Visit the Marine Vertebrate Collection
Visit the Marine Vertebrate Collection
The Marine Vertebrate Collection at Scripps Institution of Oceanography houses one of the most comprehensive assemblages of marine fishes in the world. With over two million specimens representing global marine diversity, the collection supports research in taxonomy, systematics, genomics, and conservation. While not open to the general public on a daily basis, researchers, students, and educational groups are welcome to arrange visits in advance.
Visitation Policy
Researchers are encouraged to examine specimens onsite at Scripps. Visitors should contact Collection staff in advance to make arrangements before their visit. We particularly recommend an in-person visit for those intending to study large numbers of specimens or rare material.
We also offer pre-arranged collection tours for educational or outreach groups, including schools, universities, aquarium clubs, and lifelong learning programs. Due to space and staffing limitations, tours are limited to groups of 20 or fewer and must be scheduled in advance.
Please note that the Collection does not currently have a public exhibit space on site. However, selected specimens from the Collection can be viewed at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps.
To arrange a tour or research visit, please contact Ben Frable, Collection Manager, at least two weeks before your desired date.
Email: bfrable@ucsd.edu
Directions to the Scripps Fish Collection
We are located in Vaughan Hall, Room 224, at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. Vaughan Hall is a large, cinderblock building set back from the beach in the central part of the Scripps campus. The Collection is on the second floor, in the southeast corner of the building.
Most exterior doors remain locked, so please enter through the ground-floor doors to the left of the lecture hall, then proceed upstairs to the second floor.
If using Google Maps, search for “Vaughan Hall” or “Scripps Institution of Oceanography.”
From the North: Take I-5 to the La Jolla Village Drive West exit. Continue straight, then turn left onto La Jolla Shores Drive and follow it to Scripps.
From the South: Take I-5 to La Jolla Parkway West, then turn right onto La Jolla Shores Drive and continue north until you reach Scripps.
Parking:
There is a 20-minute loading zone behind Vaughan Hall for drop-offs and pick-ups. Longer-term parking is limited, but unregulated all-day parking can usually be found in the neighborhood south of Scripps. The uphill side of La Jolla Shores Drive (next to SIO) also allows all-day parking, while the downhill side is limited to one hour.
Public Transit:
Take the MTS Route 30 Bus and get off at the “Scripps Institute” stop.