Santa Monica Pier Aquarium

The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium is located at Santa Monica Bay and Pier in California. The aquarium is home to Heal the Bay's marine education center. The beach level near the Carousel is for the center. Around the aquarium are several activities from rides and walking excursions to fishing, boating, and beach combing. The aquarium hosts field trips, private parties, special events, and has public hours too. Typical hours are Tuesday through Sunday 12:30 to 6:00pm in summer and 12:30 to 5pm in winter. Tuesday through Friday hours are from 2pm, rather than 12:30pm.

Children 12 or younger are free to enter. For all other entries a suggested donation is $5 per person or a minimum of $3. Groups of 10 or more are $2 per person regardless of their age. Annually the aquarium sees 85,000 visitors and 15,000 students. The aquarium is designed with hands on educational displays. Individuals can touch some of the marine animals, watch octopus in their glass tanks, and learn about the diversity of California's Pacific Ocean, bays and estuaries regarding inhabitants, flora and fauna. The aquarium is dedicated to marine conservation, biodiversity, and prevention by pollution or other means.