Birch Aquarium Announces New Guest Experiences for Fall

La Jolla, CA (September 5, 2024)—On the heels of the announcement of Living Seas, an expansive new exhibition opening next summer, Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego today announced a slate of new guest experiences debuting this fall including Riveropolis, the Coral Classroom and an expanded Animal Ambassador Program. These new experiences will be available through summer 2025 while Living Seas is being built.  

“This is such an exciting time in the evolution of Birch Aquarium,” said Executive Director Harry Helling. “The aquarium is going to look a little different over the next several months while the Living Seas transformation is underway, but our innovative experience design teams have developed great new guest experiences that will surprise and delight guests of all ages.”

Riveropolis, a hands-on water-play experience, uses play and the magic of water to inspire creativity and community building through an engaging miniature river. With opportunities to build and launch boats along the river system, guests will explore the connections formed by working together and negotiating shared space while learning how water interacts with the environment. Riveropolis will be located on Blue Beach, overlooking the La Jolla coastline and opens October 4.

"For years guests have been asking us to bring back waterplay and we heard them. Riveropolis combines art, play and the science of water flow into one fun, interactive package. Our guests are sure to enjoy it,” said Allyson Gobler, Senior Director of Guest Experience. 

Guests will also be invited for an exclusive look behind the scenes into Birch Aquarium’s coral care and conservation work through the Coral Classroom, where many of the corals from the Hall of Fishes will be relocated during renovations. Birch Aquarium is a leader in coral propagation which is critical to the conservation of species threatened by warming oceans. The Coral Classroom experience will be included with general admission.  

For fans of Birch Aquarium’s more feathery residents, an Australian Laughing Kookaburra is landing at the aquarium later this fall as the newest member of the aquarium’s animal ambassador program. Laughing Kookaburras are large, terrestrial kingfishers with unique vocalizations including an iconic “laughing” call. The kookaburra will be greeting guests on a rotating basis throughout the day, bringing another dimension to the aquarium’s Australian ecosystem education.

Previously announced, Embodied Pacific: Ocean Unseen, Birch Aquarium’s newest exhibition at the intersection of art and science also opens October 4. Ten immersive installations across multiple media invite guests to participate in science explorations through sensory experiences. This exhibition is part of Getty’s PST ART: Art & Science Collide, a region-wide initiative launching in mid-September 2024. 

Living Seas, which is the largest capital improvement since the aquarium was built in 1992, invites guests to journey through the Pacific Ocean in order to inspire a love of nature, a sense of place and ocean optimism. With expanded viewing windows, next-generation digital displays, and immersive projections, Living Seas will invite guests on an unforgettable journey along the West Coast to uncover the wonders of the Pacific. Living Seas is slated to open in summer 2025. 

All of the new additions are included with the cost of admission. Birch Aquarium is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with extended seasonal hours from March 1 through Labor Day. Advanced reservations are strongly recommended for general admission, but Birch Aquarium members do not need reservations. Visit aquarium.ucsd.edu for more information including the Daily Schedule.