Present this coupon at Birch Aquarium at Scripps to receive $3 off admission for up to 6 people. Valid only on the day of purchase. Not valid with other discounts or special events.
Explore where the wonders of the ocean come alive! The Birch Aquarium is located at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UCSD. Birch has so many great exhibits you won’t know where to start! How about walking through the Hall of Fishes, where every kind of fish you’ve ever imagined swims before your eyes? Or check out Elasmo Beach and meet La Jolla’s legendary leopard sharks and other species that make their home in local waters.
Birch’s 13,000-gallon tank showcases sharks, rays, and other marine life that live close to shore. Explore Preuss Tide-Pool Plaza, featuring three, living tide-pool displays where visitors can touch and learn about tidepool animals with docents. If you want to “sea” life in a whole new way, visit the Birch Aquarium.
I will say this place probably gets packed during the weekend because we came on a workday and it was not too bad. It is a nice place for a simple date and to bring your little ones. I am so used to and spoiled by The Aquarium of the Pacific, which is 10 times bigger. The view is amazing and the staff is very nice.
I really wanted to like this place, I'd heard such great things about it from other people, but it's been a couple of years since those people went. The exhibits were great for the most part. The layout is a little weird as you enter into the middle of the building, so when I went through the right side of aquariums, I was at 1st disappointed thinking, "Is that it?" but after seeing the interactive tidepools and coming back inside, I noticed another hallway and was able to see the rest of the aquarium with the seahorses, penguins, and sharks so it wasn't as small as I'd feared. I was very disappointed to see so many deceased animals in their tanks on the right side, though. In the extra large tank, there was at least 1 Eel and 1 Shark dead near the front of the tank where it was easy to tell they were deceased as they were only moving back and forth with the current and not of their own accord. There were a couple more at the back that weren't moving, but I don't know if they were dead or not. In that large aquarium, I could understand maybe leaving the dead for the other fish to eat for the "ecosystem" however there were several other aquariums with the largest animal in them deceased or with at least 1 clearly ill fish. The lack of care for the animals was the most disappointing part. I didn't feel the price of admittance was worth the experience with all the dead and sick animals. At almost $30 a person, I wonder where all the money is going besides employee wages? Into new exhibits? I saw a lot of "coming soon" signs, but shouldn't you focus on maintaining the wellbeing of the exhibits you already have before you add more? If you can't even take care of the creatures you have, then why would you be able to do a better job with even more animals?The aquarium was fine, I think it could've been a lot better, but that's just personal opinion. I've included some of my favorite pictures from my visit.
We have been here a couple of times and always have fun. After being to Ripley’s Aquarium in Toronto I am a little hard to impress but it was interesting and fun to walk around and has a lot of interesting information if you are willing to take your time. It was really busy and had a lot of loud kids while we were there for the first half but cleared out a little so it was easier to be able to get an up close look into tanks.
Absolutely loved this place. It was such a nice educational trip for my children and I. I loved all the fish the aquariums and the little bits of provided information they had everywhere. Only complaint is parking. It took us a very long time to find a spot but once that was done the fun began. I really hope to go back soon. My kids said they would love to go back as well so that’s a win in my book.
Great little aquarium if you’re in the area. It’s no Aqurium of the pacific, but fun for the kids. Feels more like an aquatic discovery zone, which is not a bad thing at all. Lots of very informative displays and volunteers to answer any animal questions. A small food court is located near the entrance and the gift shop has something for everyone. There are three touch tide pools in the rear of the aquarium for the kids. You need to make a reservation on line so to avoid any sold out time slots, even though we were able to walk up at 2pm on a Saturday with no issues.
Very cool aquarium. Was smaller than expected but they had a lot of exhibits and some very unique animals. Penguins were cute and had plenty of seating outside to relax and take in the gorgeous sights. I didn't understand what the squeegee was for and foolishly didn't pick one up, make sure you grab one if available so you can remove the condensation from the tanks!! Really enjoyed the rough exhibits it was cool to touch sea stars, sea anemones, urchins, and some sea slugs!!!
Honestly, was smaller than expected. I thought it was going to be like the aquarium from Nemo, mainly because I always confused the aquarium for a big wood building. On the other hand, it’s really chill, and easy going. Nice view too! I got in for free because of a program.
A nice aquarium but it’s small. It has the basics like tide pools, penguins, basic fish, seahorses, and some leopard sharks ?Avoid going in the summer if you can, there’s so many kids and summer camps.Has a small food place outside the aquarium that has the basics like snacks, chicken tenders, and some sandwiches.It is a timed entrance so you need to purchase tickets in advance.
Not a very large aquarium but it has arguably the best views of any aquarium I’ve ever been to. I really loved the variety of seahorses and sea dragons; coming from the east coast I haven’t been to too many aquariums with that many on display. As mentioned, it is on the smaller side so we had to wait 30 minutes to be permitted entry. Aside from that, it was an enjoyable experience.
This Aquarium has a beautiful view of the ocean when you enter. Me and my family had a great time! We came on a weekend and it was busy, make sure to purchase your tickets only if you're in schedule. We got there at 1pm and they didn't have the available slot until 2pm. We waited but had a drink while waiting the so it wasn't so bad.
We came to the aquarium since we had some time to kill, and I was very satisfied with it! On the outside looking in, it looked small to me and relatively unassuming. However, I've found that this was one of the best ones I've visited! They had touch tanks outside, which was awesome. The outside also faces the ocean and there is a beautiful view. I did not touch any of the animals since I've volunteered at an aquarium before and was very familiar with them, but they looked like they were taken care of. The tanks were amazing and had ample room for all of the creatures in them. I really enjoyed the eels and the sharks, as well as the seahorses. The gift shop was also really cool. One thing I noticed was that some of their stuffed sharks had gills sharpied onto them, which I thought was... interesting! I got a set of 3 pins for ~$30 which is a really good price. The pins are very quality and I am super happy to have a memento of my visit to this aquarium!
Went today with my wife and daughter. Have always loved this place since I was a kid. My wife has never been and this was my daughters first. The research and conservation work they do there is great. They now have blue penguins that they bred there. Kids love the tide pools. This place is completely great to bring your kid to and let them go. The staff are all friendly, nice ,helpful, and genuine. A happy place to be.
It’s small but enough to have fun! I’ve spent here 2 hours looking at amazing kinds of fish, got to see sharks and penguins. The Aquarium deserves to be praised for their work with the injured turtle, it’s so good to see that she’s doing well after such issues. There’s a really good shop too with many cool things (don’t go there you’ll spend 50$)!
Nice aquarium, I’ve been wanting to visit this place for years! It is a small aquarium and I got through it in about 1.5 hours. They did have a lot of sea life including jellyfish, various fish, morays, sea dragons, penguins, a giant sea turtle and more! Some of the exhibits are huge and truly make you feel like you’re underwater. I highly recommend Birch Aquarium for a visit.
It is what it is. Just a wonderful place to take young kids. The wonders of the underwater world. The sharks are supercool, and the outside tide pools are very interesting. The layout is well thought out and keeps the crowding minimal. There are several tanks to view and lots of different types of fish. My daughters really enjoy the Birch Aquarium.
Relatively small aquarium bit has a great display of Jellyfish, Penguins and other kelp life. The reef displays are also cool! Seadragons were amazing. Their Shark display could’ve been better indoors. Wonderful place to take kids for a couple hours
We had good weather the day we visited. It is not a Gigantic aquarium and easy to go through in a few hours. Their is an outdoor area to sit down and have some lunch and rest before or afterwards you look at the exhibits.
This aquarium is smaller than the other ones I've visited. This would be perfect for a day out if you have little ones and do some of the interactive sections. There are a variety of things to see. The outdoor tide pool was awesome. You can touch the different species they have. They have these very large jelly fish called Sea Nettle, which was the first aquarium i saw them at. The views hands down were beautiful of the ocean. There is also an outdoor patio right before you enter the aquarium of food trucks.
Science museum in Balboa Park.Free parking in nearby lot.We were able to enter the Science Center for free with our ASTC reciprocal membership, but given the dated and limited exhibits, I would have been disappointed if we paid full price ($25 adults/$20 children) for admission. While there were some interesting exhibits...but not to justify the addmission price(s).If you are looking into visiting a few museums in Balboa Park, the Explorer Pass may be a good option for you.We completed the visit in about 1.5 hours while completed most (if not all) of the exhibits.
Birch Aquarium offers a pristine and accessible experience, boasting easy parking and a clean environment. While there's some walking involved to reach the location, the stunning view of San Diego's jewel, La Jolla, makes it worth it. Utilizing my AAA discount was a bonus. The aquarium provides an abundance of educational options and multiple interactive exhibits, with highlights including the captivating seahorse and penguin displays. It's an ideal destination for families with kids aged 5 and older, offering an engaging opportunity to learn about the diverse creatures of the ocean.
Very cool and educational place to spend a couple hours. My 13year old son and I had a blast! Great for all ages. It's dark in some areas so watch out for the knee high kids that's dart out from the abyss. They'll trip you lol. Feeding time is exciting to watch. The schedule is very easy to access online. I was impressed
This aquarium is one of my favorite aquarium in San Diego. HIGHLY RECOMMENED. There are some amazing sea animals and so friendly area. Also it shows how the work has been done by scientists. Natural oriented and great view to city.
As visitors, we were very surprised but how inexpensive the tickets to this aquarium are! We were about to buy tickets are the door and get in immediately - also the tickets give you in and our privileges. The first stop was the penguins and we could have spent all day there! The penguin enclosure is outdoor and so beautiful. So definitely come here on a nice day. The kelp forest was a unique enclosure I’ve never seen as well. They have sharks.. but I won’t spoil that. It’s a smaller aquarium with a cool gift shop. Definitely not an all day event but worth checking out!
We were looking for a fun, affordable activity to do on vacation because it was way too windy for the beach. I found Birch Aquarium online, and we decided to check it out.The location is awesome, up on a hillside with views of the ocean. It was easy to get to, and parking was a breeze.I would suggest getting your tickets online as they say they can sell out sometimes.We arrived around 11, and there were a couple of school groups, but they left at about 12 pm, so it was a lot less busy after that.We ended up having lunch at their outdoor cafe, and I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food. The guacamole and chips were fresh, and the breakfast sandwich was hearty and delicious.The aquarium itself was a lot of fun! We saw the tanks with the Pacific aquatic creatures first, and it takes you on a journey from the North Pacific to the South Pacific.Next was the tide pool exhibit where we could touch some of the aquatic life. With volunteers and staff there to keep an eye on the aquatic life and answer questions and share details, it was a neat experience.We finished with the shark exhibit, which was a bit underwhelming, the seahorses and sea dragons, which were incredible, and the penguins, which were totally adorable and fun to observe.I would recommend this experience as it was educational, fun, and affordable.
It's a small, but nice aquarium. I actually prefer it to the larger aquariums in the big cities. Around 5 is the best time to go because it's the quietest. It's relaxing to watch the fish and see the penguins without huge crowds.
It’s been quite some time since we’ve visited the San Diego Zoo but I was truly happy we did. It’s just as big and beautiful as I remember. I LOVE all the animals, especially the koalas, elephants, giraffes, and the aviary that has not only birds, but working ants. That truly was awesome. A must see for everyone. And please know that the bus ride throughout the zoo is free which we were thrilled about!
A beautiful and fun smaller aquarium! You will need to plan your visit smartly if you want to have a relaxing time. As others have said, parking lot gets difficult as the day goes on. We enjoyed our visit very much!
A great experience for adults and kids. The aquarium is relatively small compared to others. However, it is right sized for shorter attention spans, well maintained/run, close to other sites and attractions in the area, and the ocean and coastline views are unbeatable. Should be on your top 10 list for the area.
Overall, small aquarium with great ocean views and a collection of different sea creatures. It costs about $25 for adults and may get discounts for children and over 65 years of age. Suggest checking online for the latest prices and schedule.
Had a great time here. Aquarium is well kept and some great local sea creatures to be seen. We didn’t have kids but there were lots running around having a blast.
The exhibits here are excellent and great educationally, but not overwhelming. I didn't go to learn about marine life, but I did learn a lot and loved it. Very interesting way to spend a couple of hours.
A bit smaller than I anticipated, and the weather didn't allow for the tidal ponds to be "open" (pouring rain), but they did bring some of the interactive experiences inside to see. I would recommend going in the afternoon so you'll miss the school field trips. Overall, it was still a great experience!
As other reviews mentioned, it is small and the sharks tank definitely did not impress but... The price is right and parking is free.They have a few cool tanks - I loved the jellyfish and the pingouins and my kid enjoyed touching the sea cucumber and star fish in the tide pools.It's enough to entertain yourself and a 4 yrs old for an hour or 2 so worth the $25 imo.
Paid $25 for a view of the beach pretty much. Aquarium itself a bit underwhelming for the price point and kinda dirty. Not in the top tier of aquariums imo. Just not very big with a lot of options; some things are under construction. Fun for people watching tho!
Birch Aquarium is lovely. We bought our tickets when we arrived, on a Sunday morning, and there was no wait. We had two 1-year-olds with us, and they loved the experience. Highly recommended!
Small aquarium, but with plenty to see. Kids will enjoy the elevated platform along some of the tanks. The jellyfish & seahorses were mesmorizing, as was the seaweed tank. The penguins were hiding in their enclosure, so we weren't able to see them. Be sure to go outside to see the shark tank, tidepools & enjoy the view of Scripps Pier & Pacific Ocean. A bit expensive, but AAA, military & senior discounts are available in person. The discounts are not available online.We visited a few days before Christmas, so crowds were quite large.
Nice aquarium for a quick visit . Needs not more than an hour. Good parking and few very good exhibits. Very good experience for kids going an aquarium first time.
Incredible place if you would like to see creatures of the ocean! They have interesting creatures, friendly staff, and they hold a whole lot of fun for families! Will definitely go back!
10-27-2023I loved this museum this is a place you must video on your trip. There was so much information and displays you feel like you would get to see it all but you will just take your time. There are great displays here i was really pleased with what i saw
I completely forgot to write a review back in early August when it happened!Kids have been there with several times. Great little aquarium.I was more impressed with the staff. My son gets excited about any kind of animals, and will talk excessively about it with staff. They were super kind to him and engaged a lot with him.My youngest daughter is mischievous and is a cute little girl with Down Syndrome. She loves to run off if you look away from her and actively will try to hide. Terrifying game for a parent. She slipped away while I was there and within a few minutes I realized I was going to have a very difficult time finding her. The staff was AMAZING. I asked for help, so they called over the radio. Within 30 seconds, at least 15 staff members came streaming out of what I assumed was a break room. They had found my daughter within 3-4 minutes! I cannot thank them enough!
We had a short one hour visit to the Birch Aquarium, which was very successful, AND FUN!!!It started for us with getting a great disabled parking spot. If it wasn't for those parking spots, it would be difficult to visit the place.We immediately went out back for the views and the reefs. Although it was an overcast day, it was beautiful. I had fun putting my finger in some creature in the reef.We then inside and saw seahorses and other creatures. We then went outside and saw sharks and penguins.It was lots of fun!!!
Used to go here a lot as a kid and went back this month while visiting SD for a wedding. A lot has changed from when I was a kid, but still lots of fun. Really enjoyed the jelly fish and other aquarium exhibits. Definitely recommend and kids are free for month of October.
We came from Texas to visit this aquarium for a second time. I highly recommend that you purchase tickets online and pick a time slot. If you get there and they are full you will have to wait until they are no longer at capacity (anywhere from 30min to 3 hours) so BOOK AHEAD OF TIME.This aquarium is small but concentrated. So much information and the exhibits are in great condition. The staff was friendly and informative. One of the best things about this aquarium is the view of La Jolla.
Lovely, informative and relaxing. It was a great way to spend a couple hours checking out all the different sea critters and learning new things. Some of the most amazing things were so small, many people walked on by. Some jellies were tiny and had rippling electric color changing edges. Fantastic! There are a couple of outdoor tide pools where you can pet sea slugs and starfish. Great place for kids and adults.
This facility is small enough to comfortably get through with children and adults of all ages without stress or boredom. Yet the exhibits are fantastic... interesting, informative, and important. Save for the end the tidal pools to pet a starfish or sea urchin or sea cucumber. Really cool for all ages!
This is a smaller but quite mighty aquarium as we were able to see the shows and took our time. All in all we spent almost 3 hours here and it was great! I enjoyed the penguins, the weedy seahorses and so much more I already forgot the name of. Do yourself a favor and check it out if you like aquariums!
learned allot about that amazing turtle Apparently they fixed her broken shell. They have been caring for her for many years. Turtle was the best part for me. The tide pools were in repair so we did not get to see that part. Kids would especially love this!
Great density, great hands on exhibits for kids, great summary of local shark behavioral research and many fish. However, no info on birds or shore botany, little on invertebrates, none on seaweed, and an inexplicably huge volume on seahorses and sea dragons. Would have loved to see film of different places nearby underwater, maybe some more microscopy and geology.
Pretty cool. They have modeled trains running in different terrains. The outdoor train is super cute. They even decorated a little town. Good for kids but kind of boring for adults. I went out in 20min.
Such an interesting place to learn a lot about aquatic life! They have species from deep sea, a variety of corals, and a great way of showing off the animals, jellyfish exhibit was my favorite but there’s so much to see, i hope this aquarium gets bigger in the future. Definitely coming back
we had previously purchased our tickets online which was a good idea because there was a line to buy tickets we noticed when we arrived. we visited on a somewhat sprinkling and rainy day so there wasn't too much action going on in the outside tanks and displays and most people were walking through the displays and exhibits inside. fyi, this aquarium is extremely small but drink worth the visit as you can easily kill an hour or two looking around. we were able to touch and see some small animals when outside but because of the weather they had to pack up shortly after. i enjoyed the shark tank and we were lucky to have made it on time for when they feed them so that was interesting to watch.
Fantastic science based aquarium with great educational and climate related content. Cool tide pools where you can touch sea life. Gorgeous view and outdoor play area. Good cafe for when kids get tired. Nearly every kind of sea life there to be seen in the flesh including octopi, sharks, jellyfish, rays, tons of seahorses, seadragons, all kinds of fish and crustaceans and even a sea turtle! The cutest (besides the world's tiniest seahorses) are the worlds smallest penguins! See pics for cuteness
Great small aquarium. It is good for younger kids the have some extra activity during summer for kid next to shark tank. Go during week in after noon if you want have personal experience.
The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is a hidden gem located in Balboa Park. It is a must-visit for any train enthusiast or anyone who loves to see amazing works of miniature craftsmanship.The museum features over 27,000 square feet of model railroad exhibits, including a large layout of Southern California's railroad history, a detailed depiction of the San Diego Zoo, and a circus train exhibit. There are also several smaller layouts that focus on specific topics, such as the history of the Santa Fe Railway or the construction of the Panama Canal.The exhibits are all beautifully detailed and meticulously maintained. The attention to detail is truly amazing, from the tiny locomotives and cars to the realistic scenery. It is easy to get lost in the world of the model trains and forget that you are not actually in a real train station.The museum also has a variety of interactive exhibits that allow visitors to learn more about the history of railroads and how model trains work. There is also a gift shop where you can buy souvenirs and model trains. This gift shop needs some work - the gifts are not worth buying unfortunately!There is a small room where an employee sings nursery rhymes for little kids and that part is lot of fun! Kids interact with some wooden trains and they absolutely love it!I highly recommend the San Diego Model Railroad Museum to anyone who is interested in trains or miniature modeling. It is a great place to spend a few hours learning about the history of railroads and enjoying the beauty of miniature craftsmanship.Note: Parking is a bit tight. We ended up parking at the zoo and walked our way to Balboa park where the museum is.
Came here with my wife and mom on a Saturday. Admission included entry into the Cannibals exhibit across from the Museum of Us entrance, and annual membership so you can come back for free. We walked both the main and Cannibals exhibit side checking and taking in almost everything on display. The main has two floors to explore with plenty of information and displays. The Cannibals exhibit had some displays that were interactive and fun. There are bathrooms and places to sit for a quick break. I would come back again to see and redo things. I recommend planning to spend at least 2.5 hours for both sides. I purchased tickets in advance, which I recommend. We did not do it, but you can also climb the California Tower from here, but it is extra cost and requires timed-entry. Public parking is available throughout Balboa Park, but nothing directly on-site. Expect at least a 5 minute walk to get here.
A nice little aquarium with some interactive and research exhibits. Honestly, the staff was the best part. They were all super friendly and knowledgable and good at conveying information to adults and kids. The penguins and hands-on tide pool experience were winners with the kids. And you can't beat a Giant Pacific Octopus.
Birch Aquarium is a fun experience overall. There are a great assortment of marine wildlife here, and all of them look like they are extremely well taken care of in overall gorgeous exhibits and enclosures. The large kelp forest enclosures, the shark feeding tank, and the relatively new little blue penguin exhibit our major highlights. Sidenote, the gift shop is phenomenal and has an amazing variety of great gifts, with most of them being fairly reasonable in price. The employees were all wonderful as well.On that note of price however, I cannot stress enough that the aquarium charge is far too much for what is offered here. Even with the great variety of wildlife here, this aquarium is fairly small and if it weren’t for the discount coupon I had, I would only have been willing to pay about half of what is currently being charged for admission right now. It didn’t help matters either that there were several prominent animals that were currently off display, with no notices as to what their status was or where they had been relocated to; not being able to see the sea turtle was a bummer, to say the least. There is also a reservation system in place, which seems to have mixed results in efficiency. The aquarium is frequently way below capacity and still requires reservations to be placed for several hours later. This could be adjusted to be more effective while still maintaining optimal crowd levels.Overall, this is a fun aquarium with some great exhibit and things to see, and his child friendly as well. However, unless you end up getting some kind of discount or Groupon, the cost is not worth what you get.
We heard about EBT $3.00 per ticket entrance. You must pre order and show card at the gate. I did not see the octopus because he was hiding. The jelly fish was my favorite. My son went out by the shark viewing and had a hands on learning experience. The tide pool is nice also. Everyone was so nice there. Thumbs up.
Super cool, super pretty, really informative aquarium! The staff were very friendly especially around the penguins—they were napping in the afternoon, so it's recommended to check back often to catch them active. Beautiful exhibits and an incredible view of the coast outside near the sharks. We went on a weekday and it wasn't too busy, no lines for the entrance, gift shop, or restrooms, and parking was made clear and easy.
Buy your tickets online, we found a promo code for an extra $12 off. Kids under 3 are free. Seniors get a discount too.We spent 90 minutes here. The outside play area has picnic tables. A great place for the kids to unwind, and eat a snack after touring the exhibits.
Very cute and interactive area for kids to enjoy. My 20month old loved the aquarium - way better than any zoo- simply because the fish are all there in action.. instead of some little spot who knows where looking like a monkey.. over all love this place. Parking was a bit tight..
Neat spot to bring the kiddos and check out aquatic critters. Parking is free, but getting a spot can be a challenge depending on when you arrive. The facility is cozy (relatively smallish) and depending on your pace through the exhibits, the visit can be roughly 1-3 hours.I appreciate that you can set a reservation time for entering the aquarium, which helps prevent overcrowding. There was a good amount of sea life on display from native fish to seahorses, sharks, and penguins. Mini-me particularly enjoyed the hands-on tide pool area. I thought having a Pacific Cleaner Shrimp nibble on my hand was neat.Check online to see other offerings or special events at Birch Aquarium. It’s a nice diversion for the little ones and a good place for any aspiring marine biologists to visit.
Visiting from out of town and came upon this location. Had really ample free parking in close proximity to the aquarium. Beautiful Whale fountain outside. I would say on the smaller side and more of a 1/2 day excursion as compared to maybe some larger aquariums. However was a lot of fun for my 21 month old and myself. The jellyfish and the big fish tanks, I could have watched for hours. The touch aquariums were nice, however I would have liked to seen more animals, maybe some star fish and more then one sea urchin as they could get very crowded. All in all a great little find for a San Diego trip!
A great experience! Went there with a school field trip and the teenage kids loved it and were not bored. Beautiful views outside and lots of areas to interact with like tide pools and photo opt areas. Gift shop was so cute! Even the bathrooms were clean and well stocked. All the staff I talked to throughout the aquarium was very friendly and helpful. The cafe food was so delicious! Would definitely visit this aquarium again.
Even though it was sold out in the morning they were able to fit us into the afternoon slot! It was awesome to have pics and labels for each creature in the aquariums. There was a ledge for people and kids to stand on to see things better. The only reason I gave it 4 stars was because the café outside was out of everything but ice cream pretty much when we went.
Great little Aquarium for a day trip. It’s more geared toward a Sunday afternoon stroll. The animals were very active and feedings happen regularly. Tickets are priced well and parking was easy. I’d recommend checking it out. We had a chance to donate towards the up keep of the center.
This is a wonderful place to visit and experience the sea life on a lower scale. Perfect for little ones. Price is reasonable. 4 star, fortheir shark exhibit was a huge disappointment. Penguins made the visit worth it. Good selection of food and drinks can be bought outside the entry gates. We had to buy tickets on line and choose our entry time. Once in you are in, you can stay as long as you like, though you won't need to.
I have fond memories of this place as a kid. My sister was a docent at the petting tide pool while she was in college. The sea cucumbers are my favorite. They have the jelly tumbler and an awesome seahorse tank. Lots of fun stuff to look at. My kiddo had a great time at this most recent visit and there was something for the whole family (the penguins are California burrito sized). It's small but really gorgeous location.
Nice little aquarium. You can go through it in a couple of hours. Right now, you have to get timed tickets online, you can't just walk up and buy tickets on site. I recommend having other things planned and make this part of your day instead of the main event. Also recommend going during the week when kids will be in school or during times where it's less crowded. There are some lovely views overlooking the La Jolla shores area and ocean. It would be a great place to sit and whale watch during the season.Criticism: suggest having more staffing inside to keep tabs on children whose parents won't. Kids were running around, screaming, running into people, and banging on display glass scaring the animals, etc. Parents: Please control your children. The place is small and letting them run around like holy terrors makes it a less enjoyable experience for everyone else. A note that may help parents with squirmy children: There is a great "hands on" room where kids can interact with displays and burn off some of their energy before heading into the quieter areas of the aquarium.All in all, it's a great place to learn about the ocean and conservation, and it's just big enough to keep kids interested without being so big that they get bored.
First time there with my family, after checking the images and reviews, we’re bought tickets online and get there, the aquarium very very small with mostly a fish in a tanks at home, only have one big tank have a few big fish and sea turtles which is my favor, they have a jelly fish tank which is cool, Outside there had a few ponds have tiny fish and a big tank have Penguins. Plus one tank outside have a very small Shark. That’s it ! The website advertising says it took 2 to 3 hours to explore the aquarium, but for me only took 25 minutes to go through all that… so we decided to go talk with manager to refund the money back, we wrote the reasons why we’re not sacrificed and the manager seem agreed with it, they refund my money back. Just keep in mind it’s a very small place with don’t have must fish to see which some of not there… the ticket are $24.99 per person it not worth it ! Enjoy…and don’t heritage to ask your money back if you’re disappointed it !
This is a limited, but good venue which offers educational tours by arrangement for groups of grade school-age children... which on a Monday in July is pretty much what is occupying literally every... square... inch of the limited walking space.. For the amount of money they have poured into building this highly-prestigious aquarium that highlights the research and conservation efforts of the Scripps Institute, this is a joyous regional attraction that all local San Diegoans young and old should feel lucky to visit. I'm glad I got the opportunity to view the beauty and wonder of all the displays and exhibits, which are very well done. Truly, this is a Hallmark of achievement in San Diego.
It was very clean and well-maintained but really there wasn't a ton to see.Several of the displays are just video but there are around 50 different tanks plus there's an area outside that mimics a tide pool with live creatures in it. See my pictures for a good sampling of the available tanks. The giant kelp, the sea horse and the jellyfish tanks were the most impressive.Overall if you're in the area it's a 2 hour stop. Personally would have been happier if they had a stingray or manta ray petting area. Just know there are better aquariums in the area.
**UPDATED** The Birch Aquarium has my absolute respect and gratitude. I visited yesterday with my autistic child. We spoke with two exceptional staff members who helped us resolve a sensory issue that was impacting my son. They cheerfully offered us a solution for future visits that would decrease anxiety. We could really feel the desire to partner with the disabled community and improve accessibility.We had a wonderful visit! Thank you again.***The aquarium is perched on the cliffs, giving you a 20 million dollar view! Outdoor water play is paired with indoor science and learning. There is a gorgeous big tank focusing on a kelp forest.I bought a membership.Great little Cafe and a nice gift shop.
Great experience, we had a good time as a family, which includes two small kids! If you love taking pictures, definitely head out to their outdoor terrace, as it has an ocean view! Beautiful!I rated it a four because it is a little pricey for the size of the exhibits.
Had a lovely time here! Spent about 1.5 hours walking around which was fun but maybe not worth $25. I enjoyed seeing the sea animals and different creatures that live right off of our coast. Also wish you didn’t have to keep your mask in while outside. It was a beautiful day and breathing that fresh ocean air would be good for health especially the area right by the tide pools where you can touch some creatures.
I haven't been here since I was young back in the 70's. Boy has this place changed! Beautiful entrance with the sculptures and water feature. Upon entering, you're greeted by the view of Pacific ocean. Before going outside, we visited the Hall of Fishes. There was this one fish that looked straight out if a Dr. Seuss book. Our granddaughter loved that she was able to touch the marine life at the tide pools. It was just gorgeous as the sun was starting to set.
This was an awesome experience! The aquarium overlooks the ocean and we were able to see tsunami fog roll in. The shark tank was awesome and all the information was easy to digest and interesting. The walk throughout the self guided tour of the aquarium is easy to navigate even while social distancing. On top of all that, animals were amazing! There were animals I had never even heard of and learning about them with such a beautiful view was a can't miss experience.
Fun place to visit. Very kid friendly. Only takes an hour or so to walk through, but could definitely make it last longer. Prices are a little steep but it's worth it. Beautiful views of the coast in the evening! I much recommend an afternoon visit, finishing with a sunset by the tide pools!
Very nice aquarium. Lots of cool creatures and neat exhibits. The staff was knowledgeable and polite. The tide pool area was a highlight, especially with the view of the ocean. I enjoyed learning about their conservation and breeding programs. The membership was a fair price for the family and we'll definitely be back!
So this is a lot cheaper than say Long Beach aquarium, but you kind of get what you pay for. I feel like there is really not a ton to see or do. I was disappointed with the shark enclosure, but did like the tide pool touch area and where it was located was very beautiful because you can look out over the ocean. I did like the huge fish tank, sea turtle and sea horses, but the aquarium is pretty small as a whole and it doesn’t take that long to get through everything.If you are just wanting something economical to do for an hour or so, it is okay.
such a fun little aquarium! I highly reccomend coming. They are very conservation focused and the whole experience was very educational. I love learning about the research work different institutions do and Scripps aquarium exceeded my expectations.Come see some cool aquatic animals and specimen and learn about them. Also, at the time of this review they do still require masks as a heads up.
Always a good time herePlenty of cool fish and other exotic sea creatures to stare at and learn about.Lots of local fish habits, which is always nice for the kids to learn about what's in the waters when they go out.The tide pools, jellyfish, and giant fish tank were all the kids favorites.They've taken out there jungle gym, so they were kind of bummed there, hopefully they'll be replacing the space with some of cool activities.You still need to make reservations, but we'll worth it as this place could easily get overcrowded in the past.
Amazing place for the young and old! The ocean is such a wild place, it's a guarantee you will see or experience something new here! I am particularly fond of the tide pool, where you can get up close with certain critters and touch em! The staff is knowledgeable and friendly, facilities are clean as well. Well worth the price!
This aquarium is really cute. We enjoyed our visit. Reading the reviews, a lot of people spoke about how spectacular the seahorse exhibit is, but we were not impressed by this at all. It was tiny and only a few animals inside. Not sure what the hype was over that. Overall it was a fun visit. Lots of reviewers complained about it being too small, but really it was quite impressive for being a smaller aquarium. Staff is friendly. Facility is clean. Nice place to take the kids.
Me and my daughter celebrated our reunion. This is one of the place we chose to go. Thank you so Much for giving us an awesome experience. We really enjoyed all of the sea creatures and we enjoyed our quality time together and sharing it with this place. We got to meet Leslee and She talked with us for a while and gave us some information on the sea horses and that was so awesome. If it's a pleasure to meet her. we also had fun petting all of the sea creatures. A definitely recommend this place as a must visit. If customer service here was good quality done in excellence excellence
I'm from Long Beach and might be biased, so take this with a grain of salt. The aquarium is quite nice for its size. The giant kelp forest is what I enjoyed the most. The shark pool is a bit disappointing as I would expect to see more than just rays and leopard sharks.It would be nice if there was staff around to manage the flow of traffic and keep some of the parents in line, specifically the ones who let their children roam freely. The corridors are narrow and some of the families there would hold up the path, creating a large crowd and lots of foot traffic.Had around 3-4 children squeeze past and kinda force my girlfriend and me aside. Their parents didn't do anything about it and just let them do whatever they want.There was a mother and daughter in front of us, and I felt really sorry for them because they waited a really long time just to see some of the exhibits. This couple and their 3-4 kids stood at the octopus/jellyfish tank for 10-15 minutes because it came out of hiding and started moving. By the time the mother and daughter, had any room to move up to see it, the octopus was hidden.Not the aquarium's fault, but I think having some staff around to supervise some of the area's would improve the experience for many individuals and small groups.
Were there for about 1 1/2 hours. Very strict with masks. Lots of seahorses and fish. No big sharks but still was fun. Great views of the ocean out back. Gives senior discounts and reduced price for kids. Well worth the entry fee.
I love aquariums! This is definitely not the biggest I've been to but one of my favorites. I love that they layout the aquarium based on location so you see the similarities and transitions of species based on the change in water temperature and environment.While visiting I overheard one woman racing through the aquarium with her kids talking to someone on her phone "complaining" about the minimal cost of a visit because there's "only like an hour with of things to see". If she would have put down her phone to enjoy and explore she might have realized what a crazy value it is to visit! I spent a good 3-4 hours going through the whole aquarium and enjoying the additional exhibits like the tide pools and the educational displays.Make sure to spend some extra time enjoying the giant local kelp forest tank that takes up an entire 2 story wall, and my favorite the seahorse and seadragon exhibit!
I love visiting aquariums and I don’t know if I just had too high of expectations, but I wasn’t very satisfied with my experience. I decided to go based on the positive reviews but I honestly didn’t think it was worth the $20 for admission. There was not much to see; it was mostly just small fish. It took me less than an hour to see everything. However, it was pretty clean and staff were kind and helpful.
We loved the view and the huge fish tank inside the Aquarium. It has potential to become bigger and offer way more, as it only has one activity (touching some fish) but overall we had a fun and relaxing time. They do participate in the Museums for All program. Must call to schedule an appointment during Covid times.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS AQUARIUM! It was my first time visiting it and I had a blast. I really enjoyed seeing all the sea animals. My favorite was the Atlantic Giant Octopus and the Kelp forest was beautiful! There is plenty of parking. They also have small tide pools where you can touch anenomies, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and SHARK EGGS! Oh and the outside view, WOW. My breath was taken away. Overall, 10/10, this place is perfect for kids and all who love the ocean.
I recommend you take your time observing all of the sea life. It's easy to just glide through the aquarium but you end up doing yourself a disservice. Alot of these fish have unique personalities and are really interesting if you stop and observe each and every one of them.
We had a great day at the aquarium. The kids really enjoyed it all, they said their favorite part was seeing the octopus. They claim to not like touching the sea cucumber, but it's definitely something they'll remember. We purchased a membership so we can come back again next time we're in town. We felt very safe since they limit the amount of guests and require reservations. Can't wait to come back!
Great place to explore and learn about our oceans & some of the wonders of the world. My husband & I are San Diego locals, he's never been and this Friday is his birthday (30+yrs) gave reference cause it's an awesome place for children no doubt, but I believe if your open to exploring adults will love it all the same. Favorite part is getting to touch & interact with sea life. I would definitely say this place is worth going to at least once in your life.Had a blast.
Nice to be out and about. Aquarium was not crowded at all. We were able to see all exhibits without waiting in lines. Kids loved it.They also had hand sanitizing stations thought the aquarium. ????
Very exciting area for every age. a whole lot of thrilling statistics can be located about Ocean and the life in it. apart from famous there are water playground in which kids and adults will have amusing.
We ranged in age from 9 to 61 and we all learned so much about the sea life off the coast of San Diego. We were able to touch rays, sharks, anemones, and more - very fun Sunday explore day. I recommend it for babies on up.
Short and sweet outdoor exhibits offered during covid, which was awesome! The crew members were absolutely amazing and so so nice and informative throughout the experience and also made the entire experience feel very covid-safe. They (Matt especially!) genuinely expressed an urge to share their knowledge which made it really enjoyable (:
If you are planning a field trip or an activity this is a great place to visit for children or those who are fascinated by nature. I've been here a couple of times, one was during a field trip for school and the other was with some friends. Admission is a bit expensive though, I think there are certain days where admission is free, but those days it will be very busy and a lot of people may block the exhibits. There are lots of exhibits to explore and it is a great learning opportunity as well.
Great Aquarium! Its cute, clean and the staff is friendly. The gift shop is adorable. It's not a huge aquarium with large fish but it does have some very neat fish in it: sharks, rays, many species of tropical fish, several species of coral, sea dragons, puffer fish, seahorses...the touch tanks are a lot of fun as well! It's very educational and also a lot of fun. We went with a 7 and 4 yr old and they absolutely loved it. Didn't want to leave. The view from outside (touch tanks, etc.) is gorgeous too! I highly recommend! The proceeds from the aquarium fund a lot of research in our oceans and sea life, so your money is also going towards an awesome cause.
Was way smaller than I expected, the whole experience can be done in about an hour pretty easily. But it was a fun hour and the kids all seemed to really enjoy the exhibits and the touch pool areas. The Halloween decorations were nice but really more of a gimmick than an actual experience. Overall a fun little trip, just don't go in with high expectations and you'll be fine.
Loved the decor for Halloween and how Birch outlined a path with 6ft distance markers, all related to sea creatures of course. Super cute, Birch! They also limited the amount of guests in the aquarium for safety. Went with my partner, her nephews and parents. the boys were definitely intrigued by the sea life. My favorite sections are the jelly fish, sea horses and getting to pet the baby leopard shark and sting rays!
Among smaller aquariums this one is one of the best! Their aquariums are well cared for and offer a great opportunity to see some cool animals and even some rare animals. I've been a fish keeper the majority of my life and anytime I visit a new city I always research and visit the public aquariums. The point being that I've seen many and this is a cut above the rest.
(For Covid-19 changes)You have to order your tickets online which give a specific time for your visit. You can come about fifteen minutes before your time starts to check in and enjoy yourselves. With customer crossed control thanks to the tickets, it's pretty quiet. Mild sound from others talking if you're close to others, but it's not overwhelming, and it was (myself included) ten people in their largest aquarium room.The place is kept clean, and the fish were precious/ some knew what people wanted and I swear they would swim slowly or hover to get their photos taken. If you take photos or like to take your time, it's well worth the visit right now.
Beautiful aquariums! Free parking. Easy to find. Not crowded at all. Right now, you must pre purchase tickets for a specific time, but still no big deal. Lots of small aquariums, and several large aquariums. 2 massive aquariums. A couple of small touching aquariums, including baby sharks. Overall, a great experience. Spent a couple hours here. Basically 20 dollars per person for adults. Gift shop and good sized snack/ grill shop.
My 9 year old grandson loved this place! Of all the places we visited in Hollywood and San Diego, this was his favorite. Close up aquariums with lots of ocean fish! Educational to boot! Highly recommend.
Honestly this is a beautiful view. However this is more for young children, I recommend it for smaller children. It's a quick aquarium with a lot of little cute creatures but not for 11 and up who have been to bigger aquariums. Get boring quickly.
This is a really nice small aquarium. We purchased the annual membership because it paid for itself with only a couple visits. The kids always enjoy coming here. Parking is free, which is a big plus too.
One of my favorite parks to visit on random weekends. Extremely large and fun to show little kids. An experience that I'm grateful to be able to have so often.
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14:20 30 May 20
If you’re on your own you’ll see everything in 90 minutes. The exhibits are thoughtful and beautiful, however everything is small. The best part was easily the sea horse exhibit. I had no idea they grew so big. Overall I’m glad I went and perhaps if I had small children I would feel differently. I had a good experience.
This place is lovely and great for young kids. They have many interactive stations that little ones can stay entertained with. It is definitely not a big aquarium, but I think that adds to the charm of it all. Unlike Sea World, you don't have to pay an arm, a leg, and set aside 3 days to see it. My family and I toured the whole thing in about two and a half hours. The staff was very friendly and informative. They also have a wide range of animals, and the view from their tide pool area is a must see!
Very affordable and a fantastic experience. They even have a nice shore pool area outside where you can get a hands-on experience with some of the aquatic life. Great for both kids and adults. One of the few aquariums in the US who have Leafy Seadragons on display!
After reading the review about this being 10 minutes to walk through I was a little hesitant. I definitely recommend visiting this aquarium! They have a lot of sea life native to the area and then a lot of aquariums from other areas as well. They have an educational section for kids to learn about sea life as well as human impact on the environment. Beautiful aquariums and educational. It was neat to see the different animals eat, as we were fortunate enough to visit at feeding time.
Better for kids, not adults.I came here by myself and it took me about 30 minutes to get through the entire aquarium, that includes reading all the exhibit information.The aquarium itself is very nice. There's outdoor tide pools, a cafe by the entrance, and it has a beautiful view of La Jolla.
A really great experience! You feel immersed in the ocean, see wonderful sea creatures and get to know about the sea around California. Sitting in front of the big kelp wood aquarium enjoying the fish and the movement of the water alone was worth the visit, but there is so much more to be seen.
Birch Aquarium is well worth the visit. It's not huge which makes it great for kids I think. A beautiful location with ocean views and interesting exhibits. The staff was very knowledgeable and friendly. These is also parking.
Very interesting place for all ages. A lot of interesting facts can be discovered about Ocean and the life in it. Other than exhibits there are water playground where kids and adults can have fun. Outside there is a tide pools. It is open daily from 9am to 5pm. Tickets are expensive ☹️ from $15 to $20, depends on age.Parking is free and in walking distance from the entrance.
Most guests find that two to three hours is the right amount of time to visit Birch Aquarium at Scripps. You can also use our daily schedule to learn more about what is happening on the day of your visit.
QIs there a place to store my belongings?
Birch Aquarium at Scripps does not provide storage for personal belongings.
QCan I bring food and drinks into the aquarium?
Food and beverages are permitted inside Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Guests are welcome to bring a picnic lunch or purchase coffee, snacks, or a delicious meal from Splash Cafe by The French Gourmet.