Seattle Aquarium
About
What It Is
The Seattle Aquarium is a public aquarium situated on Piers 59 and 60 along the Elliott Bay waterfront in Seattle, Washington [3]. It opened on May 20, 1977, and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) [3]. Managed since 2010 by the nonprofit Seattle Aquarium Society under a long-term operating agreement with the City of Seattle, the institution draws over 800,000 visitors annually, including approximately 50,000 students, and centers its work on marine conservation education and research [3]. A major expansion, the Ocean Pavilion, opened on August 29, 2024, bringing the campus to three buildings [3].
Activities & Experiences
Visitors can explore exhibits across three buildings covering both Pacific Northwest and Indo-Pacific marine environments [3]. At Pier 59, highlights include the 120,000-gallon Window on Washington Waters tank featuring native salmon, rockfish, and sea anemones, with dive shows held several times daily where divers converse with guests through special masks [3]. The Life on the Edge touch tank lets visitors handle live sea stars, urchins, and sea cucumbers, while the Crashing Waves exhibit replicates Washington intertidal zones in a 40-foot wave tank [3]. The Ring of Life surrounds visitors with moon jellies in a 12-foot glass enclosure, and a Giant Pacific Octopus is viewable from all angles in a circular tank [3].
The Ocean Pavilion introduces a Coral Triangle reef ecosystem with over 5,000 animals and plants, including sharks, rays, bowmouth guitarfish, and more than 40 coral species [2]. The Reef is the pavilion's largest habitat, a multi-story underwater canyon viewable from above, across, and below, with daily animal care talks and hands-on activity stations [2]. The Archipelago exhibit presents a two-level mangrove and coral reef environment, while the One Ocean Hall uses 360-degree video and interactive displays to explore marine ecosystems worldwide [2]. Younger visitors can crawl through the Coral Reef Encounter for close-up encounters with reef reproductions and digital species [2]. Behind-the-scenes tours of The Reef are also available [1].
Practical Access
Regular hours are 9:30 am to 6:00 pm, with last entry at 5:00 pm [1]. The aquarium is located on the Seattle waterfront and is accessible by transit; transit access information is listed on the aquarium's website [1]. Tickets cover the entire campus including the Ocean Pavilion, and aquarium members receive unlimited free access to all campus buildings [2]. Community Days and a Connections Program are offered for broader community access [1].
Restrictions
An After Hours Code of Conduct applies to evening events such as the Halloween After Hours event held on October 29 from 7 to 10 pm [1]. No other specific restrictions are noted in the sources.
What Makes It Distinctive
The Seattle Aquarium is the only AZA-accredited public aquarium in Washington State and one of the few in the Pacific Northwest to combine local Puget Sound ecosystems with a dedicated Indo-Pacific Coral Triangle pavilion on a single waterfront campus [3]. The Ocean Pavilion, opened in 2024, is built around a 325,000-gallon shark and ray tank and is LEED gold certified, recirculating 96% of its saltwater through a heat exchanger and heat pump system [3]. The building's exterior uses yellow cedar designed to evoke driftwood, and features artwork by Lummi artist Dan Friday [3]. The aquarium also participates in active species recovery programs, including efforts to restore pinto abalone in Puget Sound and Indo-Pacific leopard sharks through the global ReShark coalition of 70-plus partners [1].
Sources
- Seattle Aquarium | Inspiring Conservation of our Marine Environment
- Seattle Aquarium’s Ocean Pavilion—Now open! - Seattle Aquarium
- Seattle Aquarium
- Open year-round
- Typical duration: 3h
- Hours: Mo-Su 09:00-18:00
Access & fees
- paid admission
- ticketed; members free
Things to do
- animal encounters
- aquarium viewing
- beach naturalist program
- behind-the-scenes tour
- cedar river salmon journey
- conservation learning
- educational programs
- family activities
- interactive exhibits
- lightning talks presentations
- live diver presentations
- marine summer camp
- marine wildlife
- photography
- toddler time program
- touch pools
- touch tank experience
Amenities
- accessibility services
- event hosting available
- live animal webcams
- on-site café and gift store
Events & seasons
- after hours: octopus's beer garden
- cedar river salmon journey
- lightning talks
Features
- 120,000-gallon washington waters tank
- 325,000-gallon shark tank
- 96% saltwater recirculation
- aza-accredited aquarium
- coral triangle ecosystem
- leed gold certified building
- ocean pavilion expansion
- ocean pavilion opened 2024
- three-building campus
Nearby
- pike place market
- waterfront park
Good to know
- nonprofit-managed since 2010
- opens 9:30 am daily
Photos
