Squid, Octopus, And Cuttlefish, Oh My!

Sometimes weird, always wonderful, and highly intelligent, octopus — and their cousins squid, nautilus, and cuttlefish — are the stars of Cephalopod Celebration at the awesome Birch Aquarium at Scripps.

During Cephalopod Celebration, guests will learn how these amazing creatures have shaped the oceans we know and love today. The event includes hands-on activities, a scavenger hunt, crafts, and encounters with live and preserved creatures, as well as readings by guest authors.

And for the first time ever, Birch Aquarium is offering a Behind-The-Scenes Octopus Encounter where guests will have the opportunity to engage with the aquarium’s charismatic Giant Pacific Octopus. Each one-hour encounter is limited to six guests and includes personal interaction with members of the aquarium’s Education and Husbandry teams as well as with the Giant Pacific Octopus.

Scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography will display rare cephalopod specimens from the Scripps Oceanographic Collections, and cephalopod scientists will be ready to answer questions about their multi-armed and tentacled subjects.

Henry Herz, children’s fantasy and science fiction author, will present an interactive story time with his break-out hit Little Red Cuttlefish and upcoming release How The Squid Got Two Long Arms. Herz will hold storytime at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Saturday October 20 and will also be available for signings.

Bestselling author and PhD Danna Staaf rounds out the celebration with a Monday evening lecture and signing. Her popular book, Squid Empire, is an epic cephalopod adventure spanning hundreds of millions of years, from the marine life of the primordial ocean to the calamari on tonight’s menu.

Books by both authors are available in the Birch Aquarium Gift Shop.

See you there!