NOTE: We are at the end of our 2026 allotment of passes. Each year, the Park Cultural Access Program team evaluates pass recipients for continuation to the next year. That process is ongoing now. I estimate that we will get a new allotment of passes in July of 2026 and we will begin to issue those once awarded.
All new requests will be put on a waiting list pending renewal.
Established in 2014, the Balboa Park Community Access Pass (CAP) Program partners with San Diego County nonprofit organizations to distribute a limited number of free Annual Explorer Passes for historically under-resourced communities. Pass recipients receive general admission to 16 participating museums for a full year, with the flexibility to visit Balboa Park museums when most convenient for them.
POZabilities has been selected as one of the nonprofit organizations eligible to distribute a limited number of free explorer passes. To be eligible, you must live in San Diego county and not have received a pass from another organization or failed to use an issues pass at least 3 times in the year it was issued.
We submit pass requests in batches every 60 days until our allotment is filled. It can take the park 4-6 weeks to process passes at which time you will be notified via email to come and pick up your pass (must be in person)
Important Notes
You must agree to use the pass on at least 3 separate days each year. You will be notified by email when your pass is ready. Be sure the museum SCANS your pass to get credit. If the park has you as having been granted a pass and it's not used 3 times they put you on a list to refuse future passes.
If you don’t pick it up or make arrangements to do so (you must do so in person) within 30 days after we notify you at the email address you provide we will cancel it and give the pass to another person.
Failure to pick up your pass or arrange for someone to do so on your behalf will trigger our no show policy and you will be ineligible to receive a pass for us for 1 year.
How does this work
There are 4 types of Annual Passes available to nonprofit partners: Family Pass (up to 2 Adults and 4 Children; valued at $229) and Individual Passes: Senior Pass (65+, valued at $99), Adult Pass (18+, valued at $129), and Youth Pass (3-17; valued at $99).
PARTICIPATING MUSEUMS: The Balboa Park Explorer Pass can be used at the following participating museums.
Centro Cultural de la Raza
Fleet Science Center
ICA San Diego, Central Campus
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum
Mingei International Museum
Museum of Photographic Arts at The San
Diego Museum of Art
Museum of Us
San Diego Air & Space Museum
San Diego Automotive Museum
San Diego History Center
San Diego Model Railroad Museum
San Diego Natural History Museum
The San Diego Museum of Art
Timken Museum of Art
The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park
WorldBeat Center
Rules
1. For the purposes of the Annual Family Pass, a household is defined as any person who is receiving services from your organization and the immediate family members living in the same household.
2. Individual Passes are to be utilized for clients or students and if applicable, staff members who will chaperone museum visits as part of nonprofit programming. All Community Access Passes will be individually assigned and cannot be transferred.
3. Processing times can be anywhere from 4 weeks to 8 weeks from receipt of request, depending on a number of factors.
4. For Passholders to be eligible for renewals, the majority of household members for Family Passes must use the Pass at least 3 separate times per year (ie. 3 different days). For Individual Passes, the same eligibility criteria applies.
5. Any reprint requests, replacement of lost Passes, or correcting information that was submitted by the nonprofit, may require a $5 reprint fee per card. Likewise, any reprint or replacement requests from the Passholder themselves are subject to the same $5 fee.
6. All client communications must happen through the nonprofit point of contact. If a client reaches out to the CAP or Explorer team, we will contact our point of contact to resolve the inquiry in partnership with us. This is to ensure the client is still in good standing with your organization.
Request a Pass.
A limited number of passes are available. Processing time to receive passes is 6-8 weeks once submitted to the CAP program.
If you are a family with children under the age of 17, reach out to discuss at poz@pozabilities.org.