This beautiful facility is both an aquarium and a museum, operated as the interpretive arm of the world-famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography. To make the most of the experience, be sure to pick up a visitor guide from the information booth just inside the entrance, and take time to read the text on each of the exhibits. The aquarium affords close-up views of the Pacific Northwest, the California coast, Mexico's Sea of Cortez, and the tropical seas, all presented in 33 marine-life tanks. The giant kelp forest is particularly impressive; keep an eye out for a tiger shark or an eel swimming through. Be sure to check out the fanciful white anemones and the ethereal moon jellies, which look like parachutes. The sea horse propagation program here has met with excellent results--nine different species of sea horse are on display here. The rooftop demonstration tide pool not only shows visitors marine coastal life but also offers an amazing view of Scripps Pier, La Jolla Shores Beach, the village of La Jolla, and the ocean. Free tidepool talks are offered on weekends, which is also when the aquarium is most crowded, and off-site adventures are conducted year-round (call for more details).

The museum section has numerous interpretive exhibits on current and historic research at the Scripps Institution, which was established in 1903 and became part of the University of California system in 1912. You'll learn what fog is and why salt melts snow; the number of supermarket products with ingredients that come from the sea (including toothpaste and ice cream) might surprise you; and you can feel what an earthquake is like and experience a 12-minute simulated submarine ride. The bookstore is well stocked with textbooks, science books, educational toys, gifts, and T-shirts.