Animal Crossing Aquarium Tour Comes to Birch Aquarium
Birch Aquarium at Scripps is hosting a stop on this year’s Animal Crossing Aquarium Tour in partnership with Nintendo of America, and if you’ve spent any time playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons, this is going to feel like stepping into the game.
The aquarium experience gets an Animal Crossing twist, complete with themed activities, character meet-and-greets, and the chance to see real-life versions of creatures you’ve been catching in-game.
Animal Crossing Activities Throughout the Aquarium
During the tour, you’ll find Animal Crossing: New Horizons-themed activities throughout Birch Aquarium, including photo opportunities featuring characters from the game.
Familiar character standees are placed around the exhibits, and special signage features Blathers giving creature descriptions with information pulled straight from the game. The Gift Shop will stock themed merchandise, so you can bring a piece of the experience home with you.
Stamp Rally Weekends and Character Meet-and-Greets
The aquarium is hosting two stamp rally weekends where you can collect themed stamps on a card by locating character standees throughout the space. Even better, there’s an Animal Crossing: New Horizons Meet-and-Greet Weekend where you can actually meet Isabelle, Tom Nook, or K.K. Slider in person.
The meet-and-greets run from noon to 4 PM, giving you a solid window to swing by and get a photo with your favorite characters.
Why This Collaboration Works
Allyson Collins Gobler, Chief Guest Experience and Business Development Officer, points out that many of the creatures featured in Animal Crossing: New Horizons can be found right at Birch Aquarium.
The hope is that you will not only have fun seeing their real-life counterparts but will also learn about the important conservation work being done to protect them.
It’s a smart way to bridge the gap between gaming and real-world ocean conservation, especially for younger visitors who might be more familiar with the virtual versions of these animals.
Included With General Admission
All Animal Crossing Aquarium Tour activities are included with general admission, which makes this a pretty solid value if you were already planning to visit Birch Aquarium.
The aquarium opens daily at 9 AM with closing hours varying by day. You can purchase tickets online in advance for the best pricing or grab an annual membership if you want to visit throughout the year.
See you there!
Birch Aquarium keeps finding creative ways to make ocean conservation engaging, and this Animal Crossing collaboration is one of those partnerships that makes sense for both sides.
📆 February 16 – March 26, 2026
📍 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla
🎟️ Get your tickets here
ℹ️ More info here
See you there, San Diego!
