Spreckels Organ Pavillion

Activity Overview

San Diego's magnificent Spreckels Organ Pavilion is home to the second largest outdoor pipe organ in the world. Built in 1914 it recently celebrated its centennial and still hosts regular concerts. Built for the city's Panama-California International Exposition of 1915-16 the pavilion is a gorgeously opulent structure which makes for an unforgettable music venue. It is located in San Diego's Balboa Park which is also home to a great number of museums and other cultural attractions.

Things to Do

• Free organ concerts are held at the Pavilion every Sunday at 2 pm. The set list for these performances usually consist of classical works by the likes of Mozart, Bach and Mendelssohn along with a smattering of more modern or popular music works. Seating is set up for about 2,500 people and both picnics and pets are perfectly welcome.
• The organ attracts some of the best players in world thanks to its renown as being such a special place to play. If you can catch an evening performance it is well worth it as the Pavilion is lit up spectacularly.

Spreckels Organ Pavilion Insider Tips

• The organizers of the Pavilion are currently looking to expand the size of the Spreckels Organ to strip The Heroes' organ in Kufstein Fortress in Austria of the title of the world's largest outdoor pipe organ. To do this they will expand the number of pipes to 5,000. If you would like to sponsor one of these pipes you can go onto their website to purchase one and help them get one step closer to successfully reaching their goal.