News archives

A Lion’s Mane Nudibranch attach itself to kelp to catch planktonic creatures in their magnificent “mane.”

Searching for Sea Slugs in San Diego

Our local tide pools are teeming with life and the perfect place to participate in the City Nature Challenge.

male weedy seadragon with bright pink eggs along sides and bottom of tail

Second Time Lucky! Earth Day Brings Seadragon Surprise to Aquarium

Following on the recent announcement of year-old Weedy Seadragons going on display, Birch Aquarium announces second successful egg transfer to male.

Fish swim in a Giant Kelp Forest.

Cross-campus Exhibition Embodied Pacific Bridges Science and Art

Brace for impact: the next installment of PST ART is coming soon.

arial view of Birch Aquarium with whale statue in front and blue ocean stretching behind

Birch Aquarium Hosts Party for the Planet, Family-Friendly Earth Day Celebration

Enjoy an hourly parade, interactive community storytelling and science stations on April 20-21!

Little Blue Penguins stand in front of Birch Aquarium's AZA Accreditation Award

Birch Aquarium Receives Prestigious AZA Accreditation

Accreditation is the ‘gold standard’ for the zoological and aquarium profession.

Team collects eggs from a female Sunflower Star at Birch Aquarium.

Successful Spawning and Cross-Fertilization Bring Hope for the Critically Endangered Sunflower Sea Star

Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Aquarium of the Pacific, California Academy of Sciences, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA), Sunflower Star Laboratory and partners continue work to save this species from extinction.

Guests Explore a labyrinth of cyanotype-printed giant kelp by photo-based artist and marine scientist Oriana Poindexter

Hold Fast Immersive Art Exhibition Now Open at Birch Aquarium

Hold Fast connects local kelp forests and climate change through the intersection of science and art.

Scripps Pier

Lecture Series Highlighting Climate Change Research Reopens to Public

Birch Aquarium is hosting a conversational series based on Scripps Oceanography science told through diverse perspectives.

Giant Clams

Caring for Confiscated Clams

Birch Aquarium is home to more than 45 confiscated Giant Clams thanks to a newly launched network that combats wildlife trafficking.

A group of people explore local tide pools.

Let the Tidepooling Adventures Begin!

Tickets for Birch Aquarium’s Tidepooling Adventures go on sale Dec. 15.

Oriana Poindexter, Giant Kelp Study 16, Windansea Beach, February 11, 2022

New Art Exhibition to Take Hold at Birch Aquarium

Hold Fast, an immersive art exhibition, explores local kelp forests and climate change through the lens of three local scientists and artists.

Birch Aquarium and La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club unveil the new La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club Potbelly Seahorse Habitat.

Birch Aquarium Celebrates $150k Gift from La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club with the naming of its Potbelly Seahorse Habitat

The generous gift launches a strategic partnership between two iconic La Jolla institutions.

Melissa Torres from Birch Aquarium at Scripps and Margarita Upton from Steinhart Aquarium at California Academy of Sciences carefully administer a spawn-inducing hormone into a Sunflower Star at Birch Aquarium.

Star studded team successfully spawns three Sunflower Sea Stars at Birch Aquarium at Scripps

Hope is on the horizon for the critically endangered Sunflower Sea Star thanks to a groundbreaking collaborative effort among accredited aquariums and zoos and research laboratories.

A leopard sharks swims in the Giant Kelp Forest at Birch Aquarium.

Zoos and Aquariums Join Forces to Advance Global Goals to Protect Wildlife and Wild Places Across the World

With the Power of Millions Behind Us: We Are Resolved to Halt and Reverse the World’s Catastrophic Decline in Biodiversity

 While skates closely resemble stingrays, they are different. Big Skates lack a stinging barb and do not give live birth.

Meet the new Big (little) Skates!

Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego is celebrating the arrival of some ravioli-sized newborn Big Skates.

A kid stands in front of a Moon Jelly habitat wearing a glowing skeleton costume.

Halloween Aglow to Light Up Birch Aquarium

New family-friendly Halloween event explores the wonders of the ocean after dark.

A group of guests stands in front of Birch Aquarium's Giant Kelp Forest.

Banner Year for Birch Aquarium

Aquarium closes out its 30th year “on the Hill” with record attendance, record scholarships and a prestigious AZA Award.