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Mingei International Museum
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Balboa Park
1439 El Prado
(between Plaza De Panama & State Highway 163)
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 239-0003
1439 El Prado
(between Plaza De Panama & State Highway 163)
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 239-0003
- Hours:
Tue-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- No
11 reviews for Mingei International Museum
While not something that a student of the world-recognized cultural icons might find of significant interest with its focus on the folksie, or "people's", artwork, this museum offers a delightful insight into a quasi utilitarian, quasi dramatic form that is not only lovely to look at but functional to use as well. And I always have a warm spot for functional art. Like surfboards (...must...not...digress, will...talk...for...hours...)
I have expensive tastes though and even with a thousand other international articles to marvel at, I made a bee line to the richly detailed teak (?) dining room set on the second level and with wild imagination on full tilt boogie, pictured a magnificent dinner party with ambassadors of all the peaceful and advanced nations delighting in the finest fare and champagne as they solved all the world's ills, from this very room, with taste, culture and aplomb. Oh well. As well-intentioned as my dreams may be, they do border on the hopeless.
Some of this exhibit depicts the beautiful while other examples portray the inane, grotesque and "WTF?" All of it, though, represents some impressionistic interpretation of cultural normality of a country.
Now If California were to try this, they'd need something like the Hollywood Bowl to house the display. We be eclectic to the max (and have so many cool surfboards).
So If you're going to visit Balboa Park, the Mingei Museum is a must. You just never know what them dern fereners are gonna dream up next....and ideas begin with dreams. And ideas can take us anywhere.
One of the best museums in the park. Beautifully run. Different, and always something that makes you look at art in a different way. The security staff is almost always really friendly and helpful!
This museum is an absolute gem. Yes, it's all "folk art", but there are very few places to see the "art of the people" in such a gorgeous environment. The museum used to have very little by way of information, and that seems to have changed more recently which might be due to the new director, Rob Sidner. Now you can learn as much about the exhibits as you want to, or you can choose to walk through the galleries and just see what you see. The docents are there to help answer any questions you might have, and I just attended a wonderful night of jazz and wine tasting! This museum is a feast for the eyes.
I'm kicking myself for not visiting this museum more often while I lived in San Diego. Such cool exhibits for $7 admission!! (And only $4 for students!? Unbelievable.)
Yup, it's small. That's San Diego museums for you. But for such a low price, the exhibits are totally worth the price.
I do wish there was more explanation to the exhibits. I couldn't find any write-ups on the walls, and no audio tours. It's all a mystery.
I'm confused... did we go to the same musuem?
The one I went to was $7 - and it took my 20 minutes to see the whole thing. There was no brochure or map.
The upstairs exhibition was very cool but I don't know anything about it! All I could find was a photocopied paper a page long with text about the artists bio. I'd like to know why he carved these huge doors please. I'd like to know why these rocks are considered art please.
Yes, yes, very cool overpriced gift shop - 1 extra star.
This museum is very interesting. Sometimes they have the oddest displays, but thats what makes it so great. Last time I came here which was awhile ago, I wanted to check out the oragami exhibit. It took a bit of convincing for my friends to come with me...but I think they enjoyed it. The oragami was amazing that they had and some were even furniture. Who would have thought that paper could be so strong.
They had exhibits and artwork from around the world. The cool part is that its not just artwork...some include everday work utensils or wardrobe from a specific area. It's different and interesting. Love it.
Like Bo C, I am especially fond of this museum. Working in Banker's Hill, I like to stroll through Balboa Park on my lunch break, especially on the free Tuesdays. Mingei is small enough that I can see a good portion in 15-20 minutes. They have some beautiful handicrafts on display-- jewelry, masks, carpets, and yes, forks and tools.
The gift shop is my favorite in Balboa Park. It's not especially cheap, but a great place to get knicknacks from around the world-- from South African wire baskets to Mexican tin can sculptures. I would get all of my holiday shopping done here if I could aford it.
The Mingei International Museum is designed to house and show off international folklore arts. You get a bit of history and culture along with art with this museum. Currently they are showing Hungarian Folk Magic, pieces in Wood and Fiber, anad an Indian collection. Information about their exhxibits on the website are extremely detailed but lacking in museum for us passerbys. The whole museum gives a personal gallery feel rather than a dry and stale almost too clean and cold feel of a museum. Warm wood floors, great lighting and stand up walls section off this museum well. It makes you feel very upper class walking and is very warm and inviting. You actually want to spend more time here. I do wish there was much more seating and that the store itself wasn't so expensive, but I like all the eclectic knick knacks and gee gaws. Museums like this always make for unique Christmas gift purchases that you know won't be thrown into some regifting box. It is a small museum, and do wish it was bigger. But at the same time I do like the cozy intimate feel of the museum and how they utilize the space.
Oh and Jessica L. the exhibit you saw was the AMERICAN VIEWING STONES exhibit which you can read about it in its entirety at http://www.mingei.org/...., an homage by Japanese Americans who carried on the tradition of bonsai and suiseki. Quite fanscinating. I wish I saw this exhibit.
Anytime the do a free entry to the museums, you should check out this museum for sure, otherwise a mere $7 is decent enough. Great place to take a date, or feel more cultured with a honey.
The Mingei Museum offers a good display of folk art. My only wish is that there was more of it. We got in for free, I am not sure if I would have paid looking back at it now. There just wasn't much to see. But... maybe it's a quality over quantity thing. There are nice things to be seen.
I admit I am not a museum buff nor do i pretend to have any knowledge of art in terms of media, time, era, etc .. really! So I have been curious about this particular museum but would have never gone in just for the heck of it. However, when my daughter needed to write a term paper on two pieces of art, this museum was one of the choices to visit. Given that the other museums listed, museum of contemporary art and SD art museum, were close by, after looking the website and deciding that both of us would be bored to tears by paintings, we gave this museum a try. I am soo glad we did. It was different to say the least. There are scultures, furniture, clothing - a plethora of mixed media (fiber art for one). it was truely amazing how uncultured my daughter and I are and how truely gifted the arts who display their creations in this museum are. I would have not imagined that a dress pattern fashioned on a partial manniquin then covered with beeswax could be so gorgeous, or a wood sculpture of a mythical goddess made from pine and keys could be so expressive. The lower level of the museum is small, yes but when we went, the upstairs had some wonderful art of Hungary. The gift shop had expensive items but I purchased a wonderful decorative dish for $20. not bad. So ... get artsy and give it a try. Then .. when you walk out of this gorgeous atmosphere and wander up to the fountain and see all of the ignorant parents allowing their children to play and bathe(?) in fountain where, likely, the homeless bathe and urinate, you will at least have felt removed for a moment, from the ridiculous world of reality.
The Mingei International Museum encompasses five continents' folklore arts. Colorful and vibrant costumes, tools, utensils, and handmade artifacts are to be contemplated here. The upstairs jewelry collection is eclectic and interesting for the sheer size of some of the displayed pieces like a few tribal chest plates. The somewhat informal essence of this craft-oriented museum is refreshing and intimate. It feels as though you were walking through an art collector's house. For those of you who are interested in books on jewelry making, their bookstore has a great little selection.
