SCHOOL PROGRAMS

San Diego Automotive Museum Education Programs

The San Diego Automotive Museum in Balboa Park offers hands-on school programs where students explore the science, engineering, and design of transportation. Through interactive workshops and guided tours, students connect classroom lessons to real-world experiences.

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Our school programs, for students from TK to 8th grade, align with Common Core and NGSS standards. Students learn how vehicles move, how engineering solves problems, and how transportation shapes our world. STEM activities with real vehicles and artifacts help students understand motion, mechanics, and innovation while building teamwork and problem-solving skills.

These programs support educators and provide students with memorable learning beyond the classroom.

Museum Field Trips and Workshops

School groups are invited to visit the San Diego Automotive Museum for interactive field trips and hands-on workshops that build on classroom lessons.

During their visit, students explore exhibits and participate in activities that introduce transportation and engineering concepts. They check out historic vehicles, discover how mechanical systems work, and see how transportation has changed over time.

Students sitting in a car at the San Diego Automotive Museum enjoying a school program
Students sitting in a car at the San Diego Automotive Museum enjoying a school program

School groups are invited to visit the San Diego Automotive Museum for interactive field trips and hands-on workshops that build on classroom lessons.

During their visit, students explore exhibits and participate in activities that introduce transportation and engineering concepts. They check out historic vehicles, discover how mechanical systems work, and see how transportation has changed over time.

Students working on a hands-on activity during a school program at the San Diego Automotive Museum

Hands-on activities let students experiment, build, test, and collaborate while exploring topics like motion and forces:

  • Friction and efficiency
  • Vehicle design, transportation systems, and infrastructure
  • Innovation in automotive technology, sustainability, and the future of mobility

Museum educators lead the programs, guiding students through activities that make learning engaging and easy to understand. Field trips offer students a unique chance to see how science, engineering, and design combine to create the vehicles and technology we use daily.

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In-School Workshops

The San Diego Automotive Museum offers outreach workshops that bring hands-on learning right into the classroom.

Our education team visits schools throughout San Diego County to lead programs about the science and engineering of transportation. These workshops include demonstrations, experiments, and group challenges that connect classroom lessons to real-world examples.

In-school programs are flexible and can be adapted for different grades and classroom setups. This allows more students to enjoy hands-on STEM learning even if they can’t visit the museum.

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A young student raising their hand in a classroom, enjoying the San Diego Automotive Museum's in-classroom school program
A young student raising their hand in a classroom, enjoying the San Diego Automotive Museum's in-classroom school program

The San Diego Automotive Museum offers outreach workshops that bring hands-on learning right into the classroom.

Our education team visits schools throughout San Diego County to lead programs about the science and engineering of transportation. These workshops include demonstrations, experiments, and group challenges that connect classroom lessons to real-world examples.

In-school programs are flexible and can be adapted for different grades and classroom setups. This allows more students to enjoy hands-on STEM learning even if they can’t visit the museum.

REQUEST A QUOTE

Customized Educational Experiences

The San Diego Automotive Museum also partners with educators to create custom learning experiences that fit classroom goals and curriculum needs.

Schools can request programs tailored to specific grade levels, subjects, or learning goals.

Customized experiences might include:

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Engineering design challenges
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Transportation science demonstrations
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Guided tours on innovation and design
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Hands-on mechanical experiments
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STEM workshops linked to classroom units

These school programs help students see how creativity, engineering, and problem-solving shape modern transportation.

EXAMPLE WORKSHOP

Forces at Full Speed

Grades 2-5

What makes a vehicle move efficiently?

In this hands-on workshop, students explore the science of motion and how vehicles move. Through experiments and design challenges, they discover how friction, force, and design affect performance.

Students work in small teams to build balloon-powered cars and test how different designs impact movement. After testing, they compare results and discuss which design choices made each vehicle perform best.

This activity introduces basic physics concepts while encouraging teamwork, hands-on experimentation, and creative problem-solving.

Chaperone Guidelines

Adult supervision is required during school program visits to the museum.

Chaperone Ratios

  • Pre-K: 1 chaperone per 3 students
  • Elementary School: 1 chaperone per 4 students
  • Middle School: 1 chaperone per 6 students
  • High School: 1 chaperone per 8 students

Chaperones who meet the recommended ratio receive free admission. Any extra chaperones pay the regular museum fee.

School Programs

Request a School Program Quote

After you submit a request, our education team reviews your group size, grade level, program type, and schedule to provide the best options and pricing.

To request a program, please complete the School Program Request Form below.