The main draw of the Coronado Museum is its art collection. The museum is broken up into different exhibits, each of which focuses on a different part of the collection.
History Exhibit at Gift Shop at the Coronado Museum of History and Art
Photograph Collection
The Coronado Museum contains an astounding 20,000 historical photographs capturing moments from the lives of people throughout history.
The photo catalog includes everything from snapshots of historic events to the more mundane, like everyday activities of Coronado’s residents. If you like a particular photo, you can request a reproduction and take it home with you to commemorate your trip!
Manuscript Archives
The manuscript archives are full of first-hand accounts and documents from people and businesses that called Coronado their home. The archives contain papers from local companies, clubs, organizations, local government, and even personal papers.
Two standout manuscripts are the personal notes of Katherine Carlin and files from the Coronado Beach Company. Carlin authored Coronado: The Enchanted Island, a book that details local history. The Coronado Beach Company was owned by John D. Spreckels, who invested in the San Diego and Arizona Railway as well as the beautiful Hotel del Coronado.
Maps of Coronado
The museum’s map collection doesn’t just contain topographic and geographic maps of Coronado. It also contains maps of different construction lots, railroads, bridges, and even tree planting maps. These provide more insight into how Coronado used to look and how it has changed over time.
The Stockdale Family Collection
James Stockdale was a US Navy admiral who lived in Coronado with his wife Sybil Stockdale. He was a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, where he was an aviator until he was shot down, captured, and eventually returned to the US over seven years later.
The Coronado Museum contains various artifacts from the Stockdale family’s lives, as well as educational information about their lives. These items include a prisoner of war smock and tin cup, both owned by Admiral Stockdale and later donated to the museum.