Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
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Top Ten Reasons to Visit
10) Full Moon Pier Walk
Learn about the history and scientific uses of the Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Research Pier on a guided tour along its platform. Though this La Jolla landmark is usually closed to the public for oceanographic research, we will walk the length of the pier under the full moon and take water samples, collect plankton, observe sea conditions, and explore the nocturnal habits of marine life. Full Moon Pier Walks are offered seasonally. Please check the calendar for dates and times and join us!
9) Wonders of Water
Roll up your sleeves and experience rippling, streaming water in three, outdoor waterplay stations. Build dams and create rapids. Design watersheds, but watch out for floods and landslides! Imaginations will overflow as guests of all ages explore water, a powerful force influenced by nature and people.
8) Family Days
Discover a program all ages can enjoy together. Family Days merges Earth and ocean sciences with art and literacy themes by presenting unique programs that include hands-on activities, crafts, demonstrations, and interactions with researchers from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Family Days is FREE with admission on the third Saturday of each month from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
7) Coral Reefs
Tiny coral polyps-close relatives of the anemone-build coral reefs by producing limestone skeletons. Coral reefs are alive and require clear water so that sunlight can penetrate for optimum growth. Corals are found worldwide in waters where constant temperatures are 70-86 degrees. Birch Aquarium at Scripps raises its own corals, a delicate and intensive process, but worth every effort. Discover fishes and living corals with clever names like maze coral, great star coral, and red tree sponge. Relive your tropical vacation and visit the aquarium's living coral displays.
6) Tide-Pool Plaza Discovery Center
Tide pools exist in the rocky basins at the ocean's edge and are home to many animals who survive tremendous changes in moisture, temperature, and salinity. These pools are exposed and hidden as the tides cycle between low and high, approximately every six hours. Birch Aquarium's outdoor tide-pool plaza is a great place to view these animals in their natural environment. The tide-pool Discovery Center offers opportunities to touch tide-pool animals. Aquarium naturalists are onhand to answer questions about this unique habitat and the marine life that calls it home.
5) Sharks
From sleek cruisers of tropical reefs to leopard sharks lurking in the giant kelp forest tank, we've got sharks! Sharks are the most feared and admired predators of the sea; the subject of a complex, human fascination for the 370 species that exist worldwide. The aquarium's species of sharks include swell, nurse, leopard, horn, shovelnose guitarfish, angel, whitetip reef, blacktip reef, and wobbegongs.
4) Public Programs
From whale watching to monthly oceanographic discovery presentations, Birch Aquarium's public programs offer a range of opportunities for people of all ages to learn more about our ocean environment and Scripps Oceanographic research. For a complete listing and for more information, visit our events calendar online.
3) Scripps Explorers Gallery
The aquarium's museum features rotating gallery exhibitions based upon cutting-edge research by Scripps Institution of Oceanography explorers. Learn the latest in ocean, Earth, and climate sciences through the gallery's fun, interactive and educational displays and explore why these discoveries are relevant to you.
2) Kelp Tank Feeding Shows (Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:30, Saturdays at 2 pm, Sundays at 10:30)
Watch as Scripps divers take the plunge into the aquarium's 70,000-gallon kelp forest tank in a half-hour show about La Jolla's kelp forest habitat. You'll learn about "underwater" San Diego as divers spotlight the interesting animals and plants within. Divers also discuss the health and beauty of San Diego's amazing offshore "amber forests". The kelp forest habitat comes alive when the divers descend, feeding the fishes and answering your questions about the oceans.
1) The View
Located on a coastal bluff overlooking La Jolla Shores beach and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Birch Aquarium at Scripps is renowned for its ocean views, both inside and out. Visitors from around the world are inspired by the marine life and science exhibits, from animals that "hide and go seek" to displays on the latest oceanographic research, and more. Make a visit to Birch Aquarium at Scripps soon and enjoy San Diego's "best ocean views."
10 Reviews for Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceano...
10
00 families found this helpful
"Couldn't stop staring"
I took my son for the first time at 6 months...he couldn't stop staring at everything!! Even at that age he was captivated by the fish tanks! There are so many interactive learning areas for both the kids and the adults. I learned a lot my self. I believe there is a touch tank outside though we didn't go since it was raining the day we went. It's definitely not the Long Beach Aquarium, but it is a wonderful little few hour trip if you need to get out of the house and learn something new.
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0 families found this helpful
"Small but Interesting"
You can get through the Birch Aquarium in less than an hour - lots of interesting sea creatures to look at, and a simulated tide pool outside on the deck where you can touch sea urchins and other sea creatures. Crowed on weekends. Gorgeous view of Scripps pier and La Jolla on the Deck, and a nice little souvenir shop. Free Parking.
0 families found this helpful
"Small but perfect for young kids"
This is a nice aquarium that is doable in 2 hrs. Perfect for the 3-5 yr old attention span. It does not get to crowded, except when school field trip arrive. We call ahead to see if any special events are going on or if there will be any school groups visiting. There is a family membership which is a good deal if you are coming w/ grandparents etc or if you will be returning again with in the year. I like this place better than Legoland Aquarium.
'11
1 family found this helpful
"Amazing!"
Now you may feel detered to go to this aquarium with SeaWorld being so close but this is a must see! I use to love going here when I was a kid and now I enjoy taking my daughter there as well. One memory I have of this location is they had Shark eggs on display in one aquarium, they had it back lit and you could see the small baby sharks moving around inside of their egg, now that is not something they would share in SeaWorld :)They have several hands on activities for the kids to help them expend some energy as well. Lastly, I have to mention you cannot beat the amazing view from the back patio of the aquarium, it is in true La Jolla fashion!
1 family found this helpful
"Birch Aquarium - Great Place For Kids"
My daughter has loved the Birch Aquarium since she first began to walk. She wasn't quite tall enough until recently to stand on her own and see into the sea life exhibits (with the exception of the one that's in the photo above) so I use to have to hold her up. Parents of really young kids might want to keep that in mind. It's not a huge place and we usually spend no more than 1-2 hours there. There is a small outdoor cafe if you want to sit down and grab a drink or sandwich. At the back of the aquarium, there is an outdoor tidepool area. My daughter always enjoys sticking her hands into the live tidepools, with the help of Aquarium volunteers. The view from there is spectacular. Older kids will find the aquarium a learning experience as there is emphasis on global warming and how kids can help. My sister in law had her wedding rehearsal dinner there. It's an amazing venue for events!
1 family found this helpful
"Kids really enjoyed the Aquarium"
A nice Small aquarium, we coverred it in 2 hours. Quite alot here at Birch, Lovely fish and alot of educational info for the kids to engage with. I loved all the touch screens and displays regarding Global warming and how we can help the environment, the kids really were concerned and really payed attention to the message and I like that. Beautiful sea life displayed in a great format, 5 of us went for roughly 30 bucks, I I think the price is a little high for such a small Aquarium but it was a nice 2 hours full of information and enjoyment.
0 families found this helpful
"Fun with the Family"
These facilities are among the most prestigious world leaders in research and instruction. Inside the aquarium you can see more than 3,000 fish in thirty tanks, including a two-story, 70,000-gallon kelp forest with species from the waters of the West Coast, Mexico’s Sea of Cortez, and the South Pacific.
There is also a human-made interpretive tide pool. The innovative and interactive museum introduces the world’s largest oceanographic exhibition, Exploring the Blue Planet. The bookshop has educational souvenirs and books for all ages on the science of the seas. This attraction strikes an educational counterpoint to the frenetic action of SeaWorld.
1 family found this helpful
"A Nice Affordable Aquarium"
This aquarium isn't huge. You can cover it in about 2-3 hours tops. Still, the entrance fee is modest, the touch pool is extensive, and the aquarium is very dedicated to education.
My kids loved a water table where they can reroute the "currents" and then sail boats. There is a fun photo op by inside a "sharks" jaws out in the courtyard. For older kids, they have an extensive exhibit on global warming that requires alot of reading, but is nonetheless interesting. The touch pool staff is very patient and they even have a toddler touch pool with rubber starfish so even the youngest guests can participate.
1 family found this helpful
"Nice aquarium for toddlers"
I felt that this aquarium was the perfect size and not too overhwelming for our toddler. There are different types of ocean animals to see as well as hands-on exhibits for little ones. There are also tide-pool displays outside where you can touch and learn about the sea animals, but we weren't able to see those since it was raining when we went. I think our little guy would've loved those!
2 families found this helpful
"Small aquarium with nice exhibits"
This is a nice little aquarium to visit if you're spending several days in San Diego. They have a nice collection of sea life from all over, including great tropical fish and coral exhibits. They have some fun hands-on learning exhibits for kids, and I especially liked seeing the stark contrast between a healthy reef right alongside a reef that had been destroyed by humans. If you like sharks, don't forget to go outside to the shark reef - though it looked like an add-on or afterthought since it's not part of the indoor aquarium exhibits.
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