San Diego has another reason to be proud of its beloved aquarium! Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego has been honored with a Significant Achievement in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ 2026 Marketing Excellence Award, announced on October 7, 2026.
The award celebrates the aquarium’s brilliant campaign for the Adam R. Scripps Living Seas Gallery, which opened in May 2025. Out of 96 applicants across all award categories, Birch Aquarium’s team stood out with a visually striking campaign built around the playful themes “Where Curiosity Comes to Life,” “Where Wonder Comes to Life” and “Where Weird Comes to Life.”
The creative storytelling and strategic partnerships paid off in a big way: the campaign generated extraordinary community excitement and helped drive record-breaking attendance and revenue, making Living Seas the most successful exhibit launch in the aquarium’s history.
The winners were announced at the AZA Honors and Awards Lunch on September 30, 2026, during the association’s Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon. “This award recognizes the best of the best in the global aquarium and zoo community… and is something locals can be proud of,” said Dan Ashe, president and CEO of AZA. Executive Director Harry Helling praised the small-but-mighty marketing team — Alex Feltes, Beth Downing Chee, Joanna Volavka and Jordann Tomasek — for competing alongside organizations with far larger teams and resources.
Founded in 1924, AZA is a nonprofit organization that accredits 255 of the top zoos and aquariums in 12 countries. Birch Aquarium, perched above the Pacific in La Jolla, opens daily at 9 a.m. and invites everyone to come experience the wonder for themselves. Happy City News celebrates this well-deserved recognition!
Photo: Beyond My Ken, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
