From December Nights to a guest appearance by the Mission Control mobile classroom in the annual Holiday Bowl Parade, the holidays are a busy time at the San Diego Air & Space Museum!

The fun kicks off with December Nights on Friday Dec. 5 and Saturday Dec. 6 at the Museum in Balboa Park, where we will have festive holiday-themed activities throughout the Museum.

Inside the Museum, you’ll enjoy fun crafts and interactive activities for explorers of all ages, a DJ spinning holiday tunes, decorations, and festive drinks and food for purchase in the most accessible atmosphere in Balboa Park!

The Museum has special hours from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. during Holiday Nights.

On Friday January 2, the Museum’s Mission Control mobile classroom will once again take center stage at this year’s Port of San Diego Holiday Bowl parade in downtown San Diego, one the most festive and anticipated local events of the holiday season. Known as “America’s Largest Balloon Parade,” this year’s Holiday Bowl parade begins at 10 a.m., rain or shine!

Throughout the holidays, the Museum’s Gift Shop is a great place to find a special and unique present for all of the aviation enthusiasts in your life. Our gift shop offers hundreds of gift ideas, including airplane models, books, t-shirts, jackets, backpacks, posters, coffee and beer mugs, collectables, gliders, movies and DVDs, water bottles, telescopes, hats, educational toys and games, patriotic patches, stickers and pins, robotic kits, parachute launchers, jigsaw puzzles, jewelry, plaques autographed by astronauts, space food, and much, much more. The Gift Shop is opening during normal business hours, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. seven-days-a-week except Christmas Day.