Meet the Locals!
Visit the Aquarium
Temporary Closure Notice:
To do our part in reducing the spread of COVID-19, Heal the Bay is following guidelines from the Los Angeles County Department of Health and suspending all public programs, including programming at the Aquarium. Heal the Bay Aquarium is closed and all public activities are suspended until further notice to accommodate physical distancing and help reduce the transmission of COVID-19.
View our full COVID 19 response notice. If you have any questions, please Contact Us.
Location
Heal the Bay Aquarium
at the Santa Monica Pier
1600 Ocean Front Walk
Santa Monica, CA 90401
How to find us
Admission
Adults and kids 13+: $7
California locals discount (with ID): $5
Kids 12 and under: FREE
Groups of 10+
$5 each
California locals discount (with ID): $3 each
About Us
Under the Santa Monica Pier, come see what Heal the Bay’s work is all about: Protecting the animals that call the Bay home. With over 100 local species on exhibit, hands-on activities for small frys, and daily educational programs, our award-winning Heal the Bay Aquarium is the perfect place to immerse yourself in marine science without getting your feet wet.
Plus, you can visit our Gift Shop for zero-waste goodies, novelty plushies, green travel items, limited edition Heal the Bay gear, and more! View more items at our Online Shop.
What’s New
- Our virtual Summer Camp is open for enrollment
- See us LIVE every Thursday at 1:30pm on Facebook
- Care for local wildlife species by making an Aquadoption
Hours
The Aquarium is closed until further notice.
OPEN DAILY
Monday-Sunday:
12:30pm-5:00pm
Contact Us
(310) 393-6149
For the coolest updates and cutest critters, follow us!
What's Going On?
CANCELLED: Saturday at the Aquarium: Story Time
Meet the locals! Explore unique and critically important marine animals, habitats and environmental issues without getting your feet wet. And stick around for Story Time at 2pm. Kids love our ocean-themed stories.
For more info on Aquarium & Heal the Bay events:
Current Exhibits
Red Octopus
Even though it's small in size, this animal is super smart and can blend in very well to their surroundings.
Touch Tanks
L.A.’s most colorful stars hang out here, along with hermit crabs, sea urchins, and cucumbers not meant for your salad.
Rocky Reef
Celebrate the subtidal zone with mesmerizing moray eels and the cuddly-looking sea hare.
Kelp Forest
Kelp can grow up to 2 feet per day and provides vital habitat for our kelpfish, rockfish, and wolf eel.
Tidal Surge
Juvenile fish, anemones, and more live life in the splash lane as a simulated tide rises and falls every 5 minutes.
Dorothy Green Room
Embark on water’s journey through L.A.’s urban landscape to the shore in this interactive exhibit.
Sea Jellies
Meditation time. Watching our moon jellies drift and float takes the sting out of a hectic day.
Under the Pier
Get a glimpse of life beneath the Santa Monica Pier. Be sure to double-check the sand: Some of our halibut and rays like to lay low.
Sharks
Catch our horn and swell sharks cuddling in this open-top exhibit and let us explain why you have nothing to fear.
Catch of the Day
A rotating cast of the noteworthy critters our dive team finds on their weekly specimen-collecting expeditions.
Kids Corner
Six pint-sized tanks house a variety of animals like newborn sharks, tiny tube anemones, and—is it a fish or a rock band?—the sarcastic fringehead.
Dive Deeper
Can’t quite get your Aquarium fix in one afternoon visit? Here are three ways to hang with us more often.
Learn
From school field trips to camps to professional development for teachers, our educational programs instill passion for the ocean for all ages.
Volunteer
Aquarium volunteers support public programs by interpreting at touch tanks, ensuring the success of private events and attending outreach events all over L.A.
Aquadopt
When you “adopt” one of the animals, the animal stays with us, but your good karma stays with you. Plus, enjoy free visits to the Aquarium for a full year.
Host a Birthday Party
Planning a birthday party? It’s easy to make a big splash at Heal the Bay Aquarium — choose from one of our many themed party packages and enjoy a zero-waste event. If you’re organizing a staff retreat, setting up a photo shoot, or planning an event — we offer event rentals, too.