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What is the Aquarium of the Pacific?
The Aquarium of the Pacific is a public aquarium in Long Beach, California, focused on the Pacific Ocean. Its own materials describe it as a journey of discovery through the world's largest ocean, and the site is built around visiting: buying tickets, planning a trip, and seeing animals.
What a visit looks like
- Marine life: The site highlights sea jellies, frogs, fish, octopus, harbor seals, sea otters, and a rescued sea turtle named Meatloaf, along with a sea turtle rehabilitation area.
- Exhibits and experiences: Current features include Jelly Dreamscapes, an immersive sea jelly exhibit with species new to the aquarium; a HoloTheater in the Ocean Theater; and Undersea Explorer VR, a 360° live-action viewing experience.
- Beyond the tanks: Boat Adventures run cruises to see whales, dolphins, and sea lions, and the aquarium runs virtual events and family programs such as food web and invertebrate sessions.
- Conservation work: Its news coverage includes taking in nearly 500 trafficked animals after a wildlife seizure and welcoming two rescued, nonreleasable sea otters intended as future surrogate mothers.
Practical planning
The site notes that reservations are required on weekends and holidays, lists admission prices, and gives a phone number and daily hours (9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. PST) plus parking and live chat details. A visitor guide mobile app is also offered.
Who it suits
Families and casual visitors get an easy half-day with hands-on programming and immersive exhibits; conservation-minded visitors get stories about rescue and rehabilitation; and anyone interested in the Pacific's species can use the site's marine species report card and magazine content as a starting point. If you are deciding whether to go, check the events calendar first, since dated talks and virtual sessions may shape which day is worth choosing. Start at Aquarium of the Pacific for current hours, reservations, and tickets.
How much does it cost to visit the Aquarium of the Pacific, and do I need to make a reservation?
Admission prices are not listed here; the site shows a "Buy Tickets" path and a phone number, so treat pricing as something to confirm directly. What is clear: reservations are required on weekends and holidays.
How to check cost and book
- Start at Aquarium of the Pacific and use the "Buy Tickets" link to see current admission prices; buying online also lets you pick a time slot.
- If you prefer to ask about pricing, discounts or accessibility before committing, call (562) 590-3100.
- General operating hours are listed as 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. PST; parking is available on site, and live chat runs 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. PST.
Reservation rule at a glance
| When you visit | Reservation needed? |
|---|---|
| Weekends and holidays | Yes, required |
| Weekdays | Not stated on the page — check the ticket page before you go |
Practical scenario: A family planning a Saturday trip should book a timed ticket in advance, since walk-up entry may not be possible on weekends or holidays. A solo visitor with a flexible weekday off has an easier time, but should still verify whether a reservation is needed and what the ticket costs that day, because prices and policies can change seasonally.
Next step: Open the ticket page, enter your intended date, and read the total including any parking or add-on experiences such as the HoloTheater or a whale-watching boat cruise before you decide.
What are the must-see exhibits and animals at the Aquarium of the Pacific?
The Aquarium of the Pacific's signature experiences combine immersive exhibits with close encounters with rescued and native marine life. Based on what the Long Beach site highlights, here's where to focus your visit.
Top exhibits to prioritize
- Jelly Dreamscapes — An immersive sea jelly experience with species never before shown at the Aquarium, plus a look at how staff care for these animals. This is the current headline exhibit, so it's the natural first stop.
- HoloTheater — The Ocean Theater has been converted into a holographic viewing experience, a good option when you want a seated, visual presentation between walking exhibits.
- Undersea Explorer VR — A 360° live-action immersive viewing experience, useful if you want something interactive rather than observational.
- Marine Species Report Card — A display on the population status of thirty California species; strong for visitors interested in conservation context rather than just animals.
Animals worth planning around
- Sea jellies, the focus of Jelly Dreamscapes, along with frogs, fish, and octopus shown in the exhibit media.
- Harbor seals, which appear among the animals featured in the Aquarium's promotional footage.
- Meatloaf, a rescued sea turtle over two hundred pounds, viewable in the sea turtle rehabilitation area starting April 8, 2026.
- Sunny and Rey, two rescued sea otters deemed nonreleasable by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with hopes they'll serve as surrogate mothers for orphaned pups.
- Whales, dolphins, and sea lions on the optional boat adventures, which are separate from the indoor exhibits.
How to decide
If you have limited time, treat Jelly Dreamscapes and the rescued-animal areas as the core, then add HoloTheater or VR depending on whether your group prefers passive or interactive formats. Families with young children often do better mixing an immersive exhibit with a live animal area; visitors focused on conservation will get the most from the species report card and the rescue stories.
Before you go, check the day's event calendar — virtual events like Food Webs and Incredible Invertebrates appear alongside in-person programming, and reservations are required on weekends and holidays. Buying tickets or a membership in advance through Aquarium of the Pacific is the simplest next step.
Can I take a whale-watching cruise with the Aquarium of the Pacific?
Yes. The Aquarium of the Pacific runs its own boat adventures from Long Beach, and whale watching is one of them: the site describes a cruise to see whales, dolphins and sea lions. That makes it a straightforward option if you want a harbor departure paired with an aquarium visit rather than booking a separate tour operator.
Aquarium of the Pacific
What to expect
- It's a boat cruise, not an exhibit. You leave the aquarium building and go out on the water, so plan it as a separate activity with its own timing.
- Wildlife is wild. Whales, dolphins and sea lions are what the cruise is looking for, not a guaranteed lineup on any given sailing. Dolphin and sea lion sightings tend to be more consistent than whale sightings, which vary by season and luck.
- Dress for the water. Even in Southern California, it's cooler and windier offshore than on shore. Layers, sunscreen and a windbreaker matter more than anything you'd wear inside the aquarium.
- Motion sickness is the main trade-off. If anyone in your group is prone to it, take precautions before boarding; the outer harbor and open water can be choppy.
A practical way to decide
If your goal is a full day in Long Beach, pair a morning cruise with an afternoon aquarium visit, or the reverse. Buy admission and cruise tickets together where the site offers that, and reserve ahead for weekends and holidays, when the aquarium requires reservations. Check the day's sailing times before you commit, since they shift with the season and conditions.
If you mainly want to see marine mammals without committing to a boat, the aquarium's own sea otter and sea turtle areas give you a reliable, weather-proof alternative on the same trip.
What educational programs and events does the Aquarium of the Pacific offer for families and children?
The Aquarium of the Pacific runs a mix of on-site family programming, virtual events and self-guided tools that work for children and parents visiting Long Beach. The page highlights family-oriented events, a virtual event series, an app-based visitor guide, a seasonal family night and a marine species report card that can anchor a kid-friendly learning conversation.
H3 Family and child-oriented events
- Scarium Family Night: a seasonal family night event, useful for families who want an evening visit with a Halloween-style theme.
- Virtual events: scheduled sessions such as Food Webs, Incredible Invertebrates / ¡Invertebrados Increíbles! and Ocean Investigators. These suit children who cannot visit in person or classrooms looking for a live lesson.
- Jelly Dreamscapes: an immersive sea jelly exhibit where children can see species new to the Aquarium and learn about animal care.
- HoloTheater: the Ocean Theater converted into a holographic experience, a short, visual stop that holds attention well for younger kids.
- Boat Adventures: cruises to see whales, dolphins and sea lions, a good fit for older children who can handle time on the water.
- Marine Species Report Card: a resource on the population status of thirty California species, best for school-age children doing a project or a parent guiding a discussion.
H3 Planning notes Reservations are required on weekends and holidays, so book ahead if your family can only visit then. The visitor guide mobile app is worth downloading before arrival to navigate exhibits and events. The aquarium's published hours are 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. PST, with live chat listed at 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. PST.
For a concrete next step, check the Upcoming Events calendar on Aquarium of the Pacific and match a virtual session or family night to your child's age and interests before choosing a visit date.
How does the Aquarium of the Pacific contribute to marine conservation and animal rescue?
The Aquarium of the Pacific contributes to marine conservation mainly by taking in animals that cannot be released or that need urgent care, and by turning those cases into public education. Its rescue work is not limited to one species or one situation.
Direct animal care and rehabilitation
- It accepted nearly 500 animals—including endangered and near threatened species—after a large seizure by wildlife officials, providing immediate help.
- It opened a sea turtle rehabilitation area where visitors can see Meatloaf, a rescued sea turtle weighing more than two hundred pounds.
- It took in two rescued sea otters, Sunny and Rey, both deemed nonreleasable to the wild by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The longer-term goal is for them to become surrogate mothers so more orphaned pups can eventually return to the wild.
Conservation through education and exhibits
- The Jelly Dreamscapes exhibit introduces sea jellies not previously seen at the Aquarium and explains the state-of-the-art care these animals receive.
- The Marine Species Report Card highlights the population status of thirty California species, connecting local ocean health to specific animals.
- The Scarium Family Night and other events mix seasonal fun with ocean learning for families.
A practical way to judge the conservation angle If you want to see rescue and rehabilitation up close, look for the sea turtle rehabilitation area and the sea otter habitat, and read the animal stories behind them. If your interest is broader ocean health, the species report card and the Aquarium's news updates are more useful than a single exhibit.
For a visit that focuses on conservation rather than just entertainment, check the current animal news and event schedule before you go: Aquarium of the Pacific.
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