A Visit to the Timken Museum of Art

“Dare to be Inspired. Always Free.”

This tagline is boasted by the Timken Museum of Art, the only entirely free museum in San Diego’s Balboa Park.

The first time I visited the museum was nearly three years ago. I needed to find and report on an art museum for class, and, as a college freshman on a budget, the Timken was my first choice. 

From the outside, the Museum is unassuming; square and squat in stature. I went in with a mission to note a few pieces and snap a photo or two to prove my attendance. Nothing more, and nothing less.

I left hours later. Any and all expectations I had entered with were blown out of the water.

The Timken “preserves the Putnam Collection of European old masters, American art and Russian icons for the education and benefit of present and future generations of San Diego residents and visitors,” all with the intention of “celebrat[ing] the important role of art as a way of enriching the lives and nurturing the creative spirit in us all.”

After climbing the steps and entering the block of architecture, I made my way into the Musuem’s foyer. Exhibits branched out, to the left and to the right, organized by the Putnam Collection’s countries of origin. 

I took a right, venturing into the hall of French work. 

Once I layed my eyes on Francois Boucher’s Lovers in a Park, my creative spirit began to dance around the room. I was taken back to the brief unit I spent studying European art eras, and the fondness I developed for the playful and bright nature of rococo art. 

The oil painting was massive, taking up a large portion of the wall it inhabited. With benches centered on the exhibit floor, I took a seat and continued to admire the scene ahead. 

I have never been to Europe, nor do I have plans to visit in the near future. Its art, however, I know to be incredibly influential to our worldwide culture. Through my studies, and through my spheres of cultural influence, I understand the significance of the work maintained by museums and galleries around the world. I appreciate it immensely.

That appreciation changes when the work is only a few steps away from you. 

Getting up from that bench was less out of desire to leave Lovers in a Park, and more out of a realization that I had many more exhibits to explore. So many more works to experience.

To experience rather than to merely see. 

Since that visit, the Timken has not only become a staple of my visits to Balboa Park, but a draw for me to even make the drive into the City. 

Nestled inbewteen the Lily Pond and The San Diego Museum of art, the Timken lives in the heart of Balboa Park. And, in the midst of so many other experiences, its lowered barriers to entry have empowered me to continue coming back. 

It feels like I belong there, living alongside art that has evidenced centuries of humanity. 

The Timken offers additional opportunities for community engagement, like their Creative Choices programming for those incarcerated at Juvenile Hall, and the ARTSREACH initiative for those in assisted living facilities. 

Because, not only do I belong there, all San Diegans do. 

The Timken Museum of Art understands that their collection is not a luxury to be gatekept, but a resource to be shared. They have done the work to evidence that understanding to their patrons, and have made a name for themselves in one of the largest landmarks in one of the United State’s largest cities. 

To learn more about the Timken, click here.