In what seems to be a creative coup for art and science enthusiasts, Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography has teamed up with the Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA) for a membership trade-off to celebrate PST ART exhibitions this coming November. According to the UC San Diego announcement, members from both establishments will enjoy free access to the other's facilities, in a nod to the intersection of art, science, and environmental consciousness.

This November, OMA members will be waved through the doors of Birch Aquarium, while members of the latter can freely stroll into OMA. Both institutions are part of the Pacific Standard Time (PST) initiative, which, for this iteration, focuses on "Art and Science Collide." Each venue takes a distinct angle on the theme, with OMA presenting "Transformative Currents: Art and Action in the Pacific Ocean" and Birch Aquarium showcasing "Embodied Pacific: Ocean Unseen." The exhibitions offer poignant reflections on human and environmental connections.

The "Embodied Pacific: Ocean Unseen" exhibition at Birch Aquarium prompts visitors to dive into a sea of creativity where ocean science, technology, and Indigenous knowledge coalesce through artistic expression. The exhibition displays the works of 18 contemporary artists who interpret the profound unseen dynamics of the Pacific's depths. It's part of a larger collaboration with UC San Diego Visual Arts aimed at broadening how we perceive marine science and technology.

At OMA, however, the focus shifts to "Transformative Currents: Art and Action in the Pacific Ocean," with an artistic lens on the cultural and environmental challenges besetting the Pacific. This exhibition engages with works from 21 international artists, using mediums as varied as video and sculpture to draw visitors into a narrative of ecological advocacy – one personified by ocean currents symbolizing a world interconnected and interdependent.