La Jolla Aquarium

The Birch Aquarium at Scripps

The La Jolla Aquarium, officially known as the Birch Aquarium at Scripps overlooks the Pacific Ocean, with sea creatures from seahorses to sharks.

All Photos (c) Donna Dailey

When we asked for walking directions to the La Jolla Aquarium, more properly known as the Birch Aquarium at Scripps, the receptionists at our hotel, the Grande Colonial, were quite amazed. It’s a long way, they said. But we like walking, so off we set. It’s almost three miles to the Birch Aquarium from downtown La Jolla, and it took us almost an hour.

Our Pick of San Diego Guides

In a way the receptionists are right - there’s a stretch along Prospect that’s busy with traffic and we were glad to get past that, but if we hadn’t walked we wouldn’t have seen the parts of La Jolla on the far side of La Jolla Bay. There was a whole relaxed beach scene going on there which seemed a contrast to the more toney downtown.

La Jolla Aquarium

Most people, though, will probably want to drive to the aquarium, and there’s plenty of parking as it’s one of La Jolla’s most popular sites. It isn’t a huge aquarium, like the one in Monterey, but there’s lots to see and enjoy there.

Outside the entrance to welcome you are some striking statues of whales leaping out of the water, and inside the Galleria, where the ticket desk is, acts as hub with most of the other areas radiating off it. On the right is their brand new 2025 exhibit, the Adam R. Scripps Living Seas Gallery.

Adam R. Scripps Living Seas Gallery

The gallery is designed to be immersive (not literally!), with floor-to-ceiling tank views and ambient ocean sounds. It showcases the diverse marine ecosystems of the Pacific Ocean, emphasizing conservation and the interconnectedness of ocean life.

A young guest looks at colorful live coral in Birch Aquarium’s Living Seas.

The centerpiece is the Giant Kelp Forest Tank. a 13,000-gallon tank replicating a Southern California kelp forest ecosystem. Creatures you can see include leopard sharks, garibaldi (California’s state marine fish), moray eels, and other native species. The display demonstrates the importance of kelp forests as marine habitats.

Giant Pacific Octopus Habitat in Birch Aquarium's Living Seas Exhibit

The brand-new Giant Pacific Octopus habitat in Living Seas offers multiple viewing opportunities

Touch screens and hands-on displays educate visitors about ocean conservation, climate change, and sustainable fishing. An important element is the promotion of responsible seafood choices, whether in the grocery store or when eating out, through the "Good Seafood" guide.

A Warty Frogfish looks out from behind a piece of coral in Birch Aquarium’s Living Seas.

This lists "Best Choices" (green), "Good Alternatives" (yellow), and "Avoid" (red) species based on current scientific research. It covers popular seafood like salmon, tuna, shrimp, lobster, and shellfish. It warns against overfished or destructively-harvested species like Atlantic bluefin tuna, imported shrimp, and Chilean sea bass.

A young guest excited to see the Loggerhead Sea Turtle in Birch Aquarium’s Living Seas.

The Explorers’ Gallery

To the left of the Galleria is the Explorers’ Gallery, which shows the more serious side of the aquarium’s activities. The aquarium is the public face of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, one of the oldest and biggest oceanographic research institutes in the world.

In this gallery you get to see some of the work that they do. When we visited we saw tanks of tiny seahorses, the result of their captive breeding program, and fascinating leafy seadragons.

Other Attractions at the La Jolla Aquarium

Also off the central Galleria is the entrance to the Tide Pool Plaza, where you can get your hands wet and touch some of the sea creatures, hear talks by docents, get a good view back to La Jolla, and maybe even see some whales at the right time of year.

Another major exhibit now is called Boundless Energy, all about how we can harness the power of the wind, sun, and waves. This was still being put together when we visited, but it’s now fully open and sounds fascinating. We did, of course, visit the big gift shop, before walking back to our hotel and uncovering more of La Jolla’s charming secrets on the way.

Our slideshow of a few of the aquarium's highlights

More Information
You can find out more about the La Jolla Aquarium by visiting the Birch Aquarium at Scripps website.

Other La Jolla pages

La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art
The La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art is part of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, California, and has a beautiful sculpture garden.
La Jolla Luxury Hotel
The Grande Colonial La Jolla luxury hotel is downtown, close to restaurants and shopping, with historic charm, and a highly acclaimed restaurant.
La Jolla, in southern California
La Jolla in southern California is north of San Diego off the Pacific Coast Highway and has museums, restaurants, hotels, beaches, and the Birch Aquarium.