Step Into The Axolotl’s Garden at Birch Aquarium This Halloween
Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego has been building something for a while, and on October 21 you get to walk through it. The Axolotl’s Garden opens that day, and it’s included with general admission.
Two Habitats Built for an Endangered Amphibian
The exhibition, presented by The Lodge at Torrey Pines, centers on two axolotl habitats. Around them sit other Mexican species you rarely see in a San Diego gallery: Tequila Splitfins, Blind Cave Tetras, and more.
Each animal comes with its own story of survival and adaptation, which is the thread running through the whole space. The axolotl is endangered, and the exhibition does not shy away from what that means in a changing world.
Mythology, Folklore, and a Living Story-World
Artist Itzel Islas collaborated on the build. Rather than a straight science display, The Axolotl’s Garden at Birch Aquarium at Scripps builds on the mythology and folklore that have grown up around these amphibians over centuries.
The result is a living story-world drawn from the ecological and cultural richness of Mexico and Baja California. Go slowly. There is more to read here than the average aquarium tank.
Ofrendas on October 27 and a Play Next Spring
The opening starts six months of axolotl-inspired programming. Artist Maricruz Alvarado is building two ofrendas for the October 27 Día de los Muertos tradition that honors animals: one for pets the community has lost, and one for imperiled species like the Vaquita and the axolotl.
The series closes next spring with a new theatrical work by Iyari Arteaga, linking axolotl stories between San Diego and Mexico City’s Lake Xochimilco.
The Fastest Way to See it First
Three Halloween nights follow right behind the opening, and each one includes the new exhibition. Oceans at Night: Halloween is adults only on Thursday, October 22 from 6:30 to 9:30 PM, with games, drinks, and live music after dark.
Halloween Aglow runs Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24 from 6 to 8:30 PM for families, with trick-or-treating, the Boo and Goo slime lab, and divers carving pumpkins underwater.
See you there!
An endangered amphibian, an artist-built story-world, and six months of programming behind it. The Axolotl’s Garden brings this imaginative new experience to life.
📆 Opens Wednesday, October 21
📍 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla
ℹ️ Dive into more details here
See you there, San Diego!
