Seattle Aquarium New Ocean Pavilion - Coming Soon!

The Seattle Aquarium opened in 1977 on Pier 59 and Pier 60. Plans for a city aquarium were in the works from the early 1960’s. Voters approved funding for the $5.4 million dollar project in 1968 to replace an existing private aquarium. The Seattle Aquarium is one of our top tourist attractions welcoming over one million visitors annually. After years of construction following the demolition of the Alaskan Way Viaduct in 2019 the Seattle Waterfront Project is finally entering the home stretch! The City of Seattle has invested over $800 million to transform the waterfront. The crown jewel is the Overlook Walk and the Ocean Pavilion. Next year the projects will be complete, and we can thoroughly enjoy the reconnected waterfront to the downtown core and the Pike Place Market. On August 29th the Seattle Aquarium will veiled the $170 million dollar expansion of its campus. “Part of what we want to do with the Ocean Pavilion is inspire people to care, inspire people to think about their connections, build empathy for these incredibly unique animals they will get a chance to see here. And hopefully, it’ll inspire them to take action as they’re walking out the door,” says Dr. Erin Meyer – Chief Conservation Officer. The Ocean Pavilion will be the centerpiece of the revitalized waterfront! The expansion will bring a variety of no-cost experiences to the estimated 15 million people who visit Seattle each year. A viewing window will provide a look into the Pavilions largest habitat. Public spaces around the Pavilion feature installations by local artists. A public rooftop terrace will have incredible and unparalleled views we can all enjoy for free! The major exhibits include The Reef, an underwater canyon that arcs overhead. The Archipelago is a two-level portrait of reef builders. One Ocean Hall is filled with interactive displays that spotlight marine ecosystems. At Home in the Ocean gets you up-close to habitats and younger guests enter the reef with a crawl-through space where they come face to face with inhabitants.