The most visited naval aviation museum in the world — an aircraft carrier that served from 1945 through the Gulf War, now docked permanently at San Diego's Navy Pier with 60+ aircraft on its flight deck and hangar, audio tours voiced by former Midway crew members, and cockpit access that makes the ship come alive.
Why It’s Worth Your Time
The USS Midway served from September 1945 through the Gulf War, making her the longest-serving US Navy aircraft carrier of the 20th century. She is now the centerpiece of San Diego's Embarcadero waterfront — a ship so large that her flight deck holds 29 restored aircraft while additional planes fill the hangar below, and visitors spend three to four hours working through the self-guided audio tour (narrated by former Midway crew members, which gives the exploration a biographical intimacy that distinguishes it from standard museum presentations). Cockpit seats in several aircraft are accessible for photos. The ship's position on the bayfront — directly across from the downtown skyline and the Coronado Bridge — makes the exterior view as striking as the interior. The USS Midway is the most visited ship museum in the world and the recommended single attraction in San Diego for first-time visitors of any age.
What Stands Out
- Most visited ship museum in the world — 60+ aircraft on the longest-serving US aircraft carrier
- Audio tour voiced by former Midway crew members — the personal museum experience in San Diego
- Cockpit access in multiple aircraft: sit where pilots sat and see what they saw
- Bayfront location with Coronado Bridge view: the best waterfront position on San Diego's Embarcadero
- The recommended single attraction in San Diego for first-time visitors