Museum of Photographic Arts

At 1649 El Prado, visitors will find the Museum of Photographic Arts of San Diego, California. The museum is also known as MoPA. A few geographical references for visitors to find the building is Balboa Park near the Casa de Balboa Building off the main traffic circle near the central fountain. The Museum of Photographic Arts has a mission to educate, inspire and broadcast work in the best way possible. This means collection, preservation, and presentation of all photography related work including film and video.

The museum was started in 1983 and has become one of the more popular locations in San Diego. They offer historical and social exhibits including public programs. Several community foundations are a part of the museum to help fund it and bring in new exhibits.

The Museum of Photographic Arts is open Tuesday through Sunday 10am to 5pm. They are closed on Mondays and most major holidays. Gallery admission is $6 and $4 for adults and children, respectively. The permanent collection of photographs encompasses 9,000 images. These were created mostly by Margaret Bourke- White, Ruth Bernhard, and Alfred Stieglitz. There are a total of 850 photographers in the collection.