More than 5,000 Balboa Park Explorer Passes offering free admission to 17 museums for one year will be donated to at-risk and underserved families in San Diego, city and park officials announced Tuesday.
Because the passes allow entry for two adults and up to four children, the officials estimate 30,000 San Diegans will benefit who would otherwise never go to the park.
"This generous donation will create opportunities for even more San Diegans to enjoy the wonders of Balboa Park during its centennial celebration," Mayor Kevin Faulconer said. "I want to thank the Balboa Park institutions and benefactors for making sure that families that normally would never come to Balboa Park now have the opportunity to enjoy San Diego's finest arts and cultural treasures."
Councilman Todd Gloria said the donation is an example of all the institutions working together.
“You know what we have here today is all the museums working together because they realize they all benefit when more San Diegans have access to their cultural offerings," he said.
The passes, provided by the museums and 75 individuals, are worth about $1 million. They will be distributed by nonprofit organizations in each of the nine City Council districts in San Diego.
"The Balboa Park Cultural Partnership looks forward to sharing numerous new exhibits and events this year that even more San Diegans can experience with this donation," said Deborah Klochko, partnership president.
The park is celebrating its centennial this year, 100 years after it served as site of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition.
