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About the Aquarium
Santa Monica Pier Aquarium (SMPA) logo. Click forthe SMPA home page
The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium (blue and white), beneath the Carousel (orange building) at the Santa Monica Pier. Photo: Heal the Bay
The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium (blue and white), beneath the Carousel (orange building) at the Santa Monica Pier. Photo: Heal the Bay
The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium (SMPA) is a marine science aquarium located beach-level, just below the Carousel, at the Santa Monica Pier

The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium offers school groups, families and visitors a unique view into the ocean world just outside its doors and is home to dozens of species of marine animals and plants.

Aquaria exhibits include interactive displays, touch tanks filled with animals found in tide pools and several large habitat tanks featuring animals and habitats found in the Santa Monica Bay.

During public visiting hours, families can enjoy all the public programs, including the new Kids' Corner, a comfortable, inviting, interactive space full of books, games and puzzles centered around a marine theme. The Kids' Corner also features a puppet theater and a host of puppets for visitors to use to create their own undersea adventures.

Families can also learn about marine conservation and other environmental issues by watching short educational films shown throughout the day in the Santa Monica Bay Room. Craft projects for a range of age groups are ongoing as well.

In addition, the aquarium's education programs brings to the aquarium roughly 20,000 students each school year for weekday field trips, with an additional 50,000 yearly visitors coming through the aquarium during public visiting hours.

Heal the Bay & the SMPA
On March 1, 2003, Heal the Bay became the managing agent of the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium (formerly known as the Ocean Discovery Center and run by UCLA).

The aquarium's goals of raising awareness of our ocean environment, promoting conservation through stewardship and teaching marine science to the public, fit naturally with the programs and mission of Heal the Bay.
Related
This website:
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions about the aquarium
Contact Info
Aquarium contact info
Exhibits
Marine animal and habitat displays at the aquarium
Visitor Info
Hours & fees, directions, maps and more
Birthday Parties
Info about renting the aquarium for birthday parties



This page last updated on Wednesday, April 11, 2007


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