ATHLEISURE MAG #66 JUN 2021 | Athleisure List: Birch Aquarium

We caught up with Beth Chee Marketing Director of Birch Aquarium Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Birch Aquarium is not only a place to see aquatic life and ocean views, but it shares the excitement of cutting-edge, world-class scietific discovery.

The Hall of Fishes features more than 60 habitats where guests can get up close to amazing ocean creatures including Leopard Sharks, eels, jellies, a Giant Pacific Octopus, and our rescued Loggerhead Sea Turtle. Don’t miss the two-story Giant Kelp Forest, or the sea babies in our nursery — from Garibaldi to baby sharks and seahorse.

Their newest exhibit is a 600-gallon cylindrical Moon Jelly experience in the Hall of Fishes and is unique in how it curves out into the walkway, where even the littlest guest can go face-toface with these stunning creatures.

Jellies are not the strongest swimmers and are technically a type of plankton, which means they go with the flow, rather than against it! They rely on ocean currents in order to swim around, which is where the cyclindrical shape comes from — It's specifically designed with these planktonic drifters in mind! The round shape of the experience, along with the water flow, creates a current that helps the jellies drift!

Guests can also enjoy additional exhibits such as Seadragons & Seahorses, where they learn about these charismatic creatures and get a peek into the work that the Husbandry Team is doing to ensure their survival and the MPA Touch Pools on Tide Pool Plaza, where guests can get hands-on with tidepool creatures including juvenile sharks, sea anemones, sea cucumbers, and other local species — all while learning about the areas' local Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

In the fall, the Moon Jellies will be replaced by iridescent ctenophore jellies, in a celebration of living light.

The safety of their staff, guests and volunteers are a high priority. They are continuing to require masks indoors and out. They are currently limited to a capacity of 50 percent and require advanced reservations for a specific date and time, to minimize crowding.

There is currently no re-entry, but you are able to stay in the aquarium as long as you would like. There are two designated eating areas, where masks may be removed, and you are welcome to bring your own food, or to purchase from Splash Café by the French Gourmet. If you can't make it in person, there are a number of virtual activities including the Kelp Cam and Seadragon Cam to name a few.

BIRCH AQUARIUM

2300 Expedition Way

La Jolla, CA 92037

aquarium.ucsd.edu

IG @BirchAquarium

PHOTOS COURTESY | Birch Aquarium