Seattle Aquarium

Seattle Aquarium and its collection

Seattle Aquarium, opened in 1962, is an aquarium in Seattle, United States.

The aquarium consists of three buildings. The Ocean Pavilion, which opened in August 2024, is given over to the Coral Triangle ecosystem, while the older buildings on Pier 59 and Pier 60 hold six major exhibits between them.

History

Voters approved plans for a city aquarium to replace a private one in the Forward Thrust ballot initiative of 1968. A site at Ballard near Golden Gardens Park was approved in April 1971, but the decision was reversed after public outcry.

Exhibits

Window on Washington Waters is a 120,000-US-gallon tank added in the 2007 expansion. The Underwater Dome is a 360-degree exhibit set in a 400,000-US-gallon tank and viewed from a spherical undersea room. The Ocean Pavilion tank holds nearly 500,000 US gallons and houses sharks and sting rays.

Conservation and approach

In 2020 it was among the founders of ReShark, a cross-border coalition whose Indonesian work aims to rebuild zebra shark numbers. Breeding facilities for those sharks sit in the Ocean Pavilion, which also keeps a group together ahead of release into the wild.

What the venue says

• routine animal enrichments and training sessions
• The Seattle Aquarium Café, located on the second floor of Pier 59, is open daily from 10am to 4pm.
• The Aquarium does not have a dedicated parking area, but there are many parking garages nearby.
• The Aquarium’s habitats and restrooms are wheelchair-accessible.
• Wheelchairs are available to check out at our Guest Services desks, in both Pier 59 and the Ocean Pavilion, on a first-come, first-served basis.
• The Aquarium is registered as a certified sensory-inclusive facility.