Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla, CA 92037, USAAbout
Location :
Added by Jopie, at 03 September 2016
Opening Hours
- Monday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Thursday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
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12 Reviews
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19 November 2017
Visited a scientist and spent a few hours here. Loads to do for a few hours but not much more. Touch Tide pools and interactive energy exhibits were a hit with the kids. Many tanks and a variety of fish. Nothing huge except for the main tank where there was a feeding and talk with the divers in the tank. Get there a little early so you get a good spot.
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24 September 2017
I went for a school project, and it was actually interesting. My group and I realized how our Biology class was actually teaching us useful information. The staff was friendly and the video view was gorgeous. My only complaint is the AC. It was rather humid inside of the building and while I understand that certain exhibits need to be warm, I want to view the aquarium not be a part of it.
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10 September 2017
Great for kids. This is so much more interesting than Seaworld. They respect animals much more here and it's a great way to get your kids up close with sea creatures and show them respect for the ocean.
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07 September 2017
- Tickets are kinda pricey, but if you get the Entertainment app, you can get 2 tickets for 50% off (basically, buy one get one free). The Entertainment app is only 99 cents for one month of use, so you pay $1 and save $18.50. Not a bad trade-off. Just remember to cancel your subscription before the next month (it's auto-pay), unless you want to keep using the app.
- Parking is free for the first 3 hours. Even though the parking lot seems full, there's a lot of turn over.
- Probably more fun for young children.
Our family went to Birch Aquarium on a Tuesday at 11:30AM with a 1-year-old, 4-year-old, and almost 6-year-old. It was full, but not crowded and we spent a good 2-3 hours exploring. We checked out the tide pool, looked at the view, and walked through the exhibits. The water play/boundless energy area is great. I think we spent at least 30-45 minutes there alone. I also liked that there were several museum employees throughout the exhibits who had some items on hand for children to touch and feel.report this review -
29 August 2017
They have such cool exhibits, it's a large enough size to be a full day event if you pace yourself and eat at the cafe time will roll by quickly, but still small enough that you could be through it all in 3 hrs if you have additional plans for the day and just want a fun morning activity. There are also boat loads (nautical pun intended) of interactive activities for kids and adults alike. Very educational but still fun for a mini-field trip, and there are tank feedings 4 days a week that you can watch, we had a blast! Extremely affordable pricing for the experience took get in return. If you travel via public transportation it is quite a hike uphill from the bus stop. Definitely recommend going here for a visit. Plus they have jelly fish. Really awesome beautiful jellyfishfor those with a particular preference for certain aquatic animals.
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15 August 2017
I always have a great time visiting the Birch Aquarium. It's a great place to relax and observe the many exhibitions they have to offer as well as the tide pools. It's great for kids and adults from my perspective and it's a great activity if you're out and about exploring San Diego.
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04 August 2017
I have a soft spot for aquariums and fish, so I was glad to have found out about this particular aquarium! There is a beautiful scenic view of the ocean when you step out of the main entrance and into the tide pool area. There's lots of fish on display and I loved learning facts about each individual fish. The Giant Kelp Forest exhibit is probably my most favorite exhibit since you get a wide and large view of the fish! This aquarium is very kid-friendly, so there are tons of kids or classes on school field trips. I got through the aquarium in 2 hours, so it was well-worth it!
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31 December 2016
All three of my kids - ages of 4, 7, and almost 10 - loved this aquarium. There's a ton of fun hands on experiences, and a good variety of sea creatures to see. The cafe is also quite good.
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22 December 2016
The Birch Aquarium is a nice facility more typical of older style research aquariums, lacking the giant tubes and super huge tanks that have become the norm for modern aquariums. The seahorse and leafy seadragon tanks were really nice and I thought overall the different exhibits nicely represented the biodiversity of the California coast.
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13 December 2016
The Birch Aquarium has an amazing location and extensive displays of local marine life, but was much smaller then expected. I respect the fact that they focus on local habitats and species, but most people would prefer to exotic things. It is a good way to spend some time if the weather is not nice, but I don't think you can spend more then 2 hours there.
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28 November 2016
Our family LOVED this little aquarium. So many interesting specimens and information about ocean life. My boys could have built dams all day in their interactive outdoor centre. They were also interested in the touch pools. Great job! The kinetic sand table with the sea floor elevations was a big hit too with kids and adults!
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10 September 2016
Good variety of fish. A smaller aquarium - able to get through it in about an hour. Kids were entertained. My two-year-old daughter actually enjoyed the outdoor interactive exhibits (water current to energy to be specific) spending most of her time there.
Free Parking for up to three hours.
Admission fees seemed a little highreport this review
