A Celebratory Year for Birch Aquarium
Reflecting on 2024’s Milestones and Looking Ahead
Photos: Jordann Tomasek, Birch Aquarium
2024 has been a remarkable year for Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, marked by a series of exciting milestones. From breaking ground on Living Seas — the largest renovation in aquarium history — to the heartwarming arrival of Little Blue Penguin chicks, the debut of Embodied Pacific: Ocean Unseen, and beyond, we've had so much to celebrate. These moments, along with many others, have made this year truly remarkable.
Major Milestones
Living Seas
This September, the aquarium broke ground on the largest renovation in aquarium history. Living Seas, a reimagined exhibition will replace the aquarium’s famed Hall of Fishes next summer. The exhibition, the largest capital improvement since the aquarium was built in 1992, invites guests to journey through the Pacific Ocean to inspire a love of nature, a sense of place and ocean optimism. Read the full story here.
AZA Quarter Century Award
Just in time for the September 16 anniversary, Birch Aquarium received the AZA Quarter Century Award, recognizing the aquarium’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards in animal care, welfare, management, veterinary care, conservation, education, staffing, facilities, safety, guest services, and more. Read the full story here.
Conservation Celebrations
Little Blue Penguin Chicks
For the first time in aquarium history, the aquarium celebrated a successful hatch season and welcomed five adorable Little Blue Penguin chicks to the family. These adorable additions mark a significant achievement in the aquarium's dedication to penguin care and conservation efforts. Read the full story here.
Sunflower Sea Stars
In collaboration with California partners, Birch Aquarium successfully spawned and cross-fertilized gametes from a male and a female Sunflower Sea Star, resulting in fertile eggs. Read about the Valentine’s Day 2024 spawn here.
*As of late September 2024, these eggs have developed into 364 settled Sunflower Sea Stars at our partner organizations, with 314 of them being from our Valentine's Day 2024 spawn.
Weedy Seadragon Babies
In June, Birch Aquarium announced the arrival of more than 70 baby Weedy Seadragons! The babies were the result of the second-ever successful Weedy Seadragon egg transfer in the aquarium’s seadragon exhibit. Read the full story about the egg transfer here.
Exciting Exhibitions
Embodied Pacific: Ocean Unseen
In September, Birch Aquarium opened Embodied Pacific: Ocean Unseen in collaboration with the UC San Diego Visual Arts department’s larger Embodied Pacific, which is part of Getty’s PST ART: Art & Science Collide. The exhibition invites guests to explore Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Indigenous science through the eyes of contemporary artists. Read the full story here.
Hold Fast
From February through August, Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego hosted Hold Fast, a powerful and immersive art exhibit that invited us to explore the impact of climate change on our local kelp forest through the lens of local artists and scientists. Read the full story here.
New Experiences
While Living Seas construction is underway, we’ve introduced several new experiences for our guests to enjoy. Highlights include:
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.
Coral Classroom, where guests can see coral up close, discover what makes it unique and learn more about the aquarium’s coral conservation efforts.
Animal Ambassadors
Birch Aquarium welcomed several new Animal Ambassadors this year including a Laughing Kookaburra and Bearded Dragon. These additions help guests build closer connections to wildlife and discover the impactful conservation work happening at the aquarium and with our partners.
Education and Campus Connections
School and Youth Group Programs and Summer Camp Highlights
In 2024, Birch Aquarium connected thousands of young minds to the ocean! The aquarium’s Education Team facilitated 452 Discovery Labs, 178 Aquarium Express Outreach sessions, and 515 Self-Guided Visits, while also welcoming over 550 summer campers. The aquarium also hosted its annual Teacher Appreciation Night and welcomed 115 educators.
The Hub for Scripps Science
The Hub hosted its first-ever Indigenous Ocean Day on November 23. The event honored Indigenous people and Indigenous ocean knowledge with the original peoples in the region now called San Diego County and northern Baja California, including Kumeyaay, Payómkawichum, Cupeño, Cahuilla, and neighboring tribal groups. The event was attended by approximately 650 Indigenous community members who were among more than 1,800 guests throughout the day.
UC San Diego Student Highlight (FY 23-24)
Birch Aquarium serves as an important campus connection for Scripps Oceanography and UC San Diego students through coursework, presentations, jobs, volunteering opportunities and more. The aquarium plays a vital role in student life, while students, in turn, infuse the aquarium with fresh energy and ideas. Read the full story here.
Triton Weeks of Welcome
During Triton Weeks of Welcome (TWOW) 2024, Birch Aquarium welcomed 3472 UC San Diego students during the university-wide orientation.
Aquarium Activations
This year included milestones for Birch Aquarium’s events, including the first-ever Shark Summer, along with the continuation of the ever-popular Oceans at Night and the expansion of last year’s hit events Party for the Planet and Halloween Aglow.
Membership Highlights
In November, Birch Aquarium and Oceanside Museum of Art helped a special membership trade program to support each institution’s PST ART exhibitions.
In December, the aquarium celebrated its annual Membership Appreciation Days, welcoming over 490 members for a week filled with gratitude and joy. The event showcased the aquarium’s heartfelt appreciation for member support, from exciting giveaways and raffles to unforgettable member moments.
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