Imagination soars at Comic-Con Museum
By Rear Adm. Ron Coleman
Region 4 Coordinator
SAN DIEGO — If you’ve ever wished Comic-Con could last all year, here’s some good news!
Nestled in the heart of San Diego’s Balboa Park is the Comic-Con Museum, a place where your favorite stories, characters
and fandoms come to life every day.
The USS Wessex recently visited the museum on an away mission. While there, I interviewed Dr. Emily Schindler, senior director of learning and engagement for the museum, for our club’s podcast.
Whether you’re a lifelong fan or new to the world of comics, sci-fi, fantasy or animation, this museum has something for you.
Right now, visitors are raving about these exhibits:
• “Doctor Who: Worlds of Wonder”: Step inside the TARDIS and journey through time and space in this hands-on, science-meets-fiction adventure. It’s the exhibit’s first stop in the U.S., and it’s truly out of this world. The exhibit will remain at the museum through March 2026.
Created in conjunction with the BBC, the exhibit is the museum’s most expensive and ambitious project, Dr. Schindler told us during our podcast interview.
The exhibit features everything from a TARDIS console to the wardrobe worn by the incarnations of the Doctor and an area dedicated to — what else? — Daleks. The robotic villains have invaded the museum!
• “Becoming Betty Boop”: Celebrate 100 years of the original animated style icon. This charming exhibit is full of rare artwork and memorabilia, highlighting her impact on pop culture and animation.
In conjunction with the exhibit, the Comic-Con Museum theater is showing Betty Boop cartoons, Dr. Schindler said. “You can see what’s possible with characterizations with (Betty’s) floppy arms.”
• “POPnology”: If you’ve ever dreamed of hoverboards, virtual reality or friendly robots, this one’s for you. It explores how science fiction inspired real-life technology — and lets you play with it, too!
• “From Big Dots to the Digital Universe”: This is a colorful journey through the evolution of comic book coloring, from the days of Ben-Day dots to cutting-edge digital techniques.
• Legacy exhibits: Don’t miss the heartfelt tribute to Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee, or the anime-themed installations celebrating Cowboy Bebop and My Hero Academia.
Dr. Schindler noted the museum, opened in November 2021 by San Diego Comic-Con, allows people, including those unable to attend the massive San Diego convention, to have the Comic-Con experience throughout the year.
“Essentially our mission at Comic Con is to celebrate the popular culture,” she told us.
“We always have big dreams,” Dr. Schindler said. “The fun part of my job is finding the dreams that we can do. There’s no shortage of inspiration here.”
For more about the museum, see comic-con.org/museum.
Watch out! The Daleks have taken over the San Diego Comic-Con museum in Balboa Park in San Diego. The USS Wessex recently beamed down there on an away mission. (Photos by Ron Coleman/Region 4)
Jennifer Coleman and Richard Cortopposi of the USS Wessex beam down to the Comic Con Museum in San Diego’s Balboa Park. The giant toucan is the mascot for San Diego Comic-Con.
A TARDIS model is part of the “Doctor Who” exhibit. Don’t let it fool you! It’s bigger on the inside.
A TARDIS console and the Doctors’ wardrobe grace an exhibit at the Comic-Con Museum.
Richard Cortopposi and Jennifer Coleman of the USS Wessex stand outside the Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park in San Diego.
“Doctor Who” aliens visit the Comic-Con Museum in San Diego.
The Comic=Con Museum stands in the former Hall of Champions in Balboa Park in San Diego.