Birch Aquarium reopens

LA JOLLA—Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego reopened to the public on Sept. 15. The aquarium closed on March 12 due to Covid-19, and reopened briefly in July before being forced to shut down again.

Guest capacity is being limited and advanced reservations are required for all guests, including members. Timed tickets can be reserved online at aquarium.ucsd.edu/visit/buy-tickets.

“We are confident that we have created a safe and healthy environment for our guests as well as our staff and we look forward to reopening Birch Aquarium and welcoming back our members and guests,” Executive Director Harry Helling said in a released statement.

In addition to requiring face coverings for all staff and guests ages 2 and up, Birch Aquarium has implemented safety screenings for guests; created a one-way pathway to encourage social distancing; increased the number of hand washing and sanitizing stations; and upgraded its HVAC system. As an added safety measure, Birch Aquarium staff will also be completing daily symptom screenings, as well as frequent COVID-19 testing.

During this initial reopening phase, activities where large numbers of people typically gather, such as dive shows and feedings, have been cancelled. High-touch exhibit elements such as the water tables, playground and touch screens have also been removed, though many exhibits have newly-integrated QR codes to allow guests to engage in new ways from the safety of their cell phones.

In October, Birch Aquarium is planning to launch an outdoor Halloween-themed celebration that will continue even if the indoor areas of the aquarium have to close to meet state and local COVID-19 guidelines. Details of the Halloween celebration will be announced soon.

“With the Halloween celebration, we are working to create a fun and engaging seasonal ‘outdoor aquarium’ experience that will allow us to serve our community, even if our indoor spaces have to close,” said Helling.