Visitors to Birch Aquarium in La Jolla are in for an extra treat as the popular video game Animal Crossing makes a stop there during a nationwide tour.

The aquarium at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography is one of several sites participating in the “Animal Crossing: New Horizons Tour,” based on the Nintendo game in which a player assumes the role of a human character who moves into a rural village populated by animals with human characteristics. Game play is open-ended, including activities such as collecting and making items, planting, catching insects and fishing.

Other stops on the U.S. tour include Orlando, Fla.; San Antonio; Tempe, Ariz.; Charlotte, N.C.; Kansas City, Mo., and more.

Birch will host the tour Monday, Feb. 16, through Thursday, March 26, featuring life-size cutouts of characters from the game, plus themed activities, game-inspired merchandise, photo opportunities and more.

Signs with one character from the game, Blathers, will offer creature descriptions throughout the Living Seas exhibit with information from Animal Crossing.

Allyson Gobler, Birch Aquarium’s chief guest experience and business development officer, said the venue’s relationship with Nintendo began after the first “Animal Crossing: New Horizons Tour,” which ran in 2024-25.

Birch was not on the first tour and inquired about the possibility of being part of a second run.

“We’re thrilled they said yes and have been working with them to make this a reality,” Gobler said. “It is a wonderful opportunity to provide our guests with a fun new way to experience Birch Aquarium while learning more about our mission to connect understanding to protecting our ocean planet.”

Before Animal Crossing arrives, Birch staff has been brushing up on the game, Gobler said.

“Many of our staff have played the game, but some of us are learning for the first time, so it’s been a fun experience,” she said. “We’re planning out our Stamp Rally weekends, getting the onsite signage ready and working to make sure the experience is fun and interactive for all of our guests.”

The Stamp Rally weekends, in which guests can collect themed stamps by locating certain characters, will be  Saturdays and Sundays, Feb. 21-22 and March 7-8.

The weekend of Friday through Sunday, March 13-15, will include a live meet-and-greet with characters including Isabelle, Tom Nook and K.K. Slider.

Animal Crossing activities are included with general admission to Birch Aquarium. For tickets and more information, visit aquarium.ucsd.edu. ♦