Living Seas exhibit opens May 22 at Birch Aquarium!

New exhibit highlights Pacific ecosystems, conservation efforts, and DeepSea’s ongoing support of ocean research

May 21st, 2025

DeepSea Power & Light is excited about the grand opening of the Living Seas exhibit at Birch Aquarium on May 22nd! This reimagined gallery is a fresh reminder of how ocean science, storytelling, and design can come together to educate and inspire.

Birch Aquarium is the public outreach center for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, a global leader in ocean research and discovery. It’s also home to more than 6,000 animals representing 380 species. Just like them, we’re committed to understanding and protecting our marine world.

The Adam R. Scripps Living Seas Gallery invites visitors to experience a dynamic range of Pacific ecosystems.

Each habitat is designed to immerse and inform:

Pacific Northwest – Cold, high-energy waters host a Giant Pacific Octopus in an immersive grotto, plus a vibrant collection of jellies. The exhibit also highlights work to restore the critically endangered Sunflower Sea Star.

Coastal California – Explore a Giant Kelp Forest, an Open Ocean habitat filled with swirling sardines, and a model of marine life beneath Scripps Pier—spotlighting the link between ocean and land.

Tropical Pacific – A bright coral reef brimming with reef fish, clams, and hard corals leads into a mangrove habitat featuring Archerfish, Epaulette Sharks, and Skinks. These habitats illustrate ongoing coral propagation and ecosystem conservation efforts.

DeepSea is proud to have a history with an institution like Scripps—supporting research through equipment donations like our HD Multi SeaCam. You can even see it in action on the Scripps Pier underwater camera, streaming live in HD: https://coollab.ucsd.edu/pierviz/

Learn more about the Living Seas exhibit here: https://aquarium.ucsd.edu/exhibits/living-seas