Schedule an Event
Visit Scripps through SCOPE
Click the "Schedule an Event" button below to request both in-person tours virtual chats with Scripps scientists. A list of the tours we are currently offering can be found at the bottom of this page.
If your group will be visiting from a Title 1 school or your class is STEM-related (e.g., biology class, chemistry class, etc.), you may qualify for our SCOPE Scholarship! This award is available thanks to a generous donor, and can be used to cover transportation fees, substitute teacher fees, and any other costs associated with visiting Scripps Institution of Oceanography through SCOPE. Apply for the scholarship by clicking on the link below.
Before scheduling an event please check that the dates you are asking for are available on the calendar above. We have limited volunteers and are often booked at capacity months in advance. Please plan accordingly.
Tours Currently Offered:
Tour of the Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier:
This is our most popular tour. Visitors will learn about the history of Scripps including uses of the pier over time and the importance of having a pier to conduct research. Depending on the expertise of the tour guide and requests of the visiting group, the focus might be biology, geology, chemistry, or physics of the oceans.
Suggested age range: 3rd grade and up
Tour of the Scripps Oceanographic Collections at UC San Diego:
Participants will get the opportunity to tour one of the four world-renowned oceanographic collections housed here at Scripps. Learn directly from the managers of these collections about why and how scientists keep collections, and see some of our coolest specimen! Tight spaces and valuable samples make this tour better suited for older groups.
Suggested age range: 7th grade and up
Tour of the local beach geology:
Participants will get their feet and ankles sandy (and maybe wet) while learning about the principles of erosion. This is a fun tour for all ages, including elementary students.
Suggested age range: 3rd grade and up
Meet & Greet:
Participants will meet with a graduate student or Scripps researcher to get a more in depth look about their path to science and their research through Q&A or a "show and tell" style activity. This will take place at an outdoor location on the scenic Scripps campus.
Suggested age range: 3rd grade and up
Tours Not Currently Offered:
These tours are not currently offered due to the COVID 19 pandemic.
Tour of the Hubbs Research Aquarium for native San Diego animals:
This is our second most popular tour. Visitors explore a true research aquarium, which houses organisms and a wide variety of tanks and equipment that are primarily for experimental purposes. The tour concludes with an interactive touch tank containing a variety of local native tidepool animals.
We no longer offer this tour.
Off-campus events:
SCOPE can provide speakers for off-campus events. However, we have very limited availability for off campus events due to the limitations of our volunteer pools. At this time, SCOPE does not have “booth activities” for science fairs.