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Enter via Pier 59 or the Ocean Pavilion on Pier 60 with your timed ticket. Staff scan you in, then you follow an easy, self-guided route through connected buildings. Most visitors spend around 1.5–2 hours exploring the exhibits.
Start in Pier 59 with the Window on Washington Waters, a towering 120,000-gallon kelp forest tank filled with local rockfish and salmon. Nearby, watch the Giant Pacific octopus and stroll through the jellyfish tunnel.
Cross to Pier 60 to see sea otters, river otters, and harbor seals in above-and-below-water habitats. Feeding times and keeper talks draw crowds.
At the Life on the Edge touch pools, staff guide you as you gently feel sea stars, urchins, and anemones. Diver presentations and puppet shows explain local ecosystems.
Finish in the Ocean Pavilion’s multi-story tropical reef tank, holding hundreds of Indo-Pacific species. Enjoy live coral displays and immersive projections.
Use the aquarium as the anchor for a downtown day. Your standard ticket covers all buildings, so there’s no need to upgrade on-site.
Enter into a high-ceiling lobby with a large viewing window showcasing local Pacific Northwest fish. Orientation panels and staff guide your way.
Experience a 120,000-gallon kelp forest exhibit with a towering viewing window. Enjoy diver talks and scenic views.
Touch sea stars, anemones and learn at shallow rocky basins where staff supervise interactive touch experiences.
Walk through a cylindrical tunnel with drifting moon jellies and view a curved giant Pacific octopus tank nearby.
Dim rooms showcase Puget Sound habitats with wall-length windows, ledges, and interpretive panels.
Explore exhibits that recreate shorelines with nesting ledges and dive into underwater views of swimming seabirds.
Experience tropical coral reef tanks with vibrant corals and diverse Indo-Pacific species in a darkened hall.
View sea otters and river otters in habitats that offer both indoor and outdoor viewing experiences.
Watch harbor seals on open-air decks with sheltered viewing spots overlooking Elliott Bay.
A circular overhead window offers a dramatic preview of sharks and rays as you approach the Ocean Pavilion.
A multi‑story tropical coral reef habitat with leopard sharks, spotted eagle rays, and diverse reef fish setting the stage.
A linear gallery focusing on pelagic life and reef‑associated sharks, with floor‑to‑ceiling windows showcasing open water.
A cylindrical projection theater where films about kelp forests and ocean scenes wrap around the viewer.
Until: 31 August 2026
Meet one of Seattle Aquarium's most beloved residents and learn about the vital role sea otters play in maintaining healthy kelp forest ecosystems. Watch the playful otters swim, forage, and interact during daily care sessions while discovering the conservation efforts helping protect this once-endangered species. Located at Pier 60, the habitat is home to northern sea otters Mishka and Sekiu, along with southern sea otter Ruby.
Until: 1 September 2026
See the graceful leopard whiptail ray glide through the tropical waters of the Ocean Pavilion, inspired by the Coral Triangle. Recognizable by its distinctive spotted pattern and long whip-like tail, this ray is part of the pavilion's immersive reef habitat, where you'll also encounter colorful reef fish, sharks, corals, and other Indo-Pacific marine species while learning about coral reef conservation.
Watch playful northern and southern sea otters swim, crack shellfish with rocks, and demonstrate why they're considered a keystone species of Pacific kelp forests.
Seattle Aquarium works well with little ones because it’s compact, stroller‑friendly, and full of hands‑on moments. Start at the Life on the Edge tidepool touch tanks, where staff help kids gently feel sea stars and anemones. Plan to catch a sea otter feeding or the “Catastrophe by the Sea” puppet show at Pier 59, both big hits for younger visitors. In the Ocean Pavilion, the huge tropical reef window and gliding sharks and rays keep kids mesmerized without long walks.
Parents can navigate easily with strollers thanks to ramps and elevators throughout. Toddler Cove offers a small climbing area plus a nursing pod for quiet breaks. Family restrooms with diaper‑changing spaces are available in each building, and the Pier 59 café serves quick snacks and drinks when energy dips.
Address: Seattle Aquarium, 1483 Alaskan Way, Pier 59, Seattle, WA 98101, on the central waterfront below Pike Place Market | Find on Maps
Getting there:
Yes. The aquarium uses timed-entry tickets and popular slots often sell out, especially on weekends and holidays. Booking your tickets online guarantees your entry time and usually saves you from standing in a long line.
A General Admission ticket gives timed entry on your chosen date, plus access to all standard exhibits across Pier 59 and Pier 60, including Ocean Pavilion. Daily diver talks, animal feedings, and presentations are included.
Your ticket allows you to enter during your selected time window and explore at your own pace until closing. Most visitors spend around 1.5–2 hours, or longer if attending multiple talks.
Yes. Same-day re-entry is allowed. Keep your wristband or ticket handy and show it at the entrance if you step out and want to come back.
This ticket covers standard daytime general admission only. It doesn’t include separate attractions like harbor cruises, Woodland Park Zoo, or Smith Tower.
No. General Admission tickets are for regular daytime visits. Special events such as After-Hours evenings require separate tickets.
Cancellation and rescheduling depend on the ticket type. Refundable or changeable options, deadlines, and fees are detailed on the ticket purchase page.
These tickets are for a self-guided visit. There is no standard guided tour or audio guide included, though private groups can arrange custom programs.
Most signage and presentations are in English. Some accessibility services, like ASL interpretation, may be arranged in advance but are not automatically included.
Yes. Mobile e-tickets can be shown at either entrance. Staff will scan your phone, so printing is optional.
