The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s 200-plus exhibits of living ocean animals inspire awe among its 2 million annual visitors. Offering incomparable views into the rich marine habitats of Monterey Bay, the nonprofit public institution fulfills its mission to inspire ocean conservation in parallel with being one of California’s top tourist attractions. Entertainment – by playful sea otters, mesmerizing jellies, circling sharks and more marine marvels – goes hand-in-hand with education about the ocean environment and the threats it faces. The aquarium also stands out as a destination that’s genuinely enjoyable for all ages.
What Makes the Monterey Bay Aquarium Special?
Among a long litany of awards and honors throughout its 40-year history, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has been called the “Best Aquarium in the World” by TripAdvisor, the “Best in the West” by Travel Channel, and No. 3 of the “20 Best Places to Take the Kids” by Parenting magazine. It has also received prestigious awards for conservation, architecture and its Seafood Watch program.
When the Monterey Bay Aquarium opened in 1984, it was the largest public aquarium in the United States. Within the first decade it became the most-attended aquarium in the nation. The aquarium’s state-of-the art facilities and its conservation and breeding programs have been revolutionary, all to the benefit of visitors as well as ocean environments. It is the first and only aquarium in the world to build a living kelp forest exhibit, successfully exhibit and release great white sharks, and use a surrogacy program to reintroduce southern sea otter pups into the wild.
Also notable is the aquarium’s dedication to showcasing the local habitats and species of Monterey Bay, one of the richest marine environments on Earth. Housed in the former Hovden sardine cannery on Cannery Row, the aquarium is a bridge between the history of Monterey’s formative fishing industry and today’s focus on conservation. Around half the aquarium’s structure is over the water, and its major exhibits depend upon cycles of filtered and unfiltered seawater directly from the bay.
Visitors have access to expansive decks overlooking the bay, blurring the lines between viewing aquarium exhibits and spotting local marine and bird life in its glorious natural environment. Adjacent to the aquarium is the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The largest protected ocean area in the continental US, the sanctuary covers 6,094 square miles and 276 miles of California shoreline. Its kelp forests, coastal wetlands, tide pools and deep submarine canyon host over 34 species of marine mammals, 180 species of seabirds and 525 species of fishes. Visitors have a decent chance of spotting some of the most impressive of these species, such as sea otters and migrating whales, from the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s decks and viewing platforms.
Highlights of the Monterey Bay Aquarium
The Monterey Bay Aquarium presents over 200 exhibits featuring more than 35,000 animals and 550 species. This sounds like an overwhelming amount of sea life to see. But, the lofty and light-filled facility spans two wings and two stories plus a third-floor observation deck, and is easy to navigate in its entirety.
For a thorough visitor experience, which should include watching some of the regularly scheduled feedings and auditorium programs, spend a minimum of half a day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. There’s a large cafe on site and plenty of seating areas, plus a gift shop to browse before you leave. For the briefest visit, allow at least 2 to 3 hours and focus on the following highlights.
Kelp Forest
The Kelp Forest in the Ocean’s Edge wing is the signature exhibit of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. At 320,000 gallons, 65 feet long and 28 feet high – almost three stories – it’s one of the tallest aquarium exhibits in the world. It was also the world’s first successful living kelp forest in an artificial setting.
Swimming among the fast-growing tangles of giant kelp are aquatic species found offshore in Monterey, such as goofy-looking California sheephead, giant sea bass, bright orange Garibaldi and wolf-eels. Spot swell sharks and leopard sharks silently orbiting over static sea stars, and look up or down for silvery schooling anchovies.
Check the feeding program schedule and head to the Kelp Forest to watch a volunteer scuba diver feed the diverse species in this exhibit.
Sea Otters
Adorable sea otters are the stars of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and a key focus of its conservation efforts. The only marine mammals on exhibit at the aquarium, the resident southern sea otters are all non-releasable rescued females from local habitats. Part of a groundbreaking program, these marine marvels are surrogate mothers to orphaned pups, teaching them the skills they need to be returned to the wild. The endangered subspecies spans the central California coast from San Mateo to Santa Barbara counties.
See the sea otters swim, eat, frolic and play in one of the aquarium’s most popular exhibits. Watch displays of slinky underwater prowess from the first floor. Then, head to the second-floor viewing platform for a closer view of the sea otters at the surface, where their fur (the densest in the world) instantly fluffs up for prime cuteness.
Open Sea Exhibit
The largest tank at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, 80 feet long, 35 feet deep and holding 1.2 million gallons, is the Open Sea exhibit. With darkened surroundings and uninterrupted views of Open Sea inhabitants, it feels like you’re immersed in a timeless, otherworldly realm. Slow your pace and spend some time watching the slow-motion appearances of massive green sea turtles, hammerhead sharks, pelagic stingrays and ocean sunfishes. Catch fleeting glimpses of faster fish like bluefin and yellow tunas, mackerel and mahi-mahi. Thousands of schooling sardines put on a sparkling show for those peering into the exhibit’s lower depths.
Next door to the Open Sea is the tufted puffin habitat, one of the aquarium’s most playful displays. Tufted puffins are known as the “parrot of the sea” for their intelligence and energy, and they’re at home both in the water and on land. See the puffins being hand-fed and swimming, diving and foraging for more fish tossed into their pool.
Giant Pacific Octopus
Probably the smartest creature on display at the Monterey Bay Aquarium is the giant Pacific octopus. The largest octopus species, this master of disguise can solve a maze and recognize the aquarists who care for it. The octopus is a solitary creature, but don’t let that stop you from paying a visit to its first-floor exhibit to admire the eight-legged wonder.
Touch Pools
There are several touch pools at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and they’re as popular with adults as they are curious kids. On the first floor, find the bat ray touch pool and the rocky shore touch pool with tactile barnacles and seaweeds. Find additional touch pools in the Splash Zone on the second floor.
Aviary
The aviary showcases local shorebird species in a sun-drenched habitat with a full wall of windows looking out to the bay. See long-legged, pencil-beaked species including the black oystercatcher and western snowy plover, along with their geometric footprints all over the sand. Next to the shorebird habitat are the shallow waters of a bat ray nursery.
African Penguins
The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s penguin colony is a top attraction, found in the kid-focused Splash Zone on the second floor. These are endangered African penguins, a small species that inhabits the rocky shorelines of South Africa – with a similar climate and cold ocean conditions to California. The penguins all have tags with their names and reveal their personalities as they preen each other, waddle and swim.
Into the Deep
The aquarium’s newest exhibit, which opened in April 2022 after a decade of research, is Into the Deep. It features the largest collection of deep-sea animals in North America, remarkable and curious creatures of the abyss like isopods, jellies, and anemones. They have names like bone-eating worm and bloody-belly comb jelly, transparent bodies revealing internal biology, and the power to emit pulsating light patterns. This exhibit is truly mesmerizing!
Feedings, Tours and Programs
Regularly scheduled feedings, tours and enrichment programs augment the entertainment provided by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s inhabitants. When you arrive, check the day’s schedule for feeding programs for the sea otters, Albatross Encounter, Kelp Forest, Open Sea and seabirds. Along with watching the animals feast, you’ll hear interesting presentations about the species on display.
The aquarium’s auditorium programs combine short films on the big screen with a live presentation by an expert naturalist, plus Q&A opportunities at the end. Various 15-minute programs show throughout the day, including “Luna: A Sea Otter’s Journey,” “Journey to Baja” and “Living Light: Bioluminescence.” Along with a great show, the auditorium’s comfy seats let you take a nice break from walking around the aquarium.
The Great Tide Pool programs, presented outdoors overlooking the water, teach visitors about the human history of Monterey Bay. Hear about the Ohlone and other Native communities that fished the waters in handcrafted tule reed boats, and how 19th-century Chinese immigrant communities fished for squid at night due to racial exclusion from daytime fishing. There are examples of historic boats on display nearby: a tule boat (kónon) created for the aquarium by Ohlone scholar Linda Yamane, and a sampan, a small Chinese fishing boat with its lantern for luring squid after dark.
Visitors can upgrade their tickets to include a guided walking tour. Three tour options are available (some with age restrictions): All About the Animals, Aquarium Past and Present, and Family Adventures in Animal Care.
Monterey Bay Aquarium Tips
- Buy tickets online in advance so you can enter immediately upon arrival. The aquarium gets very busy on weekends and holidays, with long lines to buy tickets at the entrance.
- The seasonal (Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day) MST trolley connects the aquarium with downtown, Fisherman’s Wharf and Cannery Row.
- Do your kids want to learn more about marine life after leaving the aquarium? Enroll in one of the free online courses presented by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, designed for pre-K to 12th graders. Crafts and printables are available as well.
- Don’t miss the panoramic views across the bay from the third-floor observation deck and kelp forest overlook.
- The Monterey Bay Aquarium presents 10 different live cams, so you can watch your favorite ocean creatures from home.
You might also like to read: “These 16 Live Webcam Feeds Bring California’s Most Awesome Birds to Your Screen”
The Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Museums for All Program
As of May 27, 2024, Monterey Bay Aquarium joined the Museums for All program to provide free admission to anyone receiving federal food assistance benefits through SNAP/CalFresh. Present your EBT card and photo i.d. to receive free entry for up to four people.
Details
Monterey Bay Aquarium
886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 648-4800
