspiration.
Tickets & details
On view · through Sun, Nov 1
To Catch a Fish
Mingei International Museum · San Diego
An exhibition at the Mingei International Museum featuring over sixty works of craft and art related to fishing, showcasing both utilitarian fishing objects and works that illuminate the deep relationship between people and fish.
Tickets & details
On view · through Sun, Oct 18
India Thompson: Looks Like Home
Mingei International Museum · San Diego
An exhibition at the Mingei International Museum featuring intricately woven reed sculptures by India Thompson that transform everyday domestic objects into meditations on ownership, emotional attachment, and the concept of home in the age of renting.
Tickets & details
On view · through Sun, Jan 10
Cecil Beaton's Fashionable World
San Diego Museum of Art · San Diego
The first exhibition dedicated to Cecil Beaton (1904–1980) at the San Diego Museum of Art, celebrating his multifaceted career as a photographer, fashion illustrator, Oscar-winning costume designer, social caricaturist, and writer who was a towering force in British and American…
Tickets & details
On view · through Sat, Oct 10
Quilts Japan: The 17th Quilt Nihon
Visions Museum of Textile Art · San Diego
A free exhibition at the Visions Museum of Textile Art showcasing Japanese quilting art from the 17th Quilt Nihon competition. The exhibit continues through October 2026.
Tickets & details
On view · through Sat, Oct 10
Soft Architectures of the Sea
Visions Museum of Textile Art · San Diego
A free textile art exhibit at the Visions Museum of Textile Art exploring ocean-inspired forms and soft sculptural works. On display through October 2026.
Tickets & details
On view · through Tue, Dec 1
Color Changing Artworks in the Sculpture Garden
Bonita Museum & Cultural Center · Bonita
An ongoing outdoor sculpture exhibit at the Bonita Museum & Cultural Center featuring color-changing artworks. The exhibit runs through December 2026 and is free to visit.
Tickets & details
On view · through Thu, Jan 14
Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder: Where Science Meets Fiction
Comic-Con Museum · San Diego
An interactive exhibit at the Comic-Con Museum inspired by the Doctor Who universe, exploring the intersection of science fiction and real-world science. The exhibit runs from August 3, 2026 through January 14, 2027.
Tickets & details
On view · through Thu, Dec 31
Organica: Flora to Fauna at Granger Hotel
Granger Hotel · San Diego
An ongoing art exhibit at the Granger Hotel featuring works inspired by the natural world, from flora to fauna. The exhibit runs through December 31, 2026.
Tickets & details
On view · through Wed, Sep 30
'America at 250' in the Spotlight
San Diego History Center · San Diego
An exhibit at the San Diego History Center marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, on view through September 30, 2026. Admission is donation-based.
Tickets & details
On view · through Sun, Oct 4
'Sugar Rush': OMA's Artist Alliance at Sparks Gallery
Sparks Gallery · San Diego
A free art exhibit presented by OMA's Artist Alliance at Sparks Gallery, running from August 10 through October 4, 2026. The show features works from a collective of local artists.
Tickets & details
On view · through Wed, Sep 30
Artists at Work in Balboa Park
Village Arts Center in Balboa Park · San Diego
A free, ongoing demonstration series featuring artists creating works in arts and crafts and visual arts disciplines at the Village Arts Center in Balboa Park. The series runs through September 30, 2026.
Tickets & details
On view · through Mon, Jan 25
Material is Process – Art Exhibition
Gallery 201 · San Diego
An art exhibition exploring process-based artistic practices is on view at Gallery 201, with an opening or event window from 4pm to 8pm. The show runs through January 25, 2027.
Tickets & details
On view · through Sat, Nov 7
'Becoming Heirlooms:' A Craft Desert Exhibition
San Diego Central Library: Judith Harris Art Gallery · San Diego
A craft exhibition curated by Kerianne Quick and Adam John Manley in conjunction with Handwork 2026, a Craft in America initiative, examining the power of craft and art objects as functional heirlooms. On view through November 7, 2026, with an opening reception on September 11…
Tickets & details
On view · through Fri, Jan 1
Changing Terrain: Regional Artists Interpret Our Landscape
San Diego History Center · San Diego
A collaborative exhibition by the Oceanside Museum of Art and the San Diego History Center bringing together contemporary artists from Southern California and Baja to explore a region in constant transformation, on view through January 1, 2027.
Tickets & details
On view · through Fri, Oct 30
Love Letter to San Diego Art Exhibit-Irina Koren
Solana Beach Library · Solana Beach
Love Letter to San Diego Exhibit-Artist Irina Koren Paintings inspired by the beauty of San Diego from the coastline and changing light to people, nature, and everyday moments.
Tickets & details
On view · through Wed, Sep 30
'Surfriding: Hawaiian Royalty's Gift to the World'
California Surf Museum · Oceanside
An exhibit at the California Surf Museum presenting the history of how Hawaiian royalty introduced surfing around the world in the 1880s, featuring historic surfboards and stories of cross-cultural exchange. The exhibit runs through September 30, 2026.
Tickets & details
On view · through Sat, Oct 10
'Christine Lee: By Hand'
Quint / 7722 Girard Ave. (formerly Quint ONE) · San Diego
This is San Diego-based artist and designer Christine Lee's first exhibition with Quint Gallery, featuring works that bridge traditional craft processes with computer technology and direct hand manipulation. The interdisciplinary show runs through October 10, 2026 at the gallery…
Tickets & details
On view · through Sat, Sep 26
Sandra Acra - Art Exhibit
Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House · San Diego
An exhibit showcasing the artwork of Sandra Acra at the Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House, open during regular museum hours Thursday through Saturday, 10 AM to 4 PM. All artwork is available for purchase, with a portion of proceeds donated to the museum, running through…
Tickets & details
On view · through Sun, Nov 8
Yōkai Community Art Exhibit
Japanese Friendship Garden San Diego · San Diego
This community art exhibit at the Japanese Friendship Garden showcases original works by local and national artists inspired by yōkai, the supernatural creatures and spirits of Japanese folklore. The exhibit is included with general admission and runs through November 8, 2026.
Tickets & details
On view · through Thu, Nov 19
Wild San Diego
San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat) · San Diego
An exhibition at the San Diego Natural History Museum exploring San Diego's unique position at the crossroads of desert and sea, examining what makes the city a natural oasis that draws millions of visitors each year.
Tickets & details
On view · through Sun, Nov 8
The Dean Collection Presents: Hometown Heroes
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego · San Diego
This exhibition presented by The Dean Collection highlights work by local artists including MJ Pimentel, whose piece "Handball Courts" (2025) is featured. The show is on view from April 18 through November 8, 2026.
Tickets & details
On view · through Thu, Nov 19
Ocean Paradise
San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat) · San Diego
An exhibition at the San Diego Natural History Museum exploring three remote, untouched atolls thousands of miles from civilization, revealing key insights into human impacts on Earth's oceans and what it takes to safeguard our planet.
Tickets & details
On view · through Thu, Dec 31
Posters Created by Françoise Gilot for “Symphony at Salk" Concerts 1996-2023
Del Mar Library · Del Mar
The Del Mar Branch of the San Diego County Library, the Del Mar Foundation, and the Salk Institute present: Posters Created by Internationally Known Artist Françoise Gilot for "Symphony at Salk" Concerts 1996-2023. When Françoise Gilot was a 21-year-old art student in Paris, she…
Tickets & details
On view · through Fri, Oct 9
34th Annual Juried Exhibition
Athenaeum Music & Arts Library – Joseph Clayes III Gallery · San Diego
Featuring 48 works by 42 artists selected from over 1,000 submissions, this exhibition showcases the breadth of contemporary art from the San Diego–Tijuana region. The show was juried by artist and photographer Paul Mpagi Sepuya and is on display in the Joseph Clayes III Gallery…
Tickets & details
On view · through Tue, Jun 1
Take Me to the Water: Histories of the Black Pacific Exhibit
Venue not listed · San Diego
Take Me to the Water is a museum exhibition exploring histories of African American and Black communities connected to the Pacific Ocean, on display from August 11, 2026 through June 1, 2027. No specific museum or venue details were listed on the page beyond what is implied.
Tickets & details
On view · through Tue, Jun 1
Take Me to the Water: Histories of the Black Pacific Exhibit
San Diego · San Diego
A museum exhibit exploring histories connected to Black communities and the Pacific region. The exhibition runs for an extended period at a San Diego venue. No further details are provided on this page.
Tickets & details
On view · through Sun, Jan 23
Figuratively Speaking, an Art Exhibition
San Diego · San Diego
An art exhibition running through early 2028 at a San Diego venue. The page lists it as starting August 21, 2026 with no further detail beyond the title and dates.
Tickets & details
On view · through Sun, Jan 17
Visiones Nocturnas: Queer Nightlife in Contemporary Art
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego · San Diego
This exhibition at MCASD explores queer nightlife through the lens of contemporary art, featuring work by artists including Andres Payan Estrada. The show runs from September 19, 2026 through January 17, 2027.
Tickets & details