Birch Aquarium at Scripps Reviews

Paid them a visit with my younger sister. Great times!

Our family loves this aquarium. It's beautiful, the staff is very knowledgeable, and it's educational for the little ones. We have been members for a year and love to stop by for a quick visit.

Nice. Very interesting for the kids. Staff is very friendly. Cool place to get out of the heat. Enjoyed all the fish on display. Would definitely recommend a visit.

It was a nice aquarium to attend. The place is sort of small but it has tons of sea creatures to look at. i like the fact that every different area we were at there is a display of the animal. The only downfall was there was tons of children as a field trip.

Just right for a day trip. Loved the Super Hero exhibit, Tide Pool and Diver in the big tank!

This is a wonderful place for children and adults alike. The setting is breathtaking and the exhibits are well designed and informative. A definite must-see when in the San Diego area.

The Birch Aquarium is a fantastic part of San Diego and is a must see. The aquarium does a wonderful job of informing the public of local marine life and current concerns surrounding their habitats. The exhibits are unique with interactive educational displays.

Birch Aquarium is our favorite hang out place to take our 4 and 6 year old. Our oldest doesn't prefer crowds and this aquarium's intimate setting is perfect. The exhibit are fascinating and are at perfect heights for the kids to see. I love how interactive the staff is here.

There's a lot of parking. The place is clean. The staff seems nice. It's 4 stars because I think there should be more displays displays for the price of admission.

Eh. Was expecting more from a place right next to the ocean. Took us less than an hour to walk through and look away each exhibit.

Although not a large aquarium, its relationship with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography give it amazing resources for staging special exhibits and for sponsoring education programs for young folks and adults. Definitely check out their website for events and classes. Also, if visiting near the winter holidays be sure and check out the schedule for having your photo taken with a scuba diving Santa and elf in front of the fabulous kelp forest tank.

Took my 3 year old niece and we both loved it. Employees were very Happy nice and very helpful.

Text while the aquarium is small, It has some really unique underwater creatures that are fascinating to look at. Their oddities section is so amazing! The outdoor area is very fun with gorgeous views. Our family thoroughly enjoyed this aquarium.

Very fun aquarium, but I wish there were more staff to help educate.

Small aquarium, but well maintained. I was hoping for a bigger exhibit for the stingrays and sharks. That one was really just a giant tank. The tidepools were nice and had a great view. The gift shop had some really cool stuff.

A decent amount of exhibits with local and tropical fish. They also had a petting exhibit. But way overpriced. Not worth the $20 per person entry fee.

You can literally walk through the entire place in under an hour.

I'd like to see either more exhibits, something spectacular, or a significant reduction in price.

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.

Went here for my first date with my boyfriend. This is a great place for dates and just to hang with friends.

My 6 year old loves this place, not too big perfect size tour.

Awesome little aquarium! The exhibits are great and the giant tank is beautiful to look at. We have gone as a couple and also with our families' kids. Kids LOVE this aquarium. It's got tons of interesting creatures and enough activities to entertain but not exhaust. It's just the right size for little kids, we find it's not so big that they are pooped at the end. Gift shop is also great! We go to Birch aquarium every year while on vacation!

The place is a little disappointing and small. More than half of the aquarium is just pictures and educational props for climate change.

After all these years I finally made it ans wow! Not a big place but everything is done perfectly. This truly is a place for all ages.

The various tanks are the best I have ever seen and I have seen several salt water aquariums. Jellyfish collection is top notch. Amazing AMAZING AMAZING

It's a small place over the beach. Staff is helpful and friendly.

Aquarium was relatively underwhelming, especially given the price that was charged.

So much fun! Took the kids and bought a yearlong family membership as it was about the same price for all of us. Wonderful exhibitions and an amazing view on a sunny and clear day. Can't wait to go back :)

Very tiny aquarium. Maybe ok for small kids but hardly any exhibits that big kids or adults would enjoy. The only good thing about it costing $20 per adult ticket is that it goes to a good cause... at least that s my hope!

The aquarium is really amazing. It's the best aquarium I have visited so far and it's the perfect attraction for all ages. The facility is clean and staff are pleasant and informative.

Kind of a boring place even for kids. Not a whole lot to do the views are mediocre at best. Don't get me wrong okay to look around but it's not great. The only saving Grace is the sitting and viewing room.

Ok, if you have little ones but kinda boring otherwise. The aquarium is not that impressive. Not sure it's worth the price of admission.

Yes it s small compared to say, Monterey Aquarium but the tanks are well stocked. Lots of kiddies having fun. Very beautiful location. Got some great photos.

One of my favorite places in the San Diego area. I believe it's less than twenty a person to get in, but I also used my Triple A discount. They have different species of fish, but I'm not going to lie to you. I go for the Jellyfish the the seahorses and the newly on exhibit Cuddle fish. They also have a great show twice a week, that helps you to understand the habitat surrounding the Last Jolla area. And you get to see a guy feed massive fish and sharks throughout the show. An easy walk outside brings you to a stunning view of the ocean and the beach. Great place to spend an afternoon, kid friendly and affordable.

Such a great place to bring the kids and adults alike. We had a lot of fun watching and observing the sealife creatures in their habitat. I have never seen an octopus in an exhibit before until the Birch Aquarium. It was a real treat to see that guy in action. On top of all the indoor fun, there is an outdoor exhibit/activity that is a must see. It shows all types of energy- kinetic, water, wind, and solar power that the kids and adults use to "power" up some "machinery".
This place is educational and superfun!

This is a fantastic aquarium, with a great collection. Worth every penny!

Great place to take a photo and relax and enjoy the views! See if you can find these two images on site before my changes. Good luck

The Whale Festival is over rated and disappointing.

Awesome! Very nice, beautifully kept habits, large variety of species, very informative, clean, comfortable, and very enjoyable. If you are in the San Diego area I recommend visiting the Birch Aquarium.

Lots to see but smaller than most aquariums I've been to. Plenty of free parking and my favorite was the Sea Dragons. The view from outside deck is wonderful ! Great for kids !

Nice aquarium. Friendly staff. Very interesting information posted throughout the aquarium.

As far as aquariums go it's pretty small but it had a lot of information and interactive displays. The views from the balcony is probably the most amazing thing there next to the octopus.

Took the grand kids and had a great time , every time we have been there.

Had a great time here with my family. I've been here twice, the first time there were a lot of empty tanks. This time there was so much more to see. Lots of nice people helping out and overall a very nice place. The view from the back area is amazing! Lots of cool deep sea creatures in jars. The turtle was the best, so social and friendly looking. Definitely a cool place to check out with family and friends and I totally recommend this aquarium.

Love this aquarium! Educational exhibits (the seahorses are beautiful) and a beautiful view from the tide pools!

The Birch Aquarium will always be a favorite of mine. Don't waste your money on SeaWorld!

This was a great place to take our kids. Lots to learn and experience.

I took my son for his second birthday we had so much fun

This is a must see, and after a week in the San Diego area with our 3 kids, this is definitely in the top 5 of activities we ve done. The aquarium is well thought out and well presented for kids. Staff are super friendly!

Awesome aquarium and lots of knowledge to absorb. Impressive seahorse and leafy dragon exhibit.

Awesome Aquarium, I have been to many! But what they lack in size they make up for quality! Impressive displays! A must see! Just checked this one off my bucket list!

Its was a great experience..
Just wish there were more to it
... it was fun though

Wow, how did we not visit before. Arrive early to visit in the calm. Turn left and head straight to the huge wall in front of the seating area(20'x26'). To the left is the tortoise. Head to the kid's area to see sea dragons. Their shape mimics Reed's and kelp.

My two kids, ages 3 and 4 love this place. It is small for sure but the huge tank with the kelp and leopard sharks among lots of bug fish is cool. The tide pools you can touch the sea life us nice and my kids love the interactive section outside with the boats. The view of La Jolla and the Pacific Ocean is spectacular.

Excellent experience. Very kid friendly - touch tank, hands on exhibits, outdoor play area. Excellent display of the sealife - very active and easy to spot and clean tanks. Very helpful and informative volunteers. Easy to do in 2-3 hours or less. Lots of places to sit. Cafe was good food with healthy-ish food options.

Is a nice aquarium and should be visited if you like aquariums. Was smaller than I expected and slightly overpriced.

Almost nothing to it. Extremely crowded. If there was no one else there it would have taken about 15 mins to take everything in. One star is for the view.

Awesome day trip for the family. Fairly inexpensive too.

This is unique in a way to know more about marine life. On account of proximity to ocean lots of diversity is there..the original GFP jellyfish is awesome. The fluorescence emitting from those keeps your eye stuck. Ideal places for children to learn and maintain about marine ecosystem and marine diversity. The leafy snapdragons are also added feather to Birch aquarium. You can find so many different types of them. The volunteer are knowledgeable and demonstrate with live animals, you could even touch them. Parking are are generally sufficient enough to accommodate.
Moreover the magnificent Pacific view from the patio. You can easily spend couple of hours here.

It was awesome and they have one of the best exhibits of seahorses I've ever seen.

Great aquarium. Just the right size and great for families with kids. Being in the business you see how well they take care of the animals. Nothing is spared for the health and well being of the animals in their charge. I always appreciate how the Birch integrates education without you even realizing. Places like this will help awarness and species survival on the planet.
Thank you for your efforts.

Eh. It was for school purposes other than that I would not have gone out of my way to visit.

Wow, this place is amazing. The live dive show had a ton of kids, get their early but surprisingly they give you really interesting information kind of complex for little ones but great for all the adults in attendance. After all the kids really just want to see the fishys.

Aquarium in general was pleasant but ideal for someone with children. Wish there was more to see, especially since I was visiting from out of town. But I enjoyed the different species of sealife.

My boyfriend and i went and i couldn't get enough! We stayed 9 to 5 and even went back the next day to explore the two hallways with all the seahorses. Loved the room with all the bottled creatures. Never had better food than at the cafe. I felt like i was dining at a 5 star gourmet restaurant. Please go to birch i swear to god I'm going to become an ambassador for this place.

Lots of cool fish and much more. Shark exhibit is fairly small. Great views of the ocean.

Amazing aquarium with as many interesting exhibits as the New England aquarium in 1/4th the space. Can be done in less than an hour if you can beat the hordes of small children.

Awesome inexpensive filler activity for children and adults. With the bioactive enclosures, and educational posters, it makes it fun wether you want to just see the sea life, or learn about them too.

Great little aquarium with cool interactive tide pool

All the exhibits that we saw where very clean, inside and out. All employees giving talks were well spoken and easy to hear.
Parking lot was mostly full when we arrived but still parked pretty quick.
Admittance was 20 for adults 15 for kids over two. If you can find brochures, it's $3 off per person. Either way, I thought it was appropriate for what you get.

Too expensive for what is offered. 3 rooms with aquariums but completely over run with kids to look at anything. Half of the fish of laying still on the bottom of their tanks due to improper care. Overall very disappointing.

Good for kids. We spent 3 hours here just staring at the most colorful fishes that I've seen. Worth going once.

Great way to spend two hours. Kids really love seeing all the different fish. Staff are very friendly and a wealth of knowledge. Tuesdays Thursdays and Saturdays around 1030 they feed the sharks.